Tofu

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12/08/10

Tofu is as wild and windswept at everywhere else along this coastline. It is however unlike the other places we've been in that it is as yet not completely taken over by South Africans and their developments. It has a more African vibe, and the rustic huts perch on top of big sand dunes. Tofu is becoming a bit of a mecca for divers. The nutrient rich waters attract whale sharks and mantas nearly all year round, and humpbacks hammerheads at other times. Listening to people talk about their dives the morning we arrived, and you hear about 360 degrees humpback whales breaching around the boat, manta and whale shark feeding frenzies on the way back from dives, giant mantas on most dives, hammerheads etc. It isn't the real world out there, that just doesn't happen.

We had chance to do one afternoon dive before the weather turned and all boats were cancelled. As standard out here, even though we saw some cool stuff, I didn't enjoy the dive. The boat ride terrified me as usual and made me sick, our negative entry was choas, with my fin coming off and I was left bobbing on the surface unable to find it in the increasing swell. I felt dishearteningly like an open water student all over again. When I finally managed to sort myself out and get under the water my dodgy rental mask instantly fogged up and I couldn't clear it no matter how much water I swilled in it. It was at this point that I decided I better quit while I was ahead, and make this my last dive of the trip. Diving in conditions like these is beginning to make me hate diving.