Bellville Underwater Club - Cape Town & Western Cape
The team at Bellville Underwater Club are your gateway to the often-overlooked wonders of Cape Town’s chilly but captivating waters. We love their old-school, club-first approach, which feels like joining a community rather than just booking a dive. This is the place for divers who appreciate regular, social dives with knowledgeable locals, especially if you’re looking to explore the Western Cape’s famous kelp forests and numerous wreck sites. Forget the glossy brochures; Bellville Underwater Club is about getting wet with people who genuinely love diving here. We’ve joined them on Sunday morning trips to sites like Partridge Point, finning through dense kelp stalks, sunlight dappling from above, with pyjama sharks peeking out from rocky crevices. They’re excellent for CMAS and IANTD training, but really, it's their ongoing club dives that stand out. You’ll find them doing regular air and nitrox fills for members, and if you’re keen on consistent dives and making local diving friends, this is our top pick. Just remember your 7mm wetsuit – it’s cold, but the visibility can be stunning.
- Location
- Cape Town & Western Cape, South Africa, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- -33.890500, 18.628400
- [email protected]
- Website
- http://www.bellvilleunderwaterclub.co.za/
- Certification Agencies
- ["CMAS","IANTD"]
- Address
- Jack Muller Park, Frans Conradie Drive, opposite DF Malan High School
Diving Capabilities - Bellville Underwater Club
- Nitrox / EANx
- Technical Diving
Dive Sites Near Bellville Underwater Club
Bellville Underwater Club provides access to 15 dive sites in Cape Town & Western Cape.
- 13th Apostle (cave)
- ADELFOTIS - 15m (wreck)
- A Frame - 5-20m (reef)
- A-frame Cape Town (pinnacle)
- A-frame Cape Town (reef)
- ALBACORE - 60m (wreck)
- Albatross Rock (reef)
- ALCESTIS - 31m (wreck)
- Alpha Reef (wall)
- AMERICA - 12m (wreck)
- Ammunition Barges - 9m (wreck)
- Andre se Gat - 15-30m (cave)
- AN HUNG NO.1 - 2m (wreck)
- Ankers (reef)
- Anvil Rock (pinnacle)
Other Dive Centres in Cape Town & Western Cape
- Alpha Dive Centre - ["PADI","NAUI"]
- Alpha Dive Centre - Strand
- Best Kiteboarding Africa
- Blue Flash
- Cape Town Dive Centre - PADI
- Coral Wetsuits
- Dive Action - ["PADI","NAUI","IANTD"]
- DiveInn Cape Town - ["RAID"]
- False Bay Underwater Club - ["SSI","CMAS","IANTD"]
- INDIGO SCUBA - SSI, RAID
Best Time to Dive in Cape Town & Western Cape
The warmest water temperatures in Cape Town & Western Cape occur in January, averaging 18.9°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 18.9°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 18.9°C (air: 20.8°C)
- February: 18.9°C (air: 20.7°C)
- March: 18.9°C (air: 19.5°C)
- April: 18.9°C (air: 17.3°C)
- May: 18.9°C (air: 15.8°C)
- June: 18.9°C (air: 15.0°C)
- July: 18.9°C (air: 13.2°C)
- August: 18.9°C (air: 13.2°C)
- September: 18.9°C (air: 13.9°C)
- October: 18.9°C (air: 16.5°C)
- November: 18.9°C (air: 17.8°C)
- December: 18.9°C (air: 19.3°C)
Marine Life in Cape Town & Western Cape
Home to 271 recorded species including 176 reef fish, 45 sharks & rays, 28 whales & dolphins, 5 hard corals, 4 other, 4 octopus & squid.
Notable Marine Life
- Tuna (Thunnus alalunga) - Reef Fish
- African Weakfish (Atractoscion aequidens) - Reef Fish
- California Yellowtail (Seriola lalandi) - Reef Fish
- Elf (Pomatomus saltatrix) - Reef Fish
- Rig (Galeorhinus galeus) - Sharks & Rays
- Allison's Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Reef Fish
- Atlantic chub mackerel (Scomber japonicus) - Reef Fish
- Stripy (Katsuwonus pelamis) - Reef Fish
- Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) - Reef Fish
- Jac (Helicolenus dactylopterus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Cape Town & Western Cape
Based on average water temperature of 18.9°C.
- Wetsuit (3-5mm) - comfortable for 19°C water
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories