Africa · South Africa
Aliwal Shoal
Ragged-tooth sharks congregate to mate from July to November
Photo: Georgina Jones · CC BY-SA 4.0
Aliwal Shoal is a rocky reef, the remains of an ancient sand dune, about 5 km off Umkomaas in KwaZulu-Natal, dived from rigid inflatables launched through the surf. Ragged-tooth sharks congregate on the reef to mate from July to November and give Raggies Cave its name, bull sharks gather at the Bull Ring from December to April, and two wrecks, the MV Produce and the SS Nebo, lie near the shoal. Strong currents turn many dives into drifts, and baited open-ocean dives meet oceanic blacktips all year.
About diving in Aliwal Shoal
Several operators run daily boat charters to the shoal. Most boats are large rigid inflatables carrying 10 to 16 divers. At Umkomaas they normally launch from the mouth of the Nkomazi River, or from the beach in very calm conditions, and crossing the breakers follows strict safety procedures. The shoal frequently has strong currents or poor visibility, so groups stay close together underwater and many dives are run as drifts.
The crown of the reef runs from about 6 m around the Northern Pinnacles to around 30 m on the seaward side. Soft corals are much more common than hard corals, and the shoal has large numbers of sponges, octopus, cowries and nudibranchs, while the wreck of the MV Produce shelters the endemic harlequin goldie. Blacktip reef sharks, bull sharks and tiger sharks all use the shoal, the tigers often deeper, and ragged-tooth sharks are the animal the place is known for.
Recreational equipment covers the diving, since dives seldom pass 30 m, but the strong currents and the deeper sites make this a shoal for advanced divers, and the wrecks are best dived in weak current. The shoal lies inside the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area, proclaimed in 2004. Visibility is often poor, frequently around 10 m on the MV Produce, so the shoal suits divers who come for the sharks more than for long views.
Best time to dive Aliwal Shoal
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good |
| Sea surface | 25°C77°F | 26°C79°F | 26°C79°F | 25°C77°F | 24°C75°F | 22°C72°F | 22°C72°F | 21°C70°F | 21°C70°F | 22°C72°F | 23°C73°F | 24°C75°F |
| Daytime high | 32°C90°F | 32°C90°F | 32°C90°F | 31°C88°F | 29°C84°F | 27°C81°F | 27°C81°F | 31°C88°F | 33°C91°F | 34°C93°F | 33°C91°F | 33°C91°F |
| Rain | 225 mm8.9 in | 169 mm6.7 in | 166 mm6.5 in | 128 mm5.0 in | 73 mm2.9 in | 27 mm1.1 in | 41 mm1.6 in | 36 mm1.4 in | 101 mm4.0 in | 172 mm6.8 in | 182 mm7.2 in | 248 mm9.8 in |
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
| Sea surface | |||||
| 25°C77°F | 26°C79°F | 26°C79°F | 25°C77°F | 24°C75°F | 22°C72°F |
| Daytime high | |||||
| 32°C90°F | 32°C90°F | 32°C90°F | 31°C88°F | 29°C84°F | 27°C81°F |
| Rain | |||||
| 225 mm8.9 in | 169 mm6.7 in | 166 mm6.5 in | 128 mm5.0 in | 73 mm2.9 in | 27 mm1.1 in |
| Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good |
| Sea surface | |||||
| 22°C72°F | 21°C70°F | 21°C70°F | 22°C72°F | 23°C73°F | 24°C75°F |
| Daytime high | |||||
| 27°C81°F | 31°C88°F | 33°C91°F | 34°C93°F | 33°C91°F | 33°C91°F |
| Rain | |||||
| 41 mm1.6 in | 36 mm1.4 in | 101 mm4.0 in | 172 mm6.8 in | 182 mm7.2 in | 248 mm9.8 in |
2011–2025 averages. Sea surface: NOAA Coral Reef Watch, measured at the surface, so deeper water can run colder. Daytime high and rain: NASA POWER.
Reef diving runs all year round, and the sharks set the calendar. From December to April large bull sharks gather on the shoal, and tiger sharks join the baited dives in the summer season, while oceanic blacktips stay all year. From July to November ragged-tooth sharks congregate on the shoal to mate, the season the shoal is best known for. After rains inland the Nkomazi River can flow strongly into the sea and cut the visibility at the SS Nebo.
Best months: July, August, September, October, November
Aliwal Shoal water temperature and weather by month
The sea surface runs from 21 °C (70 °F) in August to 26 °C (79 °F) in February. It is 24 °C (75 °F) or warmer from December to May. Most rain falls from October to March, peaking at about 250 mm (9.8 in) in December; it stays largely dry from May to August. Daytime highs reach 34 °C (93 °F) in October and drop to 27 °C (81 °F) in June. Below the surface the water can drop to about 18 °C (64 °F), so pack a 5 mm suit.
Dive types & marine life
Ragged-tooth sharks congregate to mate between July and November and are mostly encountered in winter. Bull sharks gather from December to April. Oceanic blacktips are seen all year on the baited open-ocean dives, with tiger sharks joining them in the summer season; blacktip reef sharks are common on the shoal.
- Reef
- Drift
- Wreck
- Pelagic & blue water
- Sand tiger sharks
- Bull sharks
- Tiger sharks
- Reef sharks
- Nudibranchs
Best dive sites in Aliwal Shoal
- 1
Raggies Cave
Popular reef where ragged-tooth sharks gather in the mating season, with nudibranchs, eels and stonefish.
- 2
Cathedral
Big round hole with a rock bridge, reef top about 24 m and bottom near 29 m; ragged-tooth sharks in winter.
- 3
MV Produce
176 m molasses carrier sunk in 1974, 16 m at the top and 32 m on the sand; home of the harlequin goldie.
- 4
The Bull Ring
Advanced drift dive averaging 20 m, run for close encounters with bull sharks.
- 5
SS Nebo
Steam freighter lost in 1884, upside down on the sand from 20 m at the hull to 27 m.
Site guides
Cave & cavern
Yellowmouth, honeycomb and salt-and-pepper morays hold in the cracks.
Wreck
A 176-metre molasses carrier broken across the sand at 32 metres.
Cave & cavern
Ragged-tooth sharks rest in the caves from July to November.
Wreck
The propeller and boiler are still identifiable in the broken stern.
Drift
Bull sharks work a bait drum in open water; tiger sharks turn up in warmer months.
How to get to Aliwal Shoal
The shoal lies off the towns of Umkomaas and Scottburgh, about 60 km south of Durban, and both towns have accommodation and dive facilities. Durban's international airport is 30 minutes from Scottburgh.
Photos from Aliwal Shoal
Derek Keats · CC BY 2.0
Derek Keats · CC BY 2.0
Andra Waagmeester · CC0
Andra Waagmeester · CC0
Dive videos
Scuba diving with ragged-tooth sharks (sandtiger sharks), Aliwal Shoal, South Africa / ScubaXcursion · Nina Åxman on YouTube
Diving with the ragged-tooth sharks of Aliwal Shoal · Earth Touch on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Is a permit needed to dive Aliwal Shoal?+
Yes. The shoal is a Marine Protected Area, proclaimed in 2004 and managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife, and a permit is required to scuba dive in any MPA.
What certification is needed to dive Aliwal Shoal?+
Advanced certification for the headline sites. Cathedral is not suited to Open Water divers, the MV Produce is an advanced dive because of its depth and the currents often met there, and the Bull Ring is run as an advanced drift dive.
Are the shark dives at Aliwal Shoal done in a cage?+
No. The baited dives with oceanic blacktips and, in summer, tiger sharks take place in the open ocean with no cage.
Sources
- Diving Aliwal Shoal — Wikivoyage
- Diving Aliwal Shoal/Cathedral — Wikivoyage
- Diving Aliwal Shoal/MV Produce — Wikivoyage
- Diving Aliwal Shoal/SS Nebo — Wikivoyage
- Scottburgh — Wikivoyage
- Umkomaas — Wikipedia
- The Bull Ring — African Watersports
- Diving Spots — African Watersports
- Raggies Cave dive site — PADI
- Aliwal Dive Center & Lodge — Aliwal Dive Centre
- Baited Shark Dive — Aliwal Dive Centre
- Aliwal Shoal — Wikipedia
Photo credits
- A dense school of German seabream crowds a rocky reef wall at Aliwal Shoal. by Georgina Jones, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Three silvery Natal stumpnose fish swim in a row over the reef at Aliwal Shoal. by Derek Keats, CC BY 2.0, via Openverse
- A spiny, mottled sea star rests on encrusted rock at Aliwal Shoal. by Derek Keats, CC BY 2.0, via Openverse
- A yellow-and-blue-striped bluestriped snapper swims over a mossy reef. by Andra Waagmeester, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A large potato rockcod hovers near a cave wall in dim water. by Andra Waagmeester, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
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