Rabia Mayet | rabiamayet@radioislam.co.za

13 September 2025

3-minute read

“A bad day diving is better than a good day on land,” says Fatima Peer Surtee, an adventurer and frequent scuba diver who has dived at locations like Mauritius, the Red Sea in Egypt and locally in South Africa.

Scuba diving offers an unparalleled opportunity to explore the wonders hidden beneath the ocean’s surface. From vibrant coral reefs teeming with colourful fish to mysterious shipwrecks and intricate rock formations, each dive reveals a breathtaking underwater world. Whether you are drifting alongside graceful sea turtles or marvelling at the play of sunlight through crystal-clear water, the sights you encounter while scuba diving are truly unforgettable.

Diving experiences differ across the various destinations due to location, water temperatures, currents, waves and undertows that all play a part in the underwater experience. Although Indian Ocean dives are less cold than Atlantic Ocean dives, they are still quite cool. Along the equatorial regions, the waters tend to be much warmer. Currents in South Africa are much stronger compared to that of islands. Plant life, sea life and coral vary in the different regions and across the different oceans.

While it is more relaxing to dive off a bigger boat and gradually get into the water, Fatima says that in South Africa, diving in the waters in KwaZulu Natal is a “lot more military style,” with divers diving at precise times off fast rubber boats, compared to other regions.

Essential types of gear a beginner should be familiar with before embarking on a scuba diving adventure include a mask, snorkel, wetsuit fins, jacket that is hooked up to the air tank and then hooked to the regulator that helps one to breathe.

Fatima says that if you are “comfortable in the water” and even if you cannot swim, as long as you have a lifejacket, a relative level of fitness, and sound health without any heart or lung conditions, you will be able to dive without necessarily being an “iron-man”.

Scuba diving as part of an island holiday itinerary is an enjoyable option that offers an exciting type of adventure. Bookings are easy to do online through a reputable company and are more affordable locally due to our exchange rate. However, week-long dive packages like those offered on the Red Sea in Egypt, where divers stay on a yacht with all meals come included and are allowed four dives per day, are also quite affordable. With warm calm waters in a peninsula where the coral is alive and protected from the El Nino effect, Fatima says that it was the “most incredible, spectacular” place that she’s dived at. Island destinations like Maldives are much more expensive but it is always possible to find a dive that suits your budget.

Entering this “different world that Allah has created” also enhances one’s appreciation for marine conservation and local ecosystems, the animal and plant life under the sea, and the need to protect our oceans from pollution so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Listen to the full interview with Ml Muhammad Kara, Ml Ibrahim Daya and Sister Fatima.