South Africa’s Aliwal Shoal has something for everyone, which could be exactly why it has been named one of the world’s top ten dive sites. This rocky reef, which seems to be the geological remains of a sand dune, is located a short five kilometers South Africa’s KwaZulu-Natal coast. Here, you can explore shipwrecks, or simply enjoy the vast number of species that call this area home. Let’s take a few moments to plunge beneath the shoal’s ambient, crystal-clear waters, and enjoy a brief peek into what makes this area so popular with divers worldwide.
Diving Conditions
At Aliwal Shoal, the average sea temperature is 24°. Visibility is normally excellent, and can sometimes exceed forty meters, although it does occasionally drop to as low as five meters. Besides the calm conditions, the shoal is home to more than twelve hundred species of fish, as well as Manta rays and devil rays, turtles, and is famed for its Ragged Tooth Shark population.
The underwater landscape is absolutely incredible, featuring amazing caves, pinnacles, and gullies to explore, plus arches and swim throughs galore. These are all of sandstone, and are covered in an abundance of sponges and brilliantly colored soft coral. All these features extend for a seemingly endless five kilometer stretch, where you can enjoy one dive after another.
Best of all, you don’t have to be an expert to enjoy all the shoal has to offer. Most features lie between six and eighteen meters, although advanced divers can descend to depths as low as forty meters if they wish.
Ragged Tooth Sharks
Call them “Raggies” like the locals, or use their proper name, “Grey Nurse Sharks”, these beautiful and calm creatures are here in abundance between June and November, while they seek their mates between August and November. The rocky reef features several caves, where the raggies enjoy basking and feeding on plankton. During the high season, it is not uncommon to view as many as fifty of these magnificent sharks on a single dive.
Occasional Sightings
Occasionally, you will be treated to the sight of a massive whale shark basking in the warm water, and you may even spot reef sharks or receive a visit from a Great White. Whales and dolphins are also known to visit Aliwal Shoal, so don’t be surprised if you catch sight of these amazing creatures as you enjoy your time both above and below the water. Between December and January, divers are treated to the sight of both Tiger sharks and Hammerhead sharks.
Aliwal Shoal Dive Sites
This underwater paradise is now the final resting place for two ships, and since currents can be strong at the greater depths at which these wrecks lie, they are not always accessible. The Produce lies at thirty meters on the sandy bottom. This massive, 176 meter long wreck is for advanced divers only. The ship sank in 1974 while carrying a bulk load of Molasses, and is now home to an incredible variety of life – it has basically formed its own ecosystem. Here, you will find the scarce Brindle Bass, which is a form of grouper. These fish can be almost three meters long, and enjoy lurking in the shade of The Produce. Big Lion fish and large tropical fish in every color share space with the Brindle Bass.
The Nebo, which lies at twenty-five meters, is a much older wreck. She sank in 1884, while making her maiden voyage with a railway bridge destined for the town of Amanzimtoti. Today, she is home to catfish and pink Harlequin Goldies, as well as big shoals of Sea Goldies. Swarms of batfish and other tropical fish, as well as sponges and soft coral make this ship unforgettable.
Shark Alley and Raggie Cave are not to be missed. Average depth here is sixteen meters, and the sandy bottom is littered with teeth that the sharks have lost. While you might feel tempted to enter the cave or approach the sharks, it is never wise to do so. They will bite if provoked or taken by surprise. Watch for huge Potato Bass in the cave areas!
Cathedral is a massive hole in the reef, where you can enjoy a spectacular variety of life. This pothole type structure begins at the top of the reef and descends like an amphitheater to depths between eighteen and twenty-six meters. Here, you will encounter loggerhead turtles and ribbontail rays, along with Ragged Tooth sharks in season, all against a colorful backdrop that makes for some stunning photographs.
South Sands is an excellent place to see a wide variety of pelagics including sharks, rays, and turtles. Watch for white tip reef sharks, black tip reef sharks, hammerheads, and occasional visiting Great Whites and Tiger sharks. Keep an eye out for rays, too! Here, you may encounter honeycomb rays as well as devil rays and round ribbontail rays. Commonly encountered turtle species include loggerheads, green sea turtles, leatherbacks, and hawksbill turtles. This area averages just sixteen meters and is ideal for everyone!
North Sands is also relatively shallow. At just twelve to fifteen meters, this is a favorite hangout for dolphins, as well as a variety of rays and sand sharks. During the winter, the raggies enjoy basking along this area just as much as they enjoy Shark Alley and Raggie Cave.
Pinnacles is a lovely dive, where you can swoop between four and fifteen meters and enjoy the multitudes of colorful reef fish that are attracted to the pinnacle structures. Watch for surgeon fish in powder blue, as well as wrasse and butterfly fish, and keep an eye out for rays nearer the surface. Although Pinnacles is a relatively shallow dive site, it can be subject to swift currents at times. Remember to stay within your training and experience for the safest, most enjoyable dive possible.
As Aliwal Shoal is such a popular site, it is not surprising that trips book up quickly. If you can, book your trip as far in advance as possible, to get the best chance to enjoy this amazing area. You will, no doubt, want to experience it over and over again!