xaixai for diving

[francois.harmse]

Hi all

I am one of those super frustrated gauteng spearos who hasn't had a decent spearo dive in years.
But, two us finally got together to have a trip up to xaixai in the first week of November, and we are hoping the luck to be on our side.

We will be staying 40km north of xaixai at zona braza, and will be going out with a skivee.
I did some research on the web for info on reefs etc, but were unable to find anything.

I would appreciate if anyone out there have some nice tips, advice and good spots you are willing to share.
If you don't want to publicize the locations of your favourite reefs, but am still willing to help me out , feel free to PM me.

We really hold thumbs for a good dive and are super excited to go on a spearo trip again.

tx
francois

 

[jensent]

Hi Francois,

I think a good guy to try would be Chris Coatesman at http://coatesman.blogspot.com/

He knows Moz preetty well and might be able to get you some marks for there.  If you publish in the Ultimate Spearo forum aswell you might also get some response.

Good luck,

Tony

 

[francois.harmse]

thanks... will check that out.

BTW - the same buddy I am going with now were there in Nov 2004, and they shot monster coutass with shoals of hundreds of fish.

They were taken out to a nice spot by some local guys who stripped them of all GPSs and cell phones, and what he can remember was that they were on top of an old submerged oil rig or some thing.... approx 20km out.

 

[Mariusvj]

There is an underwater obstruction that comes up from 200 meters to 51 meters that is about 14 miles from Xai Xai.

This is on the blue chart and I can get the coordinates if you want.

 

[francois.harmse]

please.
i will appreciate it...

tx

 

[Mariusvj]

I will have a look tonight and I will compile some waypoints.

This will be off the blue chart and they are normally quite good.

 

[Adrian B]

There is diving to be had from Xai Xai up towards Zavora but most guys give this section a miss due to the fact that there can be a lot of green water or worse still dirty water in this area.

Zavora north wards offers more consistent diving from a viz point of view.

If you have a good tolerance for 3 – 5m viz and deep water – inshore is usually muck you can dive to you hearts content. If you like clean water prepare to drink lots of beer and not dive every day.

Plenty of spots on the chart to go look at – take a fishing rod you will need it for the days when the yellow snot won’t allow you to see past the front of your gun.

Happy hunting.

 

[francois.harmse]

hi adrian, how deep in is there bad viz usually? we're planning to go as deep as 15kms perhaps.

what charts are you referring to? nautical charts?

btw - we are desperate for some diving, i guess bad viz is better than no diving
tx

 

[Mariusvj]

This is what the area looks like

The obstruction coordinates are:

S  25 26,578

E 033 37,735

 

[francois.harmse]

hi Marius, thanks for the info and map... will definitely keep this in mind.
I managed to get hold of a nautical map of the entire xai xai region up to zavora and that proved very valuable already.

For anyone interested I can share.

Now it is holding thumbs for a good dive trip.

tx

 

[Adrian B]

More often than not the blue water can be up to 8km + off shore there.

Get yourself the Nautical version of map source or a similar program, down load onto your PC, establish where your launch site is, your boats range and look at the high points/contours and start by checking those points out first. Sure Lowrance in Durban could point you in the right direction.

Failing that find somebody who has a GPS plotter unit on their boat with a chart overlay and zoom in on the area you going to. You can sit in their garage in JHB and do it before you go.

What you spend on the software is cheap compared to the amount of fuel you will burn trying to find reefs blind. (Not to mention the frustration factor)

It’s a priceless tool that helps you get on the fish a 100 times faster than going blind.
Combine that software with picking the locals brains on what turns the fish on where and you way ahead the average Joe before you even put your boat on the water.

 

[francois.harmse]

xai xai came, and xai xai went.... and the trip was

bad sea conditions.... water was 21deg COLD.
viz was ZERO.

we did not even temp to dive. even the tide pools in front of the reef had ZERO viz.

Boating wise we trolled the back line with 4 lines in the water, tried bottoms at various reefs, trolled the colour line with 4 lines in the water (8km in - even there the water was 22deg COLD), we trolled various depths - 15m, 20-22m, 30m and even some 50m lines, and at the end of 6 days we came back with not even a single miserable small fish.

I guess that is fishing... well, better luck next time I hope.

 

[Adrian B]

Bummer Dude. It happens. If it's any consolation I had a trip 2 years back with 30 m viz and 28 degree water for a week and all we got was 1 x 14 kg Wahoo in a weeks diving between 4 guys.

That's why it's called fishing not catching I guess.

 

[Serra Moz]

francois.harmse wrote:

xai xai came, and xai xai went.... and the trip was

bad sea conditions.... water was 21deg COLD.
viz was ZERO.

we did not even temp to dive. even the tide pools in front of the reef had ZERO viz.

Boating wise we trolled the back line with 4 lines in the water, tried bottoms at various reefs, trolled the colour line with 4 lines in the water (8km in - even there the water was 22deg COLD), we trolled various depths - 15m, 20-22m, 30m and even some 50m lines, and at the end of 6 days we came back with not even a single miserable small fish.

I guess that is fishing... well, better luck next time I hope.

Sadly, Xai Xai is overfished, over the past decade or more it was a prime commercial spot, several SA commercial outfits operated out of Xai Xai praia. For the very reason you won't even see lots of commercials around anymore! Most left up north!