Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Glencairn Fan Garden

The dive site Glencairn Fan Garden is a offshore rocky reef in the Glencairn area on the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Glencairn Fan Garden Halal Travel Guide

Glencairn Fan Garden site map - upright=2.5|Map of the site

This site is known for the large numbers of gorgonian sea fans in relatively shallow water

Position

S34°09.418' E018°26.412' Glencairn Fan Garden GPS -34.156967,18.4402 (approximate)

This site is in a Marine Protected Area (2004). A permit is required.

Name

Palmate sea fan at Glencairn Fan Gardens P9078445 - A Palmate sea fan, typical of the area

The name "Glencairn Fan Garden" is derived from the location off Glencairn, and the large numbers of gorgonian sea fans found there.

Depth

Maximum depth is about 14 m, and the top of the ridges are about 9 m. Average depth is likely to be about 10 to 11 m.

Visibility

Visibility is likely to be moderate, around 5 to 6 m, but may be less, and on a good day may be more than 10 m.

Topography

The reef is generally low profile, flattish bedrock, with a few smallish boulders, and some sandy areas on the southern and eastern edges. There are some low ridges with dip and strike similar to the rock on the shoreline.

Geology: Ordivician sandstone of the Table Mountain group. Probably Peninsula formation, or the underlying Graafwater formation. Strike is east/west, and the dip is shallow (about 10°) and to the south.

Conditions

The site is exposed to south easterly wind and waves. It is reasonably sheltered from short period south westerly swell, and the site is usually at it's best in winter, but there are also occasional opportunities during autumn and spring. Some surge is to be expected. The site may be diveable when more popular sites to the south side of Simon’s Town are too rough.

Muslim Friendly Travel TO Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Glencairn Fan Garden

GPS -34.156967,18.4402|width=|align= Glencairn Fan Garden}} Usual access is by boat, but it would be feasible to dive from a shore entry with a long swim of about 350 m each way.

The site is about 4 km from Simon's Town jetty, or 8.9 km from Miller's Point slipway.

What to See

Marine life

Reef cover is typical for this area, and is dominated by echinoderms, but there are also a large number of sea fans of three species. By far the most common are the Palmate sea fan,Leptogorgia palma, but there are also a fair number of Sinuous sea fan and Flagellar sea fan (commonly called Whip fan). The fans are often infested with epibiota, such as crabs, bryozoans, ascidians, catshark eggs and brittle stars.

Palmate sea fan and feather star at Glencairn Fan Gardens P9078453 - Palmate sea fan ''Leptogorgia palma'' with Elegant feather star ''Tropiometra carinata''
Sinuous sea fan at Glencairn Fan Gardens P9078449 - Sinuous sea fan ''Eunicella tricoronata''
Flagellar sea fan at Glencairn Fan Gardens P9078444 - Flagellar sea fan

Flagellar, or Whip fan, Eunicella albicans
Sponges at Glencairn Fan Gardens P9078460 - Encrusting sponges
Sponge and feather stars at Glencairn Fan Gardens P9078459 - Sponge and common feather stars
Colonial sea squirts and brittle stars at Glencairn Fan Gardens P9078458 - Colonial sea squirts and brittle stars
Sponges and feather stars at Glencairn Fan Gardens P9078456 - Sponges and feather stars

Photography

Suitable for macro and wide angle photography.

Suggested Routes

No specific routes recommended.

Stay Safe

Hazards

This area is known to be frequented by great white sharks in summer. There are no reports of sightings by divers, but they have been seen from the air.

Skills

No special skills required and the site is suitable for entry level divers.

Equipment

No special equipment required. A DSMB is recommended if you plan to go far from the shotline, as this will help the boat crew to spot you when you surface.

Nearby

Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Kalk Bay Harbour Wall|Kalk Bay Harbour Wall GPS -34.129783,18.449450
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Fish Hoek Reef|Fish Hoek Reef GPS -34.138200,18.444600
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Sunny Cove|Sunny Cove GPS -34.144667,18.438333
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Quarry|Quarry GPS -34.156500,18.435950
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Cement Barge|Quarry Barge GPS -34.156416,18.441283
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/P87|P87 GPS -34.1595,18.440333
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/SS Clan Stuart|SS Clan Stuart GPS -34.171717,18.430700
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Brunswick|Brunswick GPS -34.181333,18.426783
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/HNMS Bato|HNMS Bato GPS -34.183300,18.426000

Back to Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay#Fish Hoek and Glencairn

Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Glencairn Fan Garden

From Halal Explorer

Contents