Boesmansgat Natural Cavern
Experienced diving enthusiasts interested in exploring a well-known cavern should look no further than Danielskuil in the Northern Cape.
Although the town of Danielskuil is small, it is home to Boesmansgat cavern, the largest natural cavern of its kind in the southern Hemisphere with limited light penetration up to 50 metres.
Boesmansgat is the second deepest cave in the world and many world records have been set there for cave diving. It is one of the best known inland dive sites in the world with depths of up to 300 metres.
The climate in this area is desert-like with cold winters and very hot summers. The little rain that does fall in this region occurs during the summer months.
Caving and Sinkholes
The Boesmansgat sinkhole is only to be dived by qualified divers with caving and sinkhole training and experience. Getting down to the water requires an almost vertical 100 metres climb down the mountain with all your diving kit, to a small puddle of water. Under the green duck weed that covers the surface you will find crystal clear water.
On entering the water, a small crack will take you down in the chamber where it opens up to depths of almost 300 metres. Believe it or not, the chamber is the size of five rugby fields. With the roof of the cave 50 metres deep there are a number of smaller caves to explore in the shallower parts.