Blue Rock Quarry

城市概覽

The site is diveable in all weather conditions, and provides a large range of depths, and is useful for training and familiarization with equipment and procedures. The water supply is mainly groundwater, and is neither particularly clean nor known to be contaminated with anything nasty. Water level may vary a bit, and can be a metre or so higher after a rainy winter, but is limited by overflowing at the west end. Runoff from winter rains carries in silt and reduces visibility.

Position S34°07.566’ E18°54.045’ 1 West end S34°07.646’ E18°54.220’ 2 Deep end S34°07.630’ E18°54.128’ 3 Floating jetty S34°07.540’ E18°54.137’ 4 Dive and Adventure corner Near the foot of Sir Lowry's Pass, just off the N2 highway. Altitude is somewhere between the 60 m and 80 m contours. Sea level equivalent altitude for most dive tables. This site is not in a Marine Protected Area

Name The "Blue Rock Quarry" was named for the building aggregate which was quarried there in the past, which was a dark blue-grey colour. The quarry was closed and is now flooded and used for water sports including diving.

Depth The bottom is stepped, except at the old access roads. The level at the west end and the west part of the south and north sides is at about 10 m, then drops almost vertically to about 20 m, then further east it drops off again more gradually over a boulder slope to the main level at about 25 to 30 m. The east end is deeper, from 30 to 40 m in most places, and the deep area in the south east corner extends to at least 47 m, though there are unconfirmed reports of greater depth. (65 m in the south eastern corner)

Visibility Visibility varies with the seasons. It is best at the end of summer, before the winter rains, which reduce visibility due to runoff. Visibility can be as high as 6 to 8 m but is usually more like 3 to 4 m, and the bottom is covered with fine silt which can reduce visibility to less than a metre locally in seconds. The silt usually clears overnight to the usual

如何抵達

Take the turnoff to the north to Sir Lowry’s Pass village from the N2 at the Gordon's Bay turnoff at the foot of Sir Lowry’s Pass. A few hundred metres along there is a turnoff to the left to a short access road which runs more or less parallel to the main road. Turn into the gate to the left and pass through the security gate. The gatekeeper will require payment of the entry fee. Drive along the tar road and further along the dirt road until you reach the parking area near the buildings. An entrance fee and a charge for diving of R130 is levied per person for the day (August 2016). Parking is usually adequate but equipment will have to be carried to the water. Adequate paths and stairs are provided near the buildings, and old access roads provide safe access to the water at two other places. Inquire at the shop about vehicle access to these roads. Four wheel drive, differential lock and reasonably high ground clearance recommended. Opening hours vary, and the site may be officially closed between mid May and mid September. It is often possible to get access by arrangement on closed days, as some of the staff appear to live on site. There are three areas usually used for diving access.

The platform where the water-skiers launch, at the bottom of a set of stairs in front of the buildings. There is an adequate set of steps at the east end of the jetty for getting out. The shore at the west end, where there is easy access at the base of the north western pylon. This area may be used by commercial diver training schools, usually for scuba, but occasionally for surface supplied diving. Stay clear of their operations while they have divers in the water, or at least request permission from the supervisor, who may require you to stay clear of a specified area. The shore at the middle of the south side, at the bottom of a grassed over access ramp, where there is a wood decked floating jetty used as a dock for the boat which picks up skiers who let go of the towline far f

必看景點

Aquatic life There are small fish, freshwater crabs, Platannas (African clawed toad) and some larger fish which have not been identified, but may be carp. Small fresh-water jellyfish have been seen at some times of the year.

Features There are several water-ski ramps with cable moorings, but stay away from these when the ski-cable system is in use. The east end has a few permanent shotlines used by the commercial diving schools and by free-divers for training. If they are not in use there is no problem with using them. The submerged roads at the west end have an assortment of earthmoving vehicle tyres lying around where they were last left by trainee divers who use them for lift bag exercises, and there is some steel structural framework at the ski launch platform at the bottom of the stairs in the south-west corner.

Photography Not recommended for photograph enthusiasts as there is little to photograph, and the visibility is usually poor and the water dark.

Routes Multi level dives are easily made near where the road enters the water. The road can be followed, or by swimming at right angles to the road, the depth increases in steps to about 25m at the west end. Take care to keep clear of the water ski route under the cable system when near the surface. Deep dives can be done using the moorings of the rafts as shotlines, or for greater depth shotlines can be set up to suit the dive plan. If it is expected to obstruct the ski zone, be sure to make arrangements with the management ahead of time. There are two permanent shotlines belonging to the commercial diving school, which may be used if they are not operating on site. If there are no commercial diver training operations in progress, the permanent shotlines may be used. The further from the entry area at the base of the south-eastern access road is anchored at about 42m on a rubble bottom. The slope up appears to be nearby, about 2 m away, but it is not known in which direction, or of this will provide