Scuba Diving in Simon’s Town

Simon’s Town is located near Cape Town, South Africa, which is located on the shores of False Bay, on the eastern side of the Cape Peninsula. Cape Town International Airport is located in 50km/31mi from it. Simon’s Town is home to the South African Navy. For more than two centuries it has been an important naval base and harbour. Boulders Beach is located a few kilometres to the south of Simon’s Town and is reputed to be amongst the very best beaches in the Cape. It is internationally renowned for being home to one of only three South African colonies of the African Penguins. One of the best scuba diving training areas is Long Beach, which is a shoreline sand bottomed site. The area is a part of the Marine Protected Area. It is known for its moderate conditions, easy access and excellent facilities. The best time of the year to dive there is in the winter when the South Easterly Winds tend not to blow. There are no major wrecks in the area with the exception of a couple of small fishing boats, a barge and some small yacht wrecks. Long Beach is home to a wide variety of marine life. Sharks are rarely found at Long Beach. It is a very popular training site, the depth varies from 5m/16ft to 18m/59ft. Other popular dive sites are SAS Pietermaritzburg, Pyramid Rocks, Castle Rocks, A-Frame and The Clan Stuart.