Good day My brother and I are planning to go to P

[JacoB]

Good day

My brother and I are planning to go to Port St Johns during July 11. We have not speared there before and would appreciate any advice on locations, etc, but specifically the following:

I see that north of Port St Johns up to Mkimbati is part of the Pondoland MPA. Are we allowed to spear in the MPA.

South of Port St Johns is the Silaka Nature Reserve. Are we allowed to spear in that area.

If not, there is no place to spear!!

We also need some pointers on locations we can try as well as the species we can target as well as tactics. We are comfortable to dive up to 15m deep. (Also comfortable with 50m if we do not need to go deeper than 15m!). We are more experienced with reef spearfishing in the Sedgefield area (Gericke's point).

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[Eckart]

Sharky!! I've dived further south (Mdumbi and Hole in the Wall) amazing diving! most of the fish I've found has been just behind the backline along the reef....

 

[Adrian B]

Hi Jaco

Not sure if you taking a boat or not?

Not sure what the story is in terms of spearfishing north of St Johns is at the moment with the MPA's. My guess is it's no go but it's usualy dirty north of St John and the few times I've been north on the boat we didn't find a lot of reef.

If you get a bit of west wind second beach is worth a dive when it gets clean. Jump in at the beach and swing around towards 3rd beach. Have got some got Garrick there on occasion and their some Bronzies.

Last I heard you can spearfish off 3rd beach as the reserve is not a MPA (double check this with the locals). Haven't dived their but I believe their is a little blinder that produces some fish.

Otherwsie drive up the road and take the Ungazi river bungalows turn off and dive off the rocks on the St Johns side close to the side.

The spots above all need a small swell. If you got a boat their a lot more options further south.

 

[JacoB]

Thanks so far for the replies. Please keep them coming!

At the moment we are not taking a boat, but can consider it. Can one launch from Port St Johns?

Regards

 

[Adrian B]

One used to be able to launch out the river mouth at St Johns. Not sure if it's a registered launch site, normaly launch at Ungazana river mouth.

Check with the locals, sure if you contacted some of the lodges in St Johns they would tell you.

If you desperate to launch you can drive around and launch out the Umgazana river mouth (take you about an hour drive from St Johns and don't get confused between Umgazi and Umgazana river mouth).

Just beware of gear box rock in the middle of the river about half way beween the top jetty and the last jetty at the mouth. You may need a 4 x 4 to get your boat in and out if you on a reasonable sized boat.

Take care on the launch, can get gnarly when the swell is up (both St Johns & Umgazana river mouth)

 

[fishlips]

Stick to the rocky points south of the river mouth (2nd, 3rd beach etc.). The garrick should be loose that time of year along with other white water species such as brusher, dagga, steenies and maybe even the odd big tail.

I have dived this area once off the point at 2nd beach. We didnt venture out too far as there was enough action inshore. The transkei coastline is renowned for quality fish right up against the bricks.

PS - watch the shark!