Cape Town is a city famous for its rugged coastline, towering mountains, and vibrant marine life. But beneath the surface, it holds a treasure trove of maritime history waiting to be discovered. For avid divers and history enthusiasts alike, the wrecks scattered along Cape Town’s waters offer an extraordinary opportunity to explore the past while diving into some of the most fascinating underwater environments in the world.
In this Blog series 'Exploring the Wrecks of Cape Town' we will select various wrecks each time to give some info of their life history and details for you to read up on before you dive in!
The SAS Pietermaritzburg: A Naval Legacy
One of the most famous wrecks off the coast of Cape Town is the SAS Pietermaritzburg. This naval vessel, originally built as a British Royal Navy ship in 1943 in Scotland. The ships original name was Pelorus. In 1944 it was the leading vessel to land on the beaches of Normandy on the infamous D-Day. It was later acquired by the South African navy in 1948 where is was re-named HMSAS Pietermaritzburg.
In the November of 1994, the Pietermaritzburg was towed to Millers Point and scuttled by explosives to create an artificial reef habitat in the local and incredibly biodiverse area of False Bay. Making an amazing SCUBA diving location.
As a diver, exploring the SAS Pietermaritzburg is like stepping back in time. The ship's structure remains remarkably intact, with its towering masts and impressive decks still visible as you descend. Scuba divers can navigate through its various compartments, swim over the expansive cargo holds, and marvel at the intricate details of this former warship. You can even still see the ‘heads’ or the toilet.
Its now home to colourful marine life, including large schools of fish, soft corals, and lots of shysharks have made the wreck their permanent residence, creating a dynamic contrast between man-made history and natural marine growth.
The wreck lies at round 20m deep. Impact Divers offer dive trips to this and many other wrecks in the area, for deep specialty divers looking to explore some incredible wrecks.