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Pink and white branching coral rising from an orange-encrusted rock, with yellow and red sponges around its base — Hermanus.

Hermanus · South Africa · Reef · Sand slope

Blowhole

Big smooth boulders scattered over sand patches

Area photo: Peter Southwood · CC BY-SA 3.0

Blowhole is a Hermanus shore or boat dive over big smooth boulders with sand patches between them, going no deeper than about 9 m. The average depth is about 5 m, and the site is used for beginners, refreshers, gear tests and training.

Also known as Blow Hole.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Blowhole: typical dive to 9 m (to 30 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit9 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

34.4325° S, 19.2268° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

Big boulders of smooth rock lie scattered across the bottom with patches of sand in between, and kelp sweeps along the edges of the site. Crayfish hide in the crevices between the boulders, shysharks shelter under the kelp leaves, and juvenile sole and rays hide in the sand among the rocks. Longsnout pipefish, klipfish, red romans and nudibranchs are common, and a few doublesash butterflyfish, a tropical species, turn up in the cold water.

Marine life and season

  • Nudibranchs
Month-by-month season rating for Blowhole
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
GoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGood

Season follows Hermanus: Boats run year-round, weather permitting, so no month stands out; June to December adds southern right whales seen from shore.

Know before you go

  • Urchins hide under the sand patches between the boulders.

Sources

  1. Diving Services offered by Scuba Africa, Hermanus — Scuba Africa
  2. Hermanus Dive Spots — South Africa Online
  3. Blow Hole dive site — ScubaGo

More dive sites in Hermanus

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Boiling Pot

Two pinnacles on a narrow ledge where surge bubbles between the rocks

to 23 mintermediate

Pinnacle

Hakskeen

A pinnacle that nearly breaks the surface above a steep wall

to 26 madvanced

Reef

Preekstoel

A sheltered ledge and small wall used for dive training

8–15 mbeginner

Reef

Rietfontein Reef

Broken reef threaded with sand gullies, divable from shore or boat

to 17 mintermediate

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Octopus Reef

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10–27 mintermediate

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Bread Loaf

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Marbled electric rays on a 10 to 14 m reef

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Cala Margarida

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A pool ladder into a cove of nudibranchs and shrimp

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Christo Rei

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A coral slope below the Jesus statue with a resident turtle.

5–13 m · max 40 mbeginner