5 Mile Reef

5 Mile Reef lies off the KwaZulu-Natal coast of South Africa, in the stretch of Indian Ocean waters near Sodwana Bay that gives many of the region's reefs their distance-based names. This part of the coast sits within iSimangaliso Wetland Park, known for its subtropical reef systems running parallel to the shoreline. The reef reaches a maximum depth of around 24 metres and is rated an advanced dive over a reef bottom. Divers have reported dolphins, nudibranchs, sea turtles, whales, and whale sharks passing through the area.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• NudibranchNudibranchReported here · unconfirmed
• Sea turtleSea turtleReported here · unconfirmed
• DolphinDolphinReported here · unconfirmed
• Bluespotted Fantail RayTaeniura lymmaReported here · unconfirmed
• Spot-tail WrasseCoris caudimaculaReported here · unconfirmed
• Brown Pygmy AngelfishCentropyge multispinisReported here · unconfirmed
• Oblique-banded CardinalfishApogon semiornatusReported here · unconfirmed
• Bluestreak Cleaner WrasseLabroides dimidiatusReported here · unconfirmed
• Dusky SurgeonfishAcanthurus nigrofuscusReported here · unconfirmed
• Blacklip ButterflyfishChaetodon kleiniiReported here · unconfirmed
• Iridescent CardinalfishPristiapogon kallopterusReported here · unconfirmed
• Pixy HawkfishCirrhitichthys oxycephalusReported here · unconfirmed
• WhaleWhaleReported here · unconfirmed
• Whale SharkRhincodon typusReported here · unconfirmed