The dive site Western Deep or Western Deep Reef is an offshore rocky reef in the Off-Whittle – Western Reefs 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

Multibeam sonar map of Whittle Rock and surrounds, Western Deep Reef is southwest of Whittle Rock

A small area of reef to the west of Whittle Rock reef, probably the deepest of the Off-Whittle western reefs. Discovered on a multibeam sonar survey by Wreckless marine in 2022, and first dived in December 2022 by Wreckless divers.

Position

1 Western Deep: S34°15.111' E18°32.578', Southwest of Whittle Rock Reef This site is in a Marine Protected Area (2004). A permit is required.

Name

The name "Western Deep" refers to the reef's geographical position relative to Whittle Rock.

Depth

Maximum depth is about 43 m. on the sand, and the top of the reef is about 33 m. (Average depth of a dive is likely to be about 38 m.)

Visibility

See also: Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Whittle Rock#Visibility

Visibility is likely to be similar to other sites of the Off-Whittle Southern Reefs area and the Whittle Rock main reef.

Topography

The reef is fairly high profile near the high area, and there is a large rock near the sand on the west side with a big overhang on its east side

Geology: Pre-cambrian granite of the Peninsula pluton.

Conditions

The site will usually be at it's best in winter but there will also be occasional opportunities during the rest of the year

Get in

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

The site is only accessible by boat. It is about 6.9 km offshore from the slipway at Miller's Point, but boats may also leave from Simon's Town jetty. On a good day in a fast boat it is a bit less than a half hour run from Simon's Town Jetty, a distance of about 13.5 km. Occasionally boats may leave from Gordon's Bay Old Harbour or Harbour Island marina, which are both about 31 km away.

Do

Dive at the reef starting near the mark and explore in whatever direction looks good.

Routes

No routes are recorded

See

Photography

The site is fairly deep, so it will usually be quite dark. Wide angle may give some good results if the visibility is good all the way down giving good natural light, but macro is a safer bet.

Stay safe

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

Hazards

There are no known site-specific hazards other than the depth. Most of the site is below the depth range usually accepted as suitable for recreational diving, or for emergency swimming ascent. Surface currents due to wind are likely and may take the divers away from the descent area during an ascent with decompression stops.

Skills

The competence to follow suitable decompression procedures is strongly recommended. This includes carrying and using appropriate gases and deploying a decompression buoy to mark the position of the divers during ascent.

Equipment

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

Adequate and reliable alternative breathing gas supply, as the depth is beyond the range for which emergency swimming ascent is a reasonable response. A decompression buoy is strongly recommended, and may be required by the service provider. A fully redundant emergency gas supply is recommended. Use of breathing gas mixtures appropriate to the depth is recommended.

Nearby

Other offshore dive sites of False Bay:

• 1 SATS General Botha
• 2 Off-Whittle Ridge
• 3 Whittle Rock
• 4 Bruce's Mark
• 5 Sandy-top Ridge
• 6 Billy's Reef
• 7 Southwood's Corner
• 8 Josh's Reef
• 9 Wreckless Ridge
• 10 Lonehill Reef
• 11 Deep South Whittle Reef

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of reef dive sites in the Whittle Rock and surrounds 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