Stonehenge - Cape Town & Western Cape

The USS Kanawa is one of Iron Bottom Sound’s most compelling wrecks. She’s a big girl, 476 feet long, sitting upright on the sandy bottom, and while the stern drops beyond recreational limits, the bow at 40m is where we spend most of our time. It’s a proper historical dive, the kind where you can almost hear the echoes of 1943. We love exploring her huge cargo holds, now home to enormous schools of batfish so dense they’re like moving walls, and the occasional Humpback grouper. Currents here can be mild, but always check conditions; it makes a big difference to how much of the deck you can comfortably explore. Visibility averages around 12m, which is decent enough for the scale of the wreck, but sometimes you get those magical days where the light pierces deeper. Our favourite part is the bridge section, where you’ll often find dartfish hovering over the corals growing on the metalwork, alongside inquisitive Half-grey wrasse. This site is definitely one for experienced wreck divers who appreciate the solemn beauty of history underwater.

Location
Cape Town & Western Cape, South Africa, Indian Ocean & East Africa
Coordinates
-34.045800, 18.305000
Type
wreck

Marine Protected Area: Duikerklip Provincial Nature Reserve

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)

Nearby Dive Sites in Cape Town & Western Cape

Nearest Dive Centres to Stonehenge

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 Species

Recommended Packing List for Stonehenge

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