Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Friskies Pinnacle

The dive sites Friskies Pinnacles or North Eastern Pinnacles are two small offshore rocky reefs in the Roman Rock area of Simon's Bay in False Bay, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Understand

Friskies and North Friskes are two of a large group of reefs scattered around the area marked by the Roman Rock lighthouse. They are a short ride from Long Beach or the False Bay Yacht Club slipway.

Position

Friskies Pinnacle 📍: S34°10.778’ E018°27.822’ — A short distance to the east of the Castor Rock reefs. About 380 m at 266° magnetic to Roman Rock lighthouse
North Friskies Pinnacle 📍: S34°10.720’ E018°27.830’ This sites are in a Marine Protected Area (2004). A permit is required. The sites are entirely outside, but very close to the eastern border of the Boulders Restricted Zone.

Name

The name "Friskies" was given to the southern site by some of the divers on the first recorded dive trip to the reef, in appreciation of a particularly frisky young seal which accompanied the divers for some time.

Depth

Maximum depth at Friskies is about 23 m, and the top of the pinnacle is about 12 m. Average depth of a dive excluding ascent is likely to be about 18 m. North Friskies is a little deeper, down to 26 m on the sand.

Visibility

Visibility will usually be much the same as at Castor Rock reef.

Topography

Friskies is a compact dive site comprising a small fairly steep pinnacle rising about 10m above the sand, surrounded by a boulders, some quite large, and with a more scattered group of large boulders to the immediate north-east. About 100 m slightly east of north from the main pinnacle there is a lower pinnacle known as North Friskies, with a small amount of lower reef to the east.

Geology: Pre-Cambrian granite corestone of the Peninsula pluton, surrounded by sand.

Conditions

The site is exposed to winds from all directions, which, if strong, can whip the surface of the sea to a nasty chop, and can make the boat trip uncomfortable and wet. Also this makes it more difficult for the boat crew to keep track of the divers, though conditions a few metres below the waves may be quite pleasant. Windy conditions should be avoided, but are not a big problem if they develop during the dive. The site is reasonably protected from swells from the south west, but a strong south easterly wind will eventually produce a sea large enough to be a problem.

The site is usually at its best in winter but there are also opportunities during the rest of the year.

Get in

Boat access only. 5.7 km from Miller's Point slipway, 3.6 km from Simon's Town jetty, or 3.5 km from Long Beach.

See

Marine life

Photography

Suggested Routes

The reef is quite small, and centred on the pinnacle. The boat will usually put down a shotline near to the top of the pinnacle, and this is an appropriate place to start and end the dive. The main part of the dive can be spent exploring the reef down to the sand, then slowly making your way back to the pinnacle.

Stay safe

Hazards

No site specific hazards recorded.

Skills

No special skills required. The site is shallow enough for entry level divers.

Equipment

No special equipment required. A DSMB could be useful to indicate your position if you ascend away from the shot line.

Nearby

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of dive sites in the Roman Rock area

Other regional dive sites:

Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Friskies Pinnacle - offshore dive site in Simon's Bay off the Cape Peninsula east coast