Gauteng Diving
Gauteng Province, located in the very heart of South Africa, may not be the first choice for many diving holidays due to its landlocked status. Despite this, the warm weather and several pleasantly clear lakes nearby make this an excellent inland dive destination.
Pretoria
The town of Pretoria is located in the landlocked province of Gauteng, not the most obvious place to learn to dive, you may think. The area actually boasts a number of lakes and plenty of dive centres which makes the area a popular location for dive courses.
Diving in Gauteng
Gauteng Province is found in the very centre of South Africa and is the most densely populated province in the whole of SA. It is home to the large population hubs of Johannesburg and Pretoria as well as the smaller cities of Germiston and Vereeniging. It is also home to a, perhaps surprising, number of dive centres.
Though landlocked, the area has several lakes which have become popular dive destinations - called Bass Lake and Miracle Waters. Diving in Gauteng is possible through its dive centres. There are no dive resorts here or liveaboards (it being landlocked makes that one a challenge) but there are plenty of places to learn to dive. The calmness of the lakes makes it a popular place for dive courses, particularly for beginners. Several of the shops offer the chance to stay around the lake while you’re learning to dive, in a variety of accommodation styles.
Most dive shops frequently organise trips down to the coast to dive in the ocean. Some of the most popular dive sites are found off Durban, such as Aliwal Shoal, around a 5 hour drive to the south.
Best places to dive
Bass Lake is just outside Johannesburg in a place called Henley on Klip. It is a popular location for beginners just starting out with scuba or for more experienced divers to perfect their skills. There are lots of bass in the lake (as the name might suggest) to keep divers amused. Taking full advantage of the old quarry, a bus, hang glider, helicopter and mine truck have all been sunk here for points of interest. The visibility is around 8m at the start of the day, before divers disturb the bottom.
Miracle Waters is another old mine, found near the Magaliesberg mountains and around an hour out of Johannesburg. The visibility is good as the water is fed by a clear subterranean spring, but, again, it is better earlier in the morning. There are lots of bass and kurper. There is an aeroplane, a few yachts, a sunken swimming pool, a bus and a puma helicopter to be found lurking on the bottom. The bus and the aeroplane can be penetrated if you are sufficiently trained.
