Gordon's Bay & Rooi-Els · South Africa · Reef · Kelp forest

Rooi-els Point

Kelp forest and broken sandstone ridges off the Rooi-els point

Photo: Darren Glanville from Acle, Norfolk, UK · CC BY-SA 2.0

Rooi-els Point is a rocky reef off the point at Rooi-els, mostly on the seaward side and running north east as a ridge. It continues the reefs of Coral Gardens, with rugged sandstone ridges and gullies on a mostly rock bottom, dense kelp inshore and colourful invertebrates further out.

Where it is and how deep

Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

34.2967° S, 18.8133° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

Shore divers walk across the rocks towards the point, enter where conditions allow and swim out beyond the kelp before descending, noting landmarks for the return. The reef is a moderate system of rugged sandstone ridges and gullies running roughly north to south, mostly broken and of varied height. The bottom is mostly 12 to 17 m deep, with a maximum of about 20 m, and the occasional small sand patch lies in the gullies.

Kelp forest is very dense inshore and fairly dense on the reef north of the point. The reef grows more colourful further out, with bryozoans, sponges, corals and colonial ascidians, and it suits macro photography. Divers save air for the return, as crossing the dense kelp under the canopy takes time, and if the sea picks up there is a sheltered exit round behind the point, at the cost of a long swim.

Marine life and season

Macro critters

Month-by-month season rating for Rooi-els Point
Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Prime	Prime	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Fair	Prime

Season follows Gordon's Bay & Rooi-Els: Diving runs mostly in summer, when the weather permits, with some good days in other seasons and an occasional winter dive.

Know before you go

Long-period south westerly swell makes shore exits uncomfortable; boat dives suit shorter-period swell better.
Dense kelp inshore slows the return swim; turn back with a generous gas reserve.