Diving down to the Haerlem
It was a beautiful summer morning in Nelson Mandela Bay – 6.30am and the sun already letting us know that today would be especially hot. A perfect blue sky and sunny morning presided over the calm ocean.
Since Port Elizabeth is known for four seasons in one day, one should capitalise on the fortunate weather – and I have been lucky enough to have been invited to scuba dive to one of about 20 highquality diving sites in the area.
The site to be explored is the final resting place of the SAS Haerlem – an old Royal Navy frigate that was purposely sunk to create an artificial reef in Algoa Bay.
The Haerlem, built in 1958 and disarmed in 1963, had 12 holes blown into its hull by the SA Navy so it could be re-purposed as an artificial reef perfect for divers.
It now lies close to the Bell Buoy off Hobie Beach.
Legend has it that, ironically, the navy divers were not able to locate the wreck after it was scuttled and it was local recreational divers who eventually found it about a week later.
Arriving early for the dive, I went for a stroll along the beachfront to take in the scenery and calm my building nerves. Or was it excitement? As I passed joggers on the boardwalk, folks preparing their waveskis for a row and bathers returning from a fresh swim I was again reminded why this city is known as the Friendly City as people greeted me and smiled.
I met the staff of Pro Dive and before I knew it, I was part of a group of 10 divers speeding out in a rubber duck towards were the SAS Haerlem now rests, 21m under the surface of the ocean.
The Bay rapidly opened wider behind us as we hopped over the swell.
The wind in my face, I took a few deep breaths. What a contrast this was to the desk I normally occupy on a Thursday morning.
The skipper stopped and signalled to dive master Dennis Guri, who casually threw himself backwards over the boat, disappearing into the deep water.
Diving to the SAS Haerlem is an easy and safe dive as a line is tied by the dive master to the wreck and connected to a buoy floating on the surface.
The diver swims on the surface to the buoy and then follows the line down, letting the line run freely inside a circle formed by the thumb and index finger.
I waited to go down last as I did not want to hold anyone up – it had been four years since my previous ocean dive.
To start my descent was a struggle.
I was too positively buoyant and as I struggled to descend down the line, my mask started leaking.
To add to the discomfort, the bubbles from everyone else underneath rushed up past me and were disorientating. I was confused and panic gripped me as I thought about aborting the dive.
I cleared my mask as I had practised the day before in the swimming pool during a refresher course and took a few deep breaths as I waited for the bubbles to clear up a bit.
At about five metres below the surface, I felt the force of gravity pulling me down and the force of the air in my body and wetsuit pushing me up, finally tipping over.
The descent became easier and I drifted down to the old frigate.
Seeing the old lady – over 30m long and filled with bright coral and sea creatures – is something to behold.
We moved in our buddy groups exploring the wreck slowly from end to end.
I drifted weightlessly, focused, calm and peaceful.
The feeling of weightlessness and tranquility is unique to scuba diving.
I imagine the closest feeling must be to float around in space.
Port Elizabeth is home to some of the best scuba sites in the world and they are all just there waiting for those with the courage to take the plunge.
