Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Sterretjies Reef

The dive site Sterretjies Reef is an offshore rocky reef in the Gordon's Bay area of False Bay, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Understand

See also: Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay#Understand

This site is far enough offshore to be generally outside the eddy of low visibility that often occurs off Gordon's Bay, but is still reasonably close to the launch sites, and has good biodiversity and more rugged topography than most of the close offshore sites of the area. It is a large area and mostly unexplored.

Position

• S34°09.364' E18°45.039' Sterretjies Reef 📍 Usual drop point. The area is indicated on the SAN chart as a shoal area above 20m, with a spot depth of 15m. This site is not in a Marine Protected Area. A permit is not required.

Name

The name "Sterretjies Reef" refers to the large number of juvenile basket stars seen there. Sterretjies means little stars in Afrikaans. The site was named by Indigo Divers when they first dived there in 2018.

Depth

Maximum depth may be as much as 30 m. and the top of the reef is about 15 m.

Get in

See also: Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay#Boat dives

Usual access: boat dive from Gordon's Bay or Harbour Island. The site is about 10 km from Harbour Island, or (distance)km from Gordon's Bay old harbour.

See

Marine life

See also: Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay#The marine ecology

Indigo Divers report that there were lots of fish, large sea fans and sponges. The pinnacles are covered with soft corals, sponges, multi-coloured sea fans and strawberry anemones. Various colour morphs of gas-flame nudibranch, frilly nudibranchs, orange-eyed nudibranchs, crowned nudibranchs, white edged nudibranchs, soft coral nudibranchs and candy nudibranchs. Fish included white seacatfish, blennies and shy sharks. Other invertebrates included walking anemones, spider crabs, sea spiders and octopus.

Photography

The topography is not particularly photogenic, and visibility is not likely to be exceptional, so macro and general close-up wide-angle photos are likely to produce the best results. Artificial lighting is recommended for better colour and clearer photos.

Suggested routes

There are no recommended routes. Swim around and explore, or hang out near the shotline and take photos as best suits your style and inclinations at the time.

Stay safe

See also: Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay#Stay safe

Hazards

No site-specific hazards known.

Skills

The site is borderline for entry-level certification, as most of the reef is below 18 m depth, and good buoyancy skills are required to avoid damaging the fragile reef life.

Equipment

See also: Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay#Equipment

No special equipment required, though a light and DSMB are recommended.

Nearby

Other offshore dive sites of False Bay:

• Choirboys Reef 📍

• Seal Island 📍

• Drop Zone 📍

• East Shoal 📍

• Moddergat 📍

• York Shoal 📍

• SAS Fleur 📍

• Offshore Barges – North Barge 📍

• Steenbras Deep - South Pinnacles 📍

• Blue Flame Pinnacles 📍

• SATS General Botha 📍

• Off-Whittle Ridge 📍

• SAS Bloemfontein 📍

• Whittle Rock 📍

• Bruce's Mark 📍

• Deep South Whittle Reef 📍

• Anvil Rock 📍

• SS Lusitania 📍

• Rocky Bank 📍

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of reef dive sites in the northern False Bay offshore area

Other regional dive sites:

• Dive sites of Table Bay and approaches,

• Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula west coast

• Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula east coast

• Dive sites of False Bay east coast

• Fresh water dive sites of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area