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A wooden boardwalk runs through low coastal scrub above a turquoise bay with white surf, backed by two green headlands — Robberg & Plettenberg Bay

Robberg & Plettenberg Bay · South Africa · Reef

Redbait Reef

Juvenile reef fish and cuttlefish among anemones in the shallows

Area photo: Theo Crazzolara · CC BY 2.0

Redbait Reef is a shallow reef entered directly from the shore in Plettenberg Bay, with no boat ride needed. It is suited to beginners and to photographers working in natural light, and its small residents make it an easy first dive in the bay.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Redbait Reef: typical dive 6–9 m (20–30 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit6 m9 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

34.0580° S, 23.3783° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The reef lies between 6 and 9 m, shallow enough for plenty of natural light. Colourful anemones, urchins and sponges cover it, and juvenile reef fish, cuttlefish and shysharks are regularly spotted among them.

Marine life and season

  • Octopus & cuttlefish
Month-by-month season rating for Redbait Reef
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodPrimePrimeGoodFair

Season follows Robberg & Plettenberg Bay: September and October are the best months; onshore south-easterlies churn the sea up in summer, while winter westerlies clear the water.

Sources

  1. Top Dive Sites along the Garden Route – Plettenberg Bay — ProDive Plettenberg Bay
  2. Plettenberg Bay’s reefs: experience fantastic scuba diving — South African Tourism
  3. OpenStreetMap — OpenStreetMap contributors

More dive sites in Robberg & Plettenberg Bay

Wreck

Athina Wreck

A Greek trawler's hull lying a short swim off Robberg

3–7 mbeginner

Reef

Grootbank

A maze of caves and swim-throughs with ragged-tooth sharks

20–30 madvanced

Wall

Jacob's Reef

Sea fans draped in basket stars on a soft-coral wall

10–16 mbeginner

Reef

Playground

Huge reef terraces with the odd big mako shark passing

16–30 madvanced

Sand slope

Seal Colony

Cape fur seals blowing bubbles at divers on the sand

4–6 mbeginner

Pinnacle

Shallow Blinders

Three pinnacles reached on a short swim from the beach

10–13 mbeginner

Reef

The Island

Big caves among round boulders off Robberg's island

6–18 mbeginner

Pinnacle

Whale Rock

Ragged-tooth sharks around a pinnacle that breaks off Robberg Point

24–30 madvanced

Similar dives elsewhere

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to 5 mbeginner

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to 9 mbeginner