Conditions & tides
Scored by DiveConnect's site-physics model
Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.
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About this site
Aliwal Shoal is a rocky reef off Umkomaas on the KwaZulu-Natal coast of South Africa, formed from a fossilized sand dune a few kilometres offshore. It is well known in South African diving circles for shark encounters, particularly raggedy-tooth sharks that gather seasonally, with occasional sightings of tiger sharks and other pelagics on baited dives. The site also includes the wreck of the Nebo, a steamship that sank in the early twentieth century, adding a wreck element alongside the reef diving. Depths reach a maximum of around 40 metres, and the site overall is rated an advanced dive, with surge and current affecting parts of it. It remains a longstanding destination for shark diving operators working out of Umkomaas and the greater Durban area.
AI overviewMarine life here
Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.
Narrow-banded Spanish MackerelScomberomorus commersonReported here · unconfirmed
False JacobeverSebastes capensisReported here · unconfirmed
Durable tips from divers — access, hazards, marine life, facilities. For day-of conditions, use the report tool in the conditions card above.
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