Sodwana Bay · South Africa · Reef · Coral garden
Quarter Mile Reef
Gestating ragged-tooth sharks settle here from December
Photo: Mathew Zappa · CC BY 4.0
Quarter Mile Reef is the shallow inshore reef at Sodwana Bay, a ground of sponges and soft corals in no more than 12 m of water. Its reputation rests on summer: from December to March pregnant sand tiger sharks — the grey nurse, the spotted ragged-tooth — spend time on the reef while they gestate, and January and February are when it is most dived.
Where it is and how deep
27.5371° S, 32.6790° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
This is the shallow one: a reef of sponges and soft corals with 12 m as the maximum, close enough inshore that the swell running over it sets the terms for the dive. Because it is so shallow the swell really affects underwater conditions, and that, rather than depth, is what decides whether the dive happens. Turtles, game fish, rays and giant sand sharks are what PADI lists for the reef.
Small subjects are the other reason to come: paperfish, pipefish, scorpion fish and firefish are all on the list here, and 12 m of water leaves plenty of bottom time to look for them. From December to March the reef changes character, when pregnant sand tiger sharks — the same animal as the grey nurse and the spotted ragged-tooth — settle on it to gestate. While they are being monitored and left to settle, Quarter Mile is closed to diving.
Marine life and season
- Sand tiger sharks
- Sea turtles
- Stingrays
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
Pregnant sand tiger, grey nurse and spotted ragged-tooth sharks gestate on the reef from December to March; January and February are when it is most dived, and it closes while the sharks settle.
Know before you go
- Because the reef is so shallow the swell really affects underwater conditions, so surge rather than depth is what usually calls the dive off.
- The reef is closed to diving while the gestating sharks are monitored and left to settle, so a December to March booking can be turned around on the day.
Photos from Quarter Mile Reef
Mathew Zappa · CC BY 4.0
Mathew Zappa · CC BY 4.0
Robert Taylor · CC BY 4.0
Dive videos
Raggies Sharks at Quarter Mile Reef Sodwana Bay Jan 2017 · dewald steyn on YouTube
Questions divers ask
When are ragged-tooth sharks at Quarter Mile Reef?+
Pregnant sand tiger sharks — grey nurse, spotted ragged-tooth — spend time on the reef from December to March while they gestate. January and February are the months the site is most often dived. It closes while the sharks are monitored and settling in.
Sources
- Quarter Mile Reef Dive Site — PADI
- Sodwana Bay — Wikipedia
Photo credits
- Peacock mantis shrimp peering from a reef crevice at Sodwana Bay by Mathew Zappa, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- False button star on the reef floor by Mathew Zappa, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Meyer's butterflyfish over the reef in South Africa by Mathew Zappa, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- East coast rock lobster tucked under a ledge by Robert Taylor, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
In The Logbook
- Where to dive in DecemberTrip planning · 10 min read
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