Durban · South Africa · Reef
Limestone Reef
A shallow ledge reef reached by a swim across the sand from Vetch's.
Area photo: Peter Southwood · CC BY-SA 4.0
A flat-topped ledge running parallel to the shore, crossed by the end of Vetch's Pier and reached by shore entry. The top sits at 3 m and the bottom at 7 m, with holes and crevices holding coral banded shrimps, lionfish and juvenile angelfish.
Also known as Limestone.
Where it is and how deep
29.8697° S, 31.0534° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Divers enter on the outside of Vetch's Pier and swim until they reach a pole approximately 3 m long, then cross the sand to Limestone. The reef runs parallel to the shore and extends north-east from the very end of the pier. Like most reefs off Durban it is a ledge dive: the top is flat at 3 m and the bottom lies at 7 m.
The holes and crevices along the ledge reward a close look, often holding coral banded shrimps, lionfish and juvenile angelfish and butterflyfish. In summer, after the Umgeni has flooded, golf balls hit into the river from Windsor Golf Course turn up on the reef.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Durban: March to July is best: low rainfall and south-westerlies bring clear water. Spring rain (September to December) clouds the water near the harbour and Umlaas canal mouths.
Know before you go
- Fishermen visit the reef to catch live bait; always dive it with a marker buoy.
- Turn back at half the starting pressure to avoid a long surface swim to shore in full kit.
Dive videos
Limestone-9-6-2012.mp4 · Sean Ashley on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Limestone Reef in Durban?+
The top of the reef is flat at 3 m and the bottom lies at 7 m. It is reached by a shore entry from Vetch's Pier.
Sources
- Durban Dive Sites – Reefs — Durban Undersea Club
- Diving in Durban — Wikivoyage
More dive sites in Durban
Reef
Sandstone ledges and caves where raggies rest on migration.
Wreck
A nameless 76 m steamship whose origin and sinking remain a mystery.
Wreck
A 34.5 m prawn trawler wrapped in shoals of bait fish.
Reef
One of the few places to see the endemic harlequin goldie.
Reef
Durban's deep offshore reef, with caves used by migrating raggies.
Wreck
The boilers of a 1940 sugar ship, reached from Addington Beach.
Artificial reef
A 48-compartment concrete barge with a steel gantry at the T junction.
Wreck
Boilers, mast, bow and stern all visible from the surface.
Similar dives elsewhere
Ridges of medium height running out to a seaward pinnacle
Big smooth boulders scattered over sand patches
Marbled electric rays on a 10 to 14 m reef
Long nose pipefish and shovel nose crayfish in 4 to 8 m