Reefwander
Reefwander
Full calendar

Destinations at their peak each month

  1. Jan167
  2. Feb183
  3. Mar192
  4. Apr216
  5. May186
  6. Jun272
  7. Jul307
  8. Aug313
  9. Sep296
  10. Oct180
  11. Nov119
  12. Dec145

Americas

Europe, Africa & Middle East

Indo-Pacific

A bottlenose dolphin surfaces in Algoa Bay, its fin and eye breaking the water with spray

Algoa Bay · South Africa · Pinnacle · Wall

Evans Peak

A large pinnacle with drop-offs, dived between 14 and 40 m

Area photo: Mig Gilbert · CC BY-SA 2.0

Evans Peak is a large pinnacle close to St Croix Island, dived as one piece of structure rather than a run of reef. Dives run between 14 and 40 m, with drop-offs falling away from its sides, and abundant fish life and sharks are reported over it. Boats reach it from Gqeberha along with the bay's other offshore marks.

Also known as Evan's Peak.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Evans Peak: typical dive 14–40 m (46–130 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit14 m40 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 50 m (164 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

33.8431° S, 25.8166° EPublished position for this site.

The dive

Evans Peak sits in the same water as St Croix Island and is worked as one feature. The shallowest part of the dive is about 14 m, and the sides fall away in drop-offs to 40 m, so the shape of the dive is decided by how deep you choose to go rather than by the layout of a reef. Boats run to it from Gqeberha with the rest of the offshore marks.

Drop onto the top of the pinnacle, take one face down and work along it with the wall on a shoulder so the way back stays obvious, then come up the structure for the safety stop. Fish life is abundant and sharks are reported here, though nothing published names the species or says where on the pinnacle they hold. With 40 m under the boat, most groups take a single face per dive and leave the rest for the next trip.

Marine life and season

  • Reef fish swarms
Month-by-month season rating for Evans Peak
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
GoodGoodGoodGoodGoodPrimePrimeGoodGoodGoodGoodGood

Season follows Algoa Bay: June and July bring the best visibility but also the coldest water; ragged-tooth sharks are in the Bay from November to May.

Dive videos

Diving Evans Peak Port Elizabeth · ProDive South Africa on YouTube

Questions divers ask

How deep is Evans Peak?+

Dives run between 14 and 40 m: the shallowest part of the pinnacle is around 14 m and the drop-offs fall to 40 m, so the dive is planned around the depth you pick rather than around a fixed profile.

Sources

  1. Diving in Port Elizabeth — Wikivoyage

More dive sites in Algoa Bay

Reef

Bell Buoy

Ragged-tooth sharks in the gullies, minutes from the beach

12–18 mintermediate

Wreck

Haerlem

A scuttled navy vessel small enough to cover in one dive

18–21 mintermediate

Reef

Riy Banks

Ragged-tooth sharks over walls rising from below 30 m

11–40 madvanced

Similar dives elsewhere

Pinnacle

Hakskeen

Hermanus · South Africa

A pinnacle that nearly breaks the surface above a steep wall

to 26 madvanced

Pinnacle

Manta Point

Pemba Island · Tanzania

A summit 40 m long with the reef falling past 60 m

8–25 m · max 60 mintermediate

Pinnacle

Batu Pendeta

Bangka Island · Indonesia

A canyon-cut plateau at 15 m before the drop to 40 m

to 40 madvanced

Pinnacle

Els Farallons

Cap de Creus · Spain

Maze-like rock stacks full of red sea fans to 40 m

to 40 m · max 45 madvanced