Aliwal Sharks

We are slap bang in the middle of “Raggie” season. This year has been a slow start, but the docile puppy-dogs seem to be arriving at a slow pace. Recently I ended a dive at North Sands where we were pleasantly surprised to run into a group of Ragged Tooth Sharks. Whilst hovering in mid-water I was excited to count fifteen sharks in one spot. As we moved along the sands more and more sharks kept on appearing out of the awesome blue. Raggies can now be spotted all over the reef. I have seen them at their usual hang outs, Cathedral and the very popular Raggies Cave. But I have also seen them in some unsuspecting places like as far south as Tiger Cave on Eel Skins and quite a few on the Inside Edge.

The Raggies are not the only sharks that we have been seen on the Aliwal Shoal. A group of divers saw a small school of Hammerheads swim over the top of False Cathedral.  Often Oceanic Blacktips are seen on the Inside Edge; or even circling the divers on a safety stop from one of our wrecks, the Produce or Nebo. Whitetip Reef Sharks are always a pleasure to see, although they are not as easy to spot as our toothy friends but are still not uncommon on the reef. If you are looking for a Guitarfish I would suggest a dive at Eel Skins. I have often seen the Greyspot Guitarfish in this area. And I have been lucky enough to see a group of Great Guitarfish around South Sands. Lately on our Baited Dives we have not only been joined by the Oceanic Blacktips but it is also a regular occurrence to be joined by two or three Dusky Sharks. The Dusky Sharks that we see look very similar to the Blacktips but can be identified by a rounder snout. I saw my first Bronze Whaler (or Copper Shark) on a recent Baited Dive. This shark also looked similar to the Blacktips, but it was the bigger tail fin that gave it away. We can’t forget the Mike Tyson of sharks, The Bull Shark or Zambezi. Last time I saw this shark it swam by our bottom drum, it has also been seen around Shark Alley on the reef. Diving with Tiger Sharks will always be an experience to cherish. We are out of season for these big sharks, they prefer warmer waters. And finally there is the shark that I want to see. The Great White Shark. I know one person who has been diving the shoal for thirteen years and encountered a white eight times; and another person who has been diving the shoal for ten years who has never seen a white. I can only imagine what it must be like to be in the presence of a white. I look forward to that day.

-Matthew

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Fathers Day

Happy June everyone! Can you believe we are already half way through the year - I could have sworn that Christmas was just yesterday! Yes, time waits for no-one, so don't putt off for another day what you can do today! We also find ourselves in the month dedicated to our wonderful and caring Fathers! If you can, do something special for your Dad's on Sunday 16th of June, even if it is just taking him a cup of tea, making a phone call to say you care, or just remembering all the good times that you shared. Happy Fathers Day to all the awesome Dads out there! I hope you get spoiled rotten - and don't forget - you can always spoil yourself and your great wife and kids to a dive! Let us know and we will do the rest! See you soon!

-Clare

The Not So Common, Common Lobster

The lobster that I am writing about here is the Hawaiian Red Lobster (a.k.a Red Dwarf Reef Lobster or Red Reef Lobster).  And for all the ichthyologists out there, you can stop scratching; the scientific name is Enoplometopus occidentalis.

Even though this species is said to be common it is definitely a rare find. If you ask all the old timers who have been diving The Aliwal Shoal for years and years if they have seen one on our reef; they will say ‘No’. Until recently that is. We have found another ‘secret spot’ with four of these little critters.

 

The Hawaiian Red Lobster is nocturnal. So, during the day, when we go diving, the lobsters’ are hiding in cavities and crevices in the rock. This does not mean that you cannot see them.  They are still exposed enough so you can make them out clearly and even see the hairs all over their body. But, they are irritated by light. This can be noticed when a torch is shone directly on to them. When this happens they retreat way back into the rock so that they can no longer be seen. This is why we deter any visiting divers not to shine their torches directly onto them, and rather shine their torches just to the side. We don’t want to scare the lobsters away permanently.

You will notice in my photograph that the lobster only has one pincer. Some of the Hawaiian Red Lobsters have one pincer while others have two. In the “secret spot” one lobster has one pincer; two lobsters have two pincers; and I haven’t been able to get a good look at the fourth one to see how many it has. We are not sure why this is.

When you see the size of the lobsters you will see that they are not worth taking. They are too small to braai. If it is taste that you are after then you must come speak to Dolf. Dolf will take you on a free diving expedition to catch some crayfish. This lobster has no value in the fishing industry but it is said to be highly prized in the aquarium trade industry.

I would like to thank Haakon Saestad and John Dench of the Toti Social Divers for the information they provided on the Hawaiian Red Lobster.

-Matthew

June Newsletter

We’ve had an overwhelmingly positive response from the May newsletter, which is always good, as it was slightly different to the previous ones.  With all of you crawling out of the woodwork, I was surprised to see we actually have a readership of more than 5. How much more I am not at liberty to say or in a condition to hope for.

To be honest, there were negative responses as well.  Exactly two. Obviously the definition of “sense of humour” and “tongue in cheek” is a very subjective one to some.

Just to clarify, I was the unscrupulous author of that newsletter, not Matthew, so he is not to blame. I am of course talking - or should I say writing - to the 2 of you who didn’t like it. I actually don’t know why I am writing this, as after your last unpleasant experience, you won’t even begin to read the newsletter.  If you are reading this sentence right now, then you can colour me confused. What colour that would be, is up to you.

One thing I do realize is that our one overseas reader – yes I am making a huge assumption that the official reader count is now 6 – might not understand some of the South African humour, and for that I have no answer.

Ok, real-time issues: What a wasted month for the diving industry on the Shoal. Never has so many lost out on so much in such a short time. No, no rip off from Winston Churchill.

 The whole of Umkomaas was like a ghost town. Not saying there are ghosts here, although some of the local residents are far advanced enough in years to qualify. And buildings too, for that matter. But I digress.  Those of you that managed to rip yourselves away from your desks will agree.  Not that I am digressing, but about the conditions. Probably one of the best months in years as far as conditions went. We’ve had two weeks straight of no wind (at writing of this, going on week three), flat, glassy sea, and at least 15-20m visibility. Current on a couple of days mid month a bit strong, but mostly light and made for great diving. Temperature still high for this time of year, 22-24 degrees Celsius.

Not boding too well for the Sardine Run at this stage. They need colder water. Which begs the question: Why on earth do they call it the Sardine ‘Run’? How do you run if you have no legs (excluding the recent news headliner athlete off course) AND how do you run on water?? Bit of a silly name for it. Sardine Swim surely sounds better. Wow, all that alliteration in one sentence would have made my English teacher proud. Pity its 30 years too late. And she said I’ll never get it right.. pfft.  I guess we should then call the upcoming Comrades marathon this weekend a “Human Run” to keep it uniform. Sounds like Cuban Rum. Wow, I can talk nonsense.

You can tell my train of thought hasn’t left the station. I feel like I have to tell you something of importance but it is not happening. Maybe next month I’ll remember. Maybe I’m part of the Umkomaas Ghosts already. Residents, not buildings.

 

Enjoy our Oceans!

 

-Basie

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May Newsletter

Apologies to the 4 readers of this newsletter for maybe making you jealous. Those 4 readers do not include my mother, or half sister from my uncle’s brother side, who knows of someone down the street from them in Makwassie that once mentioned after a multitude of backyard mampoer that he knows of someone who actually reads this newsletter. Once. But hey, that counts. Makwassie?? There is no diving there..? That dude must have SERIOUSLY been bored.  Or drunk. Probably both. Not unlike you, reader no 5, who is reading this right now. Yes you, don’t look behind you, I’m talking to you. Not saying you are drunk, but definitely bored. Stop wasting time and go and do something constructive.

 

You are still here..?? Ok then, just to make you drool a bit... that time of year is upon us again with flat seas, mild weather and clean water. Up until July, or supposedly so. Best time of the year on this coast. But don’t come down, otherwise we are going to take your money.

 

These pictures were taken on the 6^th May, a perfectly glassy day. How comfortable was your office chair on that day? Careful that the fluorescent lighting doesn’t give you sunburn.

 

 

 

20 meter plus vis and windless. I took a couple of snapshots out at sea not to share with you, but to make you jealous. And maybe to act as an incentive for you to stop sprouting roots in that very chair and to come and dive. Before they have to hack away the cobwebs just to get you out of that chair.

 

Today, the 8^th, was exactly the same. You are missing out. But it’s ok, give that desk of yours a big hug. I am sure he appreciates all the time you spend with him, Quality time. Important.

 

The last couple of weeks the Baited dives were awesome with an abundance of Oceanic Blacktips and some nice playful Tigers. Now if you are picturing a striped furry feline with a tail, whiskers and a big growl, swimming around with Blacktip sharks – you would be 100% correct. Go and tell your friend in the white jacket.

 

What the reef diving has been like I would not know – I am on the boat remember, working hard on wrinkle number 523. Stubborn one that one.

 

One thing I did notice on the surface was two turtles playing leapfrog. Except the one on top didn’t leap high enough and got stuck on the one below. The idiotic expression on it’s face must have been from feeling like a nana in this display of lack of agility.  I assume that that would be the expression if a turtle felt idiotic. Or maybe that was an expression of feeling erotic. Can I say erotic in this newsletter? Well I just did. Twice. 

 

Hey reader no 5, they were NOT leapfrogging. Your burly friend in the white jacket is calling.

 

Enough, before our valued readership shrinks even more..

 

Enjoy our oceans!!

Basie, Clare, Matt & Dolf