Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay/MV Aster - Revision history

Pbsouthwood: /* Equipment */ fix link

2012-01-06T06:47:45Z

‎Equipment: fix link

Pbsouthwood: /* Topography */

2011-12-29T17:33:20Z

‎Topography

Pbsouthwood: /* Topography */ corrections to description of the accommodation spaces

2011-12-29T17:20:28Z

‎Topography: corrections to description of the accommodation spaces

Wrh2: /* Equipment */ rm unnecessary "thumb"

2011-09-04T18:04:59Z

‎Equipment: rm unnecessary "thumb"

Pbsouthwood: re-arrange some images for a neater layout - reduce white space on standard display by packing galleries in sets of three

2011-08-30T12:43:57Z

re-arrange some images for a neater layout - reduce white space on standard display by packing galleries in sets of three

LtPowers: move sentence to lead, to provide a hook for the reader

2011-08-30T11:17:22Z

move sentence to lead, to provide a hook for the reader

Pbsouthwood: Promote to star

2011-08-29T10:33:03Z

Promote to star

Pbsouthwood: /* Visibility */

2011-08-12T15:37:48Z

‎Visibility

Pbsouthwood: /* Equipment */

2011-08-12T15:34:42Z

‎Equipment

Justme at 13:45, 11 August 2011

2011-08-11T13:45:05Z

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-Back to [[Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay#Inner Hout Bay]]
+Back to [[Diving the Cape Peninsula and False Bay#Hout Bay]]
 {{title-icons|star-icon}}
 {{startopic}}
 {{geo|-34.064850|18.349250}}

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 *The store under the forecastle is accessible from the fish hold aft through a big cutout on both sides of the mast, through a compartment which has some machinery in the middle. There is also an adequately sized hatch through the main deck just forward of the base of the mast.
 *The forecastle is accessible through a wide doorway in the aft bulkhead on the port side. The crew washroom door is just to the right as you go in. The crew washroom is very small, but the accommodation space is quite roomy. There is a small square hatch down into the chain locker that is too small for a diver wearing a cylinder.
-*The engine room is accessible from the aft end of the Fish hold/Offal room space below the main deck and extends up through the superstructure where there are doors to other superstructure areas on both sides, and up behind the funnel where there was probably a set of skylights or ventilation hatches, where a fairly large access hole has been provided. The engine room is quite large, but relatively cramped due to the fuel oil wing tanks to port and starboard forward, the engine in the middle, the stack ducting above the engine, and the ladder and catwalk aft. The ladder is to port of the engine and leads up to a catwalk at main deck level, with a door to a moderate sized compartment on the starboard side and another door to port leading to the aft accommodation spaces, which are all interlinked and have several access routes.
+*The engine room is accessible from the aft end of the Fish hold/Offal room space below the main deck and extends up through the superstructure where there are doors to other superstructure areas on both sides, and up behind the funnel where there was probably a set of skylights or ventilation hatches, where a fairly large access hole has been provided. The engine room is quite large, but relatively cramped due to the fuel oil wing tanks to port and starboard forward, the engine in the middle, the stack ducting above the engine, and the ladder and catwalk aft. The ladder is to port of the engine and leads up to a catwalk at main deck level, with a door to port leading to the aft accommodation spaces, which are all interlinked and have several access routes.
-*There is a fairly large compartment in the superstructure on the starboard side just aft of the winch area. This has a door to the main deck and may have been the galley. There is also a very narrow door into the engine room, and a passageway aft, eventually leading to the engine room and into the aft accommodation space messroom.
+*on the starboard side there is access via very tight catwalks to the forward comparment on the starboard side below the wheelhouse.
 *The aft accommodation spaces in the superstructure can be reached from the engine room at the upper deck level by a doorway on the port side, through two doorways on the upper deck on the starboard side, through a hatchway from the bridgedeck, and through a cutout in the upper part of the transom. The hatch from the bridgedeck is fairly tight, and it may be too small for some divers. Light comes in through various portholes and rusted areas in the plating.
 *The wide opening on the starboard side of the superstructure next to a ladder to the quarterdeck leads to a small compartment, with another door inboard. This leads into what was probably the crew's messroom. There are a number of small compartments leading off this space. On the port side forward is what may have been an office or the engineer's cabin. It is close to a door to the engine room, and there is an opening in the deckhead into the wheelhouse above. Aft of this is a small compartment without windows, which may have been a store or very small office.

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 *The engine room is accessible from the aft end of the Fish hold/Offal room space below the main deck and extends up through the superstructure where there are doors to other superstructure areas on both sides, and up behind the funnel where there was probably a set of skylights or ventilation hatches, where a fairly large access hole has been provided. The engine room is quite large, but relatively cramped due to the fuel oil wing tanks to port and starboard forward, the engine in the middle, the stack ducting above the engine, and the ladder and catwalk aft. The ladder is to port of the engine and leads up to a catwalk at main deck level, with a door to a moderate sized compartment on the starboard side and another door to port leading to the aft accommodation spaces, which are all interlinked and have several access routes.
 *There is a fairly large compartment in the superstructure on the starboard side just aft of the winch area. This has a door to the main deck and may have been the galley. There is also a very narrow door into the engine room, and a passageway aft, eventually leading to the engine room and into the aft accommodation space messroom.
-*The aft accommodation spaces in the superstructure can be reached from the engine room at the upper deck level by a doorway on the port side, through two doorways on the upper deck on the starboard side, through a hatchway from the bridgedeck, and through a cutout in the upper part of the transom. It is possible that it can also be accessed through the galley. The hatch from the bridgedeck is fairly tight, and it may be too small for some divers. Light comes in through various portholes and rusted areas in the plating.
+*The aft accommodation spaces in the superstructure can be reached from the engine room at the upper deck level by a doorway on the port side, through two doorways on the upper deck on the starboard side, through a hatchway from the bridgedeck, and through a cutout in the upper part of the transom. The hatch from the bridgedeck is fairly tight, and it may be too small for some divers. Light comes in through various portholes and rusted areas in the plating.
-*The wide opening on the starboard side of the superstructure next to a ladder to the quarterdeck leads to a small compartment, with another door inboard. This leads into what was probably the crew's messroom. There are a number of small rooms leading off this space. On the port side forward is what may have been an office or the engineer's cabin. It is close to a door to the engine room, and there is an opening in the deckhead into the wheelhouse above. Aft of this is a small compartment without windows, which may have been a store of very small office.
+*The wide opening on the starboard side of the superstructure next to a ladder to the quarterdeck leads to a small compartment, with another door inboard. This leads into what was probably the crew's messroom. There are a number of small compartments leading off this space. On the port side forward is what may have been an office or the engineer's cabin. It is close to a door to the engine room, and there is an opening in the deckhead into the wheelhouse above. Aft of this is a small compartment without windows, which may have been a store or very small office.
-*Aft of the entry on the starboard side there is another small compartment, containing a hatchway down to the sleeping quarters, and with a skylight above. The hatchway down is fairly big, but the space below is very dark, and a light is absolutely necessary. Behind this is a small store opening only to the upper deck, and then a door to the upper deck at the extreme aft end of the narrow side deck on main deck level, under the quarterdeck more or less central at the aft end of the messroom there is a small alleyway leading to a compartment across the transom, where a large opening has been cut for diver access.
+*Aft of the entry on the starboard side there is another small compartment, containing a hatchway down to the sleeping quarters, and with a skylight above. The hatchway down is fairly big (big enough for a 1.8m, 90kg diver with a single 15l cylinder on a backplate and a small bailout cylinder, but a close fit), but the space below is very dark, and a light is absolutely necessary. The accomodation space is virtually empty, but there is a lot of silt on the deck. There is a second access hatch central on the aft bulkhead, which is smaller than the forward hatch, and accessed through a small tight compartment with a narrow door on the main accommodation deck.
-*On the port side just forward of this space there is a small compartment, possibly a store, and forward of that, with a door facing forward, another small compartment.
+*Behind the wide door on the starboard side there is a small store opening only to the upper deck, and then a door to the upper deck at the extreme aft end of the narrow side deck on main deck level, under the quarterdeck.
-*To starboard of the alleyway there is a very narrow compartment with a hatchway leading down into the steering compartment. This hatchway is very small and probably too tight for most divers while wearing a back mount cylinder and buoyancy compensator. Only divers with side-mount equipment and the requisite skills should consider penetrating this compartment, but if you stick your light down the hatch you will be able to take a look inside.
+* More or less central at the aft end of the messroom there is a small alleyway leading to a compartment across the transom, where a large opening has been cut for diver access.
-*The compartment across the transom leads to a small compartment at each side, and on the port side a door opening provides access forward to a toilet compartment.
+* On the starboard side there is a narrow compartment running fore and aft. Inboard of that is a small toilet compartment (heads), athwartships.
 '''Geology:'''

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 Image:Inside engine room.jpg|Inside the engine room looking up and aft to the ladder and catwalk. The engine is to the left
 Image:Engine room catwalk.jpg|The catwalk in the engine room looking forward
-Image:Rebreather_diver_on_the_Aster_DSC00273.JPG|thumb|A rebreather diver visiting the wreck
+Image:Rebreather_diver_on_the_Aster_DSC00273.JPG|A rebreather diver visiting the wreck
 </gallery>

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 [[Image:Aster and Katsu Maru.png|thumb|400px|Map showing the positions and features of the wrecks of the Aster (right) and Katsu Maru (left)]]
 ==Understand==
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 Image:Aster before scuttling.jpg|Before scuttling
 Image:Preparing the Aster for scuttling.jpg|Preparing the Aster for scuttling
 </gallery>
 ===Topography===
 [[Image:MV_Aster_general_arrangement.png|400px|thumb|Warning &mdash; This drawing may not be entirely accurate. Use for dive planning at your own risk.]]
 The ship stands almost level, embedded in the flat bottom as if floating in sand.  The bow points towards approximately 330° magnetic (northwest). There is deep scouring of the sand at the bow and stern, usually to about 28m maximum at low tide, but has been known to reach 30m on a high tide. The vessel is is essentially intact and still looks much like when it was afloat. The hull has a few holes cut in it, and the superstructure is intact except for the wheelhouse, which has lost its forward bulkhead and roof. The tripod mast at the break of the forecastle and the forecastle deck are also intact. There is a fairly large rectangular hatch just forward of the superstructure, leading to a hold, and a winch with drums at each side on the main deck under the wheelhouse, open forward and to starboard and accessible also through a hole cut in the port topsides.
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 A few small kelp plants have established themselves on shallower parts of the wreck.
 <gallery widths="200px" perrow="3">
 Image:Feather_duster_worms_on_the_Aster_DSC00236.JPG|Feather duster tubeworms
 Image:Mosaic_nudibranch_on_Aster_DSC00914.JPG|Mosaic pleurobranch on the rudder
 Image:Nudibranch_with_egg_mass_on_Aster_DSC00932.JPG|Pleurobranch with egg mass
 Image:Pair_of_swimming_crabs_at_the_Aster_DSC00255.JPG|Pair of swimming crabs on the sand
 </gallery>
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 Image:Superstructure of the Aster PB182618.JPG|Superstructure looking aft from the forecastle
 Image:Divers at the rudder of the Aster PB182639.JPG|Divers at the propeller aperture
 </gallery>
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 Image:Inside engine room.jpg|Inside the engine room looking up and aft to the ladder and catwalk. The engine is to the left
 Image:Engine room catwalk.jpg|The catwalk in the engine room looking forward
-Image:Wheelhouse of the Aster PB182631.JPG|The wheelhouse has lost its top and front
+Image:Rebreather_diver_on_the_Aster_DSC00273.JPG|thumb|A rebreather diver visiting the wreck
-Image:Winch on the Aster PB182629.JPG|Winch at the front of the superstructure
 </gallery>
 <!-- Spare images
 -->

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-The dive site '''M.V. Aster''' is a recent wreck in the [[Hout Bay]] area on the Atlantic seaboard of the [[Cape Peninsula]], near [[Cape Town]] in the [[Western Cape]] province of [[South Africa]].
+The dive site '''M.V. Aster''' is a recent wreck in the [[Hout Bay]] area on the Atlantic seaboard of the [[Cape Peninsula]], near [[Cape Town]] in the [[Western Cape]] province of [[South Africa]].  It is easily accessible by a short boat trip, and the ship was prepared for diving before it was sunk.
 [[Image:Aster and Katsu Maru.png|thumb|400px|Map showing the positions and features of the wrecks of the Aster (right) and Katsu Maru (left)]]
@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 ==Understand==
-The wreck is easily accessible by a short boat trip, and was prepared for diving before it was sunk. The position is well protected from the south easterly wind, and the depth is conveniently suitable for advanced divers. It supports a large variety of marine life, and is structurally still fairly intact.
+The wreck's position is well protected from the south easterly wind, and the depth is conveniently suitable for advanced divers. It supports a large variety of marine life, and is structurally still fairly intact.
 During the preparation of the ship for scuttling, the interior was stripped of most snags and contaminants, and some access holes were cut in bulkheads and topsides, and as a consequence, the wreck is relatively safe for penetration by suitably skilled and equipped divers. Most of the compartments have some opening to the outside, through which light can enter, and only a few compartments are truly dark. This makes it a very suitable site for wreck penetration training.

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 Visibility will vary from poor to about as good as you will get in Cape Town. 20m is possible, but 10m is more likely on a fairly good day, and less than 5m is entirely possible. The wreck is on fine sand and the visibility is significantly affected by swell. Large or long period swell will keep particles in suspension near the bottom. There is virtually no silting on the exterior of the wreck, but the interior is heavily silted in quiet corners. Interior visibility will also depend on diver skill and equipment, and not only will clumsy finning stir up the bottom, but bubbles may disturb material from the deckhead, which will then sink and reduce visibility. This is unavoidable unless diving on a rebreather, so only the first diver of the day will get clean water, and then only on a good day. The deckhead particulates are not as bad as the silt though, so it is still important to maintain precise buoyancy control and avoid bumping into things.
-<gallery widths="200px" perrow="4">
+<gallery widths="200px" perrow="3">
 Image:Aster alongside in Hout Bay.jpg|MV Aster in Hout Bay
 Image:Aster before scuttling.jpg|Before scuttling

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 The Aster is marked on the charts at the same position as the Katsu Maru and both wrecks can be visited on the same dive. The layout shown on the map is reasonably accurate, as it is based on the GPS tracks round both wrecks on the same dive.
-The interior is generally very open, with almost no clutter of wreckage, but there are deep piles of silt in places. The engine room is quite crowded, but is the most interesting compartment as it is full of engine and exhaust ducting. There is also a ladder and a small catwalk. There is a bit of light in most compartments except the after accommodation below the main deck, and a few small compartments in the forward and aft accomodation areas. Most doors are very narrow, about 600mm, which is rather tight for a large person. Some access holes and hatches are even slightly smaller, so it can be rather tight for a large diver or if you are carrying large cylinders.
+The interior is generally very open, with almost no clutter of wreckage, but there are deep piles of silt in places. The engine room is quite crowded, but is the most interesting compartment as it is full of engine and exhaust ducting. There is also a ladder and a small catwalk. There is a bit of light in most compartments except the after accommodation below the main deck, and a few small compartments in the forward and aft accommodation areas. Most doors are very narrow, about 600mm, which is rather tight for a large person. Some access holes and hatches are even slightly smaller, so it can be rather tight for a large diver or if you are carrying large cylinders.
 Most compartments are not more than two compartments away from outside access, and most have a window or porthole admitting light from outside. As a result there are several 'through routes' possible where you can go in at one point and come out at another. Obviously someone will have to go back to recover the line, and if several divers have passed through the visibility will be poor.