Trip Report · 25 Mar 2021
Plakkie thief, incompetent diver, master of the CESA and maker of conundrums — these are just some of the titles I picked up during my time at Scubaversity.
I arrived in Johannesburg over the Christmas holidays looking for a hobby that was a bit different. After being inspired by an instructor named Dickie, I enrolled in the Open Water course. The two-week certification turned out to be transformative — it showed me that diving is about far more than just breathing underwater. It's a community and a lifestyle.
Some of my favourite early memories are from Bass Lake — campfires and camaraderie with the rest of the club — though I was itching for something beyond the repetitive freshwater lake diving.
That "something" turned out to be a trip to Sodwana Bay, which started with a 4am departure. The journey there included a cheeky little "gun fight" witnessed in a marketplace and a soundtrack that ranged across every genre imaginable. By the time we arrived at Coral Divers, I felt immediately at home, despite fighting off seasickness the whole way.
My first ocean dive was magnificent — turtles glided through the water and up to meet the sun, with sharks visible against the blue in the distance.
The trip took a difficult turn when the equipment gremlins arrived. During a dive at Simon's Cave, my O-ring failed and I started losing air fast. A fellow diver, Marina, came to the rescue — the whole thing left me frustrated rather than panicked. Then, on a dive at Quarter Mile, a second O-ring failed. Once again Marina stepped in, handing me an alternative cylinder so the dive could continue.
Despite the setbacks, I loved every bit of the trip's social side — pool parties, adventures, and stargazing included — and came away grateful to be part of the Scubaversity community, rather than just "stuck" in South Africa.