Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/HNMS Bato

The dive site HNMS Bato is an inshore historical wreck in the Simon's Town area on the False Bay coast of the Cape Peninsula, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/HNMS Bato Halal Travel Guide

Long Beach map - Map of the dive sites at Long Beach showing the position of the wreck of HNMS Bato Bato_and_Brunswick - Aerial photo of the dive site Bato and Brunswick (photo CDS&M)

Position

S34°10.998’ E018°25.560’ HNMS Bato wreck GPS -34.1833,18.426About 50 m offshore off the north end of Long Beach, Simon’s Town.

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

Name

"His Netherlands Majesty's Ship Bato" was a Dutch warship of 800 tons and 74 guns. The ship had been used as a floating battery in Simon’s Bay for several years. Set on fire and sunk off Long Beach, Simon's Town, on 8 January 1806 and the same day that the Battle of Blaauwberg began. The Batavian Republic forces at the Cape capitulated to the British forces two days later. The wreck has been worked on and cannon from the site stood outside the Simon's Town Post Office.

Depth

Maximum depth is about 4 m.Average depth is likely to be about 3 m.

Topography

The wreck lies in shallow water (about 3.5 m) The area is fine sand with some low sandstone reef to the South. The wood structure of the wreck has become very overgrown over the years and is not easily recognisable over large areas The wreck lies roughly parallel to the shoreline. The centreline of the debris field is nearly North/South True, from S34°11.012’ E018°25.558’ to S34°10.985’ E018°25.561’, It is about 50 m long, 8 m wide and it extends over an area of about 400 m². There is a large mass of corroded iron at S34°11.008’ E018°25.552’, and some copper sheathing at the north end of the wreckage

Conditions

Protected area, but shallow. Can be dived if the swell is low. Generally best in winter.

Facilities

The parking lot is tarred and in good condition. There is a fresh water shower, but on occasion the taps have been sawn off. The public toilets are shabby and may not be open.

Muslim Friendly Travel TO Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/HNMS Bato

-34.183300|18.441000 width=|align= HNMS Bato wreck}} Parking at the tarred parking lot at Long Beach behind the train station. There is a walk of about 450 m along the beach from the slipway gap to a small brick building. The wreckage of the Bato is visible from the shore on a calm day as a dark patch of weed about 50 m offshore.

What to See

Marine life

The wreckage is largely overgrown with kelp and seaweeds, and has shallow water invertebrates, and often a few fish

Features

Historical wooden shipwreck. The wreckage is low and heavily overgrown with seaweed and invertebrates. The wreck is protected by legislation and may not be disturbed.

Photography

The water is very shallow, and natural light should allow almost any equipment to be used, but the subject matter is rather limited.

Routes

Swim straight out to the wreck on the surface, Dive and explore the wreck and then swim back to shore on compass bearing 330° magnetic.

Stay Safe

Hazards

No known site specific hazards.

Skills

No special skills required. Suitable site for novice snorkellers

Equipment

A light is useful for looking into dark crevices. An extra weight might be useful to keep you under water if your buoyancy is normally neutral at the surface.

Nearby

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/Long Beach Simon's Town|Long Beach GPS -34.187317,18.426233
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Simon's Town Jetty|Simon's Town Jetty GPS -34.192080,18.432794
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/False Bay Yacht Club moorings|False Bay Yacht Club moorings GPS -34.192111,18.434139
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Target Reef|Target Reef GPS -34.176983,18.453767
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Roman Rock|Spider Crab Reef GPS -34.1815,18.457167
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Ammunition Barges|Ammunition Barges GPS -34.190139,18.449750
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Phoenix Shoal|Phoenix shoal GPS -34.18980,18.448300
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Noah's Ark|Noah’s Ark Rock GPS -34.192217,18.453867
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Noah's Ark|Ark Rock Barge wreck GPS -34.193833,18.453300
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Noah's Ark|Ark Rock Boiler wreck #1 GPS -34.192417,18.452883
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Noah's Ark|Ark Rock Boiler wreck #2 GPS -34.194500,18.453267
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Noah's Ark|Ark Rock Boiler wreck #3a GPS ,
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Noah's Ark|Ark Rock Boiler wreck#3b GPS -34.193600,18.455883
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Noah's Ark|Parana wreck, main section GPS -34.191283,18.452867
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Noah's Ark|Parana wreck, small section GPS -34.191617,18.452383
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Noah's Ark|Noah’s Ark - Double row of concrete pillars GPS -34.193633,18.454617
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Noah's Ark|Noah’s Ark - Single row of concrete pillars GPS -34.194150,18.453667
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Noah's Ark|Noah’s Ark - Eastern wreck GPS -34.192167,18.455100
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Noah's Ark|Noah’s Ark - Heat exchanger GPS -34.192767,18.454783
Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Noah's Ark|Noah’s Ark - Twin barges GPS -34.189583,18.452083

Back to Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay#Simon's Town

Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/HNMS Bato

From Halal Explorer

Contents