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shoreline dive site at Gordon's Bay in False Bay, Western Cape, South Africa
Africa > Southern Africa > South Africa > Diving in South Africa > Diving the west coast of South Africa > Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay > Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/Bikini Beach

The dive site Bikini Beach is a sandy shoreline with a few boulders in the Gordon's Bay area on the east side of False Bay, near Cape Town in the Western Cape province of South Africa.

Understand

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See also: Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay#Understand

A popular swimming beach at Gordon’s Bay, not generally considered a dive site, but suitable for training exercises if the waves are not too big.

Position

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  • S34°09.923 E18°51.492 1 Bikini Beach Just to the south of Gordon’s Bay harbour.

This site is not in a Marine Protected Area. A permit is not required.

Name

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The name "Bikini Beach" is derived from the name of the popular bathing beach just south of the Old Harbour at Gordon's Bay

Depth

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Maximum depth is about 3 m.

Visibility

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Visibility is affected by surf which lifts fine sand into suspension.

Topography

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The sandy beach slopes fairly steeply in the surf zone, then flat sand bottom with reef of small scattered rounded boulders about 300 mm high, and a rocky shore to the south of the beach. The northern boundary of the site is the concrete blocks of the harbour breakwater.

Geology: Pre-Cambrian sedimentary rock of the Tygerberg formation, with rounded sandstone boulders from the overlying Table Mountain series. Most of the site is on fine quartz sand bottom.

Conditions

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Best during or after south easterly winds. Reasonably sheltered from south westerly swells.

Facilities

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Parking in the harbour or at the side of the road behind the beach. There are public toilets in the harbour and at the end of the beach.

Get in

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Normally a shore dive. Park at Gordon’s Bay harbour or at the side of the road behind the beach. There is access over the wall at the harbour next to the yacht club. Entry is from any convenient place on the beach.

Marine life

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See also: Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay#The marine ecology

Not very much to see, and mostly around the scattered small boulders somewhat to the south of the beach. Otters have been seen at night playing in the waves and on the rocks to the south of the beach. A few whelks on the sand. At the reef, black mussels, chitons, octopus, small sole, klipfish, small crabs.

Photography

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There is not much to photograph, but if you want to try, macro is more likely to produce usable results.

Suggested Routes

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No routes recommended. If conditions are very quiet it may be worth investigating the harbour breakwater.

Stay safe

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See also: Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay#Stay safe

Hazards

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Strong offshore winds may develop over a short time. Surge and breaking waves along the harbour wall. Boat traffic

Skills

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No special skills required. The site is suitable for training exercises including night dives.

Equipment

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See also: Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay#Equipment

No special equipment recommended. If your buoyancy is normally fine tuned, a bit of extra weight may be useful here.

Nearby

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Map
Bikini Beach and nearby dive sites

Back to the Alphabetical list of sites, or list of dive sites in the Gordon's Bay area

Other regional dive sites:

This dive guide to Bikini Beach is a usable article. It has information on location and equipment as well as some complete entries on what to see. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.
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