Aliwal Shoal Reef

About this dive site

This dive site is located approximately 5 kilometers (3.1 miles) off the coast of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and represents the remains of an ancient sand dune. The reef’s name stems from a historic shipwreck, the "Aliwal", which sank near here in 1849. It's a rocky environment flourishing with diverse coral species – both hard and soft – and a rich variety of tropical and subtropical fish life. The Shoal is known for its large predator population, including Grey nurse sharks (also called ragged tooth sharks), who frequently visit between July and November to mate. The reef extends around 2.5 kilometers in length by 1 kilometer in width, resulting in various dive sites ranging from 12 meters to 27 meters deep. Two notable wrecks provide popular recreational diving opportunities: the MV Produce at 32 meters and the SS Nebo at 27 meters. Tek diving is available on MS Griqualand and Mary Kate at a depth of 60 meters each. Several distinct dive sites include Cathedral (27m), Raggies Cave (16m), Chunnel Cave (14m), North Sands (16m), Inside Edge (24m), Outside Edge (27m), MV Produce Wreck (32m) and SS Nebo (27m).