SCUBA DIVING NEWS - DEVOCEAN TATTLER #10 (March '09)

The Devocean Tattler is a quarterly scuba diving news giving you insights into the staff at the Devocean camp and happenings at the camp itself. It will attempt to inform prospective visitors of diving conditions and recent marine sightings as well as trying to make predictions on what might be seen and experienced weather wise in the future. You can also subscribe to scuba diving newsletter - click here.

The start of a new year; 2009

We trust that you all had a great festive season. Ponto do Ouro was on all accounts quite compared to the previous years. However, this was not the case from 26th Dec to 2nd Jan 09. The usual crowded camp site, with zero management….blah blah blah.

Positive news though; great diving once again and a good time had by all. The same was not true for some ‘air heads’ on quad bikes, as their fun was soon short circuited by the police, due to their ‘selfish/no consideration for others’ attitude.

At the risk of repeating myself, “I do believe the day of the rowdy, self centered, quad biker is coming to an end”

At present

We are experiencing top to bottom, turquoise viz and the usual sea life that you come to expect. We do have a nurse shark doing her rounds in the Ponto Bay. She was last seen at “Crèche” a few weeks ago.

Since our last tattler (not that long ago, lol) I was diving with an advanced student from America at Aquarium. We had just come to rest on the sand and were in the throes of showing my American friend (10 dives to his name) various natural delights towards his underwater naturalist module, when I see him looking into the blue with eye’s that filled his entire mask. What do I look up to see??? A huge Great white shark coming in from the blue to check us out, and then turns away about 2 m from us and carries on, on his way, no further than a few meters from us. He looked no smaller than 4m in length. If you have been in the bush, and been close to a lion, or ever stood close to someone rather important. Have you ever experienced the sheer magnetism radiated from such being? I could feel the importance of this mammal and the respect it commanded. The student was not quite sure that it was a great deal as he did not know much about sharks, for thetime being, that is.

The month of February saw some great dives at Pinnacles, (the best I have had) with huge shoals of Devil Rays, Bull sharks,

60 plus scalloped Hammer Heads and huge shoals of ‘Big Eyes’ (king fish), greater barracuda and Tuna; all on the same dive. Let’s not forget the Tiger, Dusky and Silver tip shark as well. Awesome stuff!!!!!!!!!! And me with no camera. I hear it muttered by pundits that a good photographer has his camera with him all the time, even on the throne. Wow!! The bull with the fishermen’s trace/feather attached to his flank is fine, with just a little scar to show at this time. Trace is gone!

Last week saw the rare sighting (for this time of year) of a Manta at Pinnacles and at Steps.                     

Points of note

Due to further expansion, we are looking for a “working Partner”, preferably a team, to assist us in Ponto. All interested parties please contact us on +27 83 657 4050.

Our camp across the road experienced its first large booking (ecstasea), latter February, and but for a few small hiccups, went pretty well. To those of you wondering where this is, the Nursery has now become our self catered dive camp for those who would like to do their own cooking. (Your loss I might add as we do, ‘arguably’, the best food in Ponto).
This camp has its: -

• Own dive mat/kit up area
• Own boat
• Will accommodate 8 pax in the house with their own bathrooms and catering facilities,
• 20 pax (for now) in tents under roof, with there own cooking facilities, spacious and well maintained ablution blocks
• The accommodation will be somewhat cheaper than Devocean main camp.

Note! There is still space for the Easter and 27th April long weekend periods. So don’t delay (Pillay) and get your bookings confirmed ASAP. Contact us on +27836574050 or +258848114626

Happenings

We are now doing camping trips up to Dobela (approx 40kms North of Ponto)
You will need to be self-sufficient with ref to camping gear, at this time, but we are working on supplying tents and food at a later stage. This is a discerning diver’s paradise as we are the only ones on the reef and accommodate no more than 13 pax in a group. Here the beaches belong to you, with no other distractions and un-dived reefs with many more species than experienced down in Ponto.

If interested, get a group of no less than 10 and no more than 13 divers together and give us a call. (+27836574050 - +258848114626)

Chad has (unfortunately for us) moved on back to Durban and we would like to take this opportunity to wish him everything of the best. (Stay focused big guy)

Any comments or views are much appreciated so don't hesitate to drop us an email - click here.