ALBACORE
Protected Area
Robben island Marine Protected Area
Why dive here
With 269+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, blue whales, dolphins, dwarf minke whales and great white sharks - ALBACORE offers some of Cape Town & Western Cape's richest wreck diving. Water ranges 14-16°C, warmest February, March, April.
Albacore is one of those wrecks we keep coming back to. She’s not massive, just 26.5m, a fishing trawler scuttled in 1975 off Green Point after springing a leak at the coal jetty. We love that backstory. The real draw here is the depth, sitting at 60m, making it a serious technical dive. Dropping down, you feel the chill of the Atlantic bite, even on a sunny day. The visibility can be temperamental, but when it’s good, the wreck appears out of the gloom, draped in anemones and sponges. What you'll find is a wreck that’s been thoroughly salvaged, with her 360hp engine long gone, but that only adds to her character. We find the stripped-down hull fascinating; you can really appreciate her skeleton. Look closely, and you’ll spot shy reef fish darting in and out of the plating and the occasional shy dogfish tucked away. It's a beautiful, challenging dive for experienced tech divers who appreciate a wreck with a story, and aren't afraid of the deep.
Typical ALBACORE Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Safety Notes
Maximum depth 60m exceeds recreational limits (40m). Technical diving certification and equipment required.
Wreck site - avoid penetration without wreck diving certification. Watch for sharp metal and entanglement hazards.
Cold water this month (avg 15°C). Drysuit or thick wetsuit (7mm+) recommended.
Always perform a 3-minute safety stop at 5m before surfacing.
ALBACORE Wreck History
Year Sunk
1975
Vessel Type
fishing vessel
Cause
scuttled
The Albacore was a local Cape Town fishing vessel whose working days had come to an end. After sitting idle for three years, her aging wooden hull finally gave way in June 1975, springing a leak while she was moored alongside the coal jetty. With the vessel beyond saving, a decision was made to give her a burial at sea. Her 360hp engine was salvaged, and the old fishing boat was towed out from shore and deliberately scuttled off Green Point.
Lying at a depth of 60 meters, the Albacore is now a premier technical dive site for experienced trimix divers. The deep, cold, and often current-swept waters of the Atlantic make this a challenging dive that requires meticulous planning. For those qualified to make the descent, the reward is the sight of a largely intact fishing vessel, sitting upright on the seabed. She serves as a deep artificial reef, attracting marine life and offering a silent tribute to Cape Town's long-standing fishing heritage.
Nearest Dive Centres to ALBACORE
Dive shops near ALBACORE
Into the Blue Scuba
Two Oceans Aquarium
Coral Wetsuits
Dive Action
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UCT Underwater Club
Reviews for ALBACORE
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for ALBACORE
ALBACORE Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for ALBACORE, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (-33.92, 18.46) (8km away)
October Averages
Sea Temperature
15°C
59°F · Range: 12.4–17.2°C
Air Temperature
17°C
62°F
Wind Speed
7.33 m/s
14.2 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1018.1 hPa
Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data
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