Port Elizabeth is one of the top six spectacular scuba dive sites in South Africa and Mozambique. According to whom we ask? According to Fiona McIntosh. Who is she you might ask? Fiona McIntosh is an Olympian, a hiker and an author, she contributes to the SA Country Life magazine, she is one of South Africa’s great adventurers and lovers of the great outdoors, having skied to the north and south pole, climbed the highest peaks, dived to the depths and kayaked raging rivers. In the June 2017 issue of SA Contry Life magazine, in her article titled “What Lies Beneath’ she lists her top six spectacular scuba dives sites in South Africa and Mozambique. How does this interest us? Fiona lists Port Elizabeth in her top six spectacular scuba dive sites, shining the spotlight directly onto our “Algoa Bay Hope Spot” In her article Fiona shares the following points on scuba diving in Port Elizabeth:-
- Port Elizabeth’s underwater world is remarkable.
- There is incredibly diverse diving in the sheltered Algoa Bay and on more exposed reefs outside.
- It’s a macro photographer’s dream.
- The reefs are covered with neon pink sponges, red sea fans and vivid blue sea squirts.
- Top sites are Bell Buoy Reef and Riy Banks.
- Visit Port Elizabeth now in late June, early July to catch the Sardine Run or late October, November for diving the chokka egg beds; a unique chilly experience that every exploratory diver should try.
What’s Fiona’s motto in life? “If you’re not living on the edge, you’re taking up too much space.” Thank you to Fiona McIntosh and SA Country Life Magazine for continuing to highlight the magnificent splendour of the natural wonders in and around Port Elizabeth, Nelson Mandela Bay, Algoa Bay. Natural wonders:- ALGOA BAY HOPE SPOT:- Algoa Bay is one of the largest bays in South Africa. At the conjuncture of two oceanic systems; the Cape Agulhas and the upwelling current of the Benguela, Algoa Bay presents climate and oceanic conditions favourable for species from two different ecosystems. The islands located within this bay are the eastern most islands of South Africa, representing the last territory accessible by the large numbers of endemic species of the Benguela Upwelling system, one of the richest systems on earth. What is a Hope Spot? a special conservation area that is critical to the health of the ocean. http://www.raggycharters.co.za/news/bottlenose_dolphin_capital_world https://www.samrec.org.za/ Now called SANCOB https://dempseys.co.za/gh/sa-country-life-featuring-raggy-charters-and-pe-bottlenose-dolphin-capital-of-the-world/ 
