Sas Pietermaritsburg

This dive site is the wreck of an Algerine-class ocean minesweeper, HMSAS Pietermaritzburg, a former Royal Navy ship (originally HMS Pelorus). It offers a unique experience for experienced divers. The ship was scuttled in 1994 to create an artificial reef and sits at a maximum depth of approximately 22 meters on the sand, with shallower areas around the bow. The wreck’s history includes service during the D-Day invasion and subsequent use as a training vessel. It is currently encrusted with invertebrates, including Mauve sea cucumbers, though their numbers have decreased recently due to structural collapse and bad weather. Visibility can be challenging, often necessitating wide-angle or fisheye lenses. The wreck’s structure is complex, featuring fractured sections and canting of the forward section. The seabed around the wreck is relatively flat, although there are scouring marks on the sides. The longitudinal axis runs close to north/south. It's a good site for macro photography but might be considered as interesting as a reef dive in general.