Cape Peninsula Kelp Forests · South Africa · Reef
A-Frame
Ridges of medium height running out to a seaward pinnacle
Area photo: Peter Southwood · CC BY-SA 3.0
A-Frame, also known as Oatlands Point, is a shallow shore dive on the False Bay side of the Cape Peninsula, dived on granite in 5 to 10 m of water. The draw is what grows on the rock: a lot of anemones, sponges and crinoids, and perlemoen, the local abalone, appear to be recovering here, with numbers of small specimens scattered around the reefs.
Also known as Oatlands Point.
Where it is and how deep
34.2081° S, 18.4610° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The site is named for a wooden tripod navigation beacon on the point, which has now been replaced by a simple post. In the water, the bottom is generally from 5 to 10 m deep on the sand, and the structure to follow is a set of ridges of medium height extending beyond the big rock, with a pinnacle at the seaward end. Working out along the ridges and back in over them is the natural shape for the dive.
The interest is what grows on that granite. There are a lot of anemones, sponges and crinoids along the ridges, close-in subjects that reward a slow pass rather than a long swim, and perlemoen, the local abalone, seem to be making a recovery, with numbers of small specimens scattered around the reefs. Depth never becomes a factor at 5 to 10 m, so the limit on the dive is thermal rather than anything on the computer.
Marine life and season
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good |
Season follows Cape Peninsula Kelp Forests: The Atlantic side is mainly a summer dive, the western shore of False Bay a winter one, when the South-Easter drops; shifting spring winds (Sep-Oct) can blow out both coasts.
Dive videos
Seal Life, A Frame, False Bay · Nick Visser, Madog on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is the A-Frame dive site?+
Shallow. The bottom is generally from 5 to 10 m deep on the sand, with ridges of medium height running out beyond the big rock to a pinnacle at the seaward end.
Sources
- A-Frame Dive Site — PADI
- Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula east coast — Wikivoyage
- Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area — Wikipedia
More dive sites in Cape Peninsula Kelp Forests
Granite ridges and gullies in about 18 m
Sevengill sharks in the cove, kelp over granite
Air-trap overhangs and swim-throughs on a granite boulder reef
Marked as Photographer's reef on the SAN charts
Protected water and an easy walk-in for first sea dives
Similar dives elsewhere
Shallow sandstone ridges named for a Gordon's Bay instructor
Gestating ragged-tooth sharks settle here from December
Big smooth boulders scattered over sand patches
Marbled electric rays on a 10 to 14 m reef