University divers brave the cold Cape seas

Soaking it up: Rhodes' Hayley Reed and UCT Underwater Club chairman Dean Harrison share a moment on the dive boat with club mascot Jerry the Giraffe.

Spring saw student divers from South African universities descend upon Cape Town for some of the best diving conditions of the season. Named 'varsityDIVER', part of the UCT Underwater Club's DIVER outreach brand, the event aimed to bring university dive clubs together and show off the best that the Cape waters have to offer. With over 100 dives completed from 2 to 4 September in False Bay, wrecks and reefs were explored and friendships were forged. The club also promoted its principal beneficiary, the Save our Seas Shark Centre, which is located in Kalk Bay. The UCT Underwater Club aims to make this and other DIVER events annual features on their calendar. Wits Underwater Club diver Chris Cubitt, after praising the cold water and the equally chilly beer, said that "memories will remain in my mind for a long time to come, and I hope that we shall all keep the ties we have made while down in Cape Town." Event organiser Raymond Siebrits enjoyed the guests' enthusiasm, saying that "it was great to finally get an intervarsity of sorts going for a sport that has no real competitive vein".

Raymond Siebrits