Difference between revisions of "Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Murphy's"
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The dive site '''Murphy's''' or '''Outer Miller's Point''' is an offshore, rocky reef, in the Miller's Point area on the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of [[South Africa]]. | The dive site '''Murphy's''' or '''Outer Miller's Point''' is an offshore, rocky reef, in the Miller's Point area on the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of [[South Africa]]. | ||
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<h2 class=subheader>{{FULLPAGENAME}} Halal Travel Guide</h2> | <h2 class=subheader>{{FULLPAGENAME}} Halal Travel Guide</h2> | ||
<!--Map or aerial photo|600pxupright=2|Map (or aerial photo) of the site --> | <!--Map or aerial photo|600pxupright=2|Map (or aerial photo) of the site --> |
Revision as of 08:32, 8 September 2024
The dive site Murphy's or Outer Miller's Point is an offshore, rocky reef, in the Miller's Point area on the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.
Contents
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Murphy's Halal Travel Guide
This is an alternative site in the Millers Point area, just outside the Castle Rocks restricted zone of the Marine Protected Area
Position
- S34°13.958 E018°28.988 Murphy's GPS -34.23263,18.48313
Roughly north of Boat Rock and south-east of the furthest offshore rock of Miller's Point.
This site is in a Marine Protected Area (2004). A permit is required.
Name
The name "Murphy's" is derived from Murphy's Law, as the dive was nearly cancelled due to battery problems on the boat and the survey float GPS battery ran down and no map track was recorded, and one of the divers had the wrong settings on his camera. Other than that it was a great dive.
Depth
Maximum depth is about 21 m. and the top of the pinnacle is about 14.5 m. Average depth is likely to be about 18 to 20 m.
Visibility
Visibility will be much like elsewhere in the Miller's point area, and is likely to be between 6 and 10 m on a good day.
Topography
The pinnacle is very small, but there are several large outcrops nearby, rising to above 18m, and a lot of low broken reef around that, with sand patches. The reef is separated from the adjacent reefs at Boat Rock and Miller's Point by sandy gaps.
Geology: Pre-Cambrian granite corestone of the Peninsula pluton.
Conditions
The site is exposed to south easterly wind and swell, so should be dived when the swell is from the south to north-west. The site is reasonably protected from southerly swells, but if a strong south easterly wind develops then the surface will get unpleasant quite quickly
The site is at it's best in winter but there are also occasional opportunities in other seasons.
Muslim Friendly Travel TO Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Murphy's
Usually dived from a boat, though shore dives are feasible and have been done. The route to the site from Millers Point crosses a heavily used ski-boat traffic lane, as it is on the shortest path from the public slipway at Miller's Point to the fishing grounds near Cape Point, so it is an area of relatively high risk of being run down by a boat.
The site is about 1km from Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Miller's Point slipway|Miller's Point slipway, or 8.2 km from Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Simon's Town jetty|Simon's Town jetty.
What to see in Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Murphy's
Marine life
Marine life is typical for the area and depth range. The usual echinoderms, anemones, sponges and bryozoans cover the rocks, and a reasonable variety of local reef fish swim around them. Nudibranchs and crustaceans are fairly common, including the hotlips spider crab.
- Achaeopsis spinulosa P6130095 - Hotlips spider crab
- Eunicella albicans P6130184 - Flagellar sea fan
- Callopatiria formosa P6130168 - Grey star
- Ophiothrix fragilis P6130202 - Hairy brittlestars
- Skate egg case P6130164 - Large skate egg-case
- Atrina squamifera P6130231 - Horse mussel
- Bonisa nakaza P6130172 - Gasflame nudibranchs
Photography
Fairly good macro site, not much in the way of spectacular scenery, but lots of small, colourful critters.
Suggested routes
Start at the pinnacle, and just swim around looking for small, interesting animals. They could be anywhere, but concentrate on crevices, overhangs and near-vertical surfaces.
Stay Safe
Hazards
Boat traffic can be heavy when the snoek or yellowtail are running. Ascend at the shotline or send up an SMB to make your position visible to you dive boat and all the other boats which may be passing.
Skills
No special skills required. Entry-level divers can dive the site if reasonably competent and able to use a DSMB.
Equipment
DSMB highly recommended, so you can alert passing boats of your position when surfacing and while on the surface waiting to be picked up by the boat.
Nearby
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Miller’s Point|Miller's Point slipway GPS -34.230483,18.473897
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Miller’s Point|Miller's Point tidal swimmingpool GPS -34.231319,18.475978
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Miller’s Point|Miller's Point - Rumbly Bay GPS -34.234314,18.474908
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Boat Rock|Boat Rock GPS -34.234500,18.483333
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Boat Rock|Festival Pinnacle GPS -34.235667,18.483583
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Fan Reef|Fan Reef GPS -34.236083,18.487667
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Shark Alley|Shark Alley GPS -34.236833,18.476667
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Pyramid|Pyramid Rock GPS -34.237083,18.478300
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/☎ Reef|☎ reef GPS -34.237100,18.486700
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Outer Castle|Outer Castle GPS -34.238683,18.483233
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Castle Rocks|Castle Rocks North Side GPS -34.2387,18.4775
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Pyramid|Pyramid Reef - Castle Pinnacles GPS -34.239267,18.480433
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Giant's Castle|Giant's Castle GPS -34.239300,18.487100
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Pyramid|Pyramid Reef - Sansui Reef GPS ,
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Pie Rock|North Pie Rock Reef GPS -34.239583,18.484583
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Castle Rocks|Castle Rocks Point Reefs GPS -34.24,18.48
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Pie Rock|South Pie Rock Pinnacles GPS -34.240750,18.483083
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Castle Rocks|Inner Castle GPS -34.241,18.4779
- Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Pie Rock|West Pie Rock Reef GPS ,
Back to Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay#Miller's Point
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