I’ve been in Durban about a week now and have really enjoyed exploring this city.
On Matt and I’s first day here we drove south to Umkomaas (about an hour) in order to SCUBA dive on the Aliwal Shoal. Unfortunately, windy weather cancelled our dive so we returned to Durban to do some exploring. We walked the promenade along the “Golden Mile” (which is more like 4 miles long) and enjoyed the warm ocean breezes. The next morning we drove back down in hopes of going diving but again, this time tides forced them to cancel the launches for the day. Instead, we decided to do some exploring around the country side and made our way to the Tala Nature Reserve situated about an hour inland. I had low expectations for the place as I hadn’t prioritized a safari as a must-do on this trip, but it was incredible! While we were pre-warned that they don’t have the “Big Five” at this Nature Reserve, we definitely still enjoyed the large array of wildlife we did get to see up close and personal.
On Matt and I’s first day here we drove south to Umkomaas (about an hour) in order to SCUBA dive on the Aliwal Shoal. Unfortunately, windy weather cancelled our dive so we returned to Durban to do some exploring. We walked the promenade along the “Golden Mile” (which is more like 4 miles long) and enjoyed the warm ocean breezes. The next morning we drove back down in hopes of going diving but again, this time tides forced them to cancel the launches for the day. Instead, we decided to do some exploring around the country side and made our way to the Tala Nature Reserve situated about an hour inland. I had low expectations for the place as I hadn’t prioritized a safari as a must-do on this trip, but it was incredible! While we were pre-warned that they don’t have the “Big Five” at this Nature Reserve, we definitely still enjoyed the large array of wildlife we did get to see up close and personal.
That evening we enjoyed a wonderful dinner at a local Greek restaurant in the Glenwood neighborhood, where two fellow diners complimented us by asking if we were from Canada. :) We got to chatting and they provided us with many great recommendations as well as posed some good questions for me to look into during my research trip.
The next morning wewere awoken early by a phone call from the dive center saying the conditions were good and we could go out and dive! We raced to get in the car and down to the launch site so we wouldn’t miss our chance. We dove the Produce Wreck off the north side of the shoal and then also the Cathedral/Pinnacles site which helped to shelter us from the wind and currents.
The next morning wewere awoken early by a phone call from the dive center saying the conditions were good and we could go out and dive! We raced to get in the car and down to the launch site so we wouldn’t miss our chance. We dove the Produce Wreck off the north side of the shoal and then also the Cathedral/Pinnacles site which helped to shelter us from the wind and currents.
Diving in South Africa was like nowhere else we had experienced- everything about it is just a little more rugged. From the boat launch (everyone wears life jackets in the pontoon boat) to the entry (3-2-1- everyone go! See you at the bottom) it was an adventure. We saw sharks (maybe a bit too close for comfort), starfish, rays, turtles, huge groupers, and a variety of other fish and small creatures. It was a blast and we are so glad we got to experience it!
That was the end of vacation for Matt and Amanda. The next morning Matt began his long journey back to the states and I reported to the ship for an 8am science-call. This is a new region for this ship to travel in so we had to go over security risks and discuss drills as they pertain to these higher-risk waters.
Now it’s time to get everything set up on the ship and ensure all the equipment is working properly. Im excited to be working on a new project onboard- I will be measuring currents in the water using a Lowered Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (LADCP), which I will share more about with you guys on the next post! For now, enjoy some of these photos from my time in Durban. I’m off to get my last morning swim in before heading out to sea!
Now it’s time to get everything set up on the ship and ensure all the equipment is working properly. Im excited to be working on a new project onboard- I will be measuring currents in the water using a Lowered Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (LADCP), which I will share more about with you guys on the next post! For now, enjoy some of these photos from my time in Durban. I’m off to get my last morning swim in before heading out to sea!