Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Reigersdaal

The dive site Reigersdaal is an inshore historical wreck in the Silwerstroomstrand area of Table Bay near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

On 25 October 1747, the Dutch East Indiaman Reigersdaal was wrecked at Silwerstroomstrand. The ship was built for the Amsterdam chamber of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) in 1738 in Amsterdam. It was wrecked in shallow water on 25 October 1747 at Silwerstroomsrand when the anchor cable parted in bad weather. Very little remains of the wreck besides heavily encrusted anchors and cannon in the surf zone.

-33.59666718.3533331 Reigersdaal: S33°35.800' E018°21.200', 560 m NW of Springfontein Point. This site is not in a Marine Protected Area. A permit is not required.

About 5 m.

Three main influences affect visibility: Turbulence from breaking waves, algal blooms boosted by insolation, and wind effects. An offshore wind or a wind blowing along the coast from the south may drive an upwelling of bottom water, which may be relatively clear.

The bottom is reportedly covered by black mussels, red bait and kelp. No reports on the reef structure are available.

Diving is restricted to when the swell is low, as the site is within the surf zone for some conditions. An offshore wind (southeaster) and high tide are likely to improve conditions, but the site is exposed to both the prevailing southwesterly swell, and the common winter northwesterly seas.

The site is accessible by boat, and from the shore.

The site is reputed to have heavy growths of kelp, red baid and black mussels.

Broken up and scattered remnants of an 18th century wooden wreck, which was salvaged in the 20th century. Heavily encrusted fragments including cannon and anchors remain.

The site may be in or near the surf zone.

No special skills recommended.

No special equipment recommended.

• Bruce Henderson and Kelly Graham, 2024, Wood, Iron and Steel: Shipwrecks Mapped off the Western Cape', Wreckless Marine, Cape Town. ISBN 978-1-037-00702-6 (high resolution sonar images)

• -33.6728718.3329671 MV Treasure
• -33.83143318.3587332 Robben Island steamer wreck Gilia
• -33.8352-33.83523 Whale Rock
• -33.8398618.385564 MV Daeyang Family
• -33.83518.3816675 SS Hypatia
• -33.86918318.4863836 MV Winton

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of dive sites in Table Bay approaches

Other regional dive sites:

• Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula west coast
• Dive sites of the Cape Peninsula east coast
• Dive sites of False Bay offshore and approaches
• Dive sites of False Bay east coast
• Fresh water dive sites of the Cape Town Metropolitan Area