Rocky Bank

Rocky Bank is an offshore reef at the mouth of False Bay, roughly halfway between Cape Point and Hangklip. It is reached by boat only, and suits advanced divers with Nitrox certification. Formed from sandstone, the reef is mostly flat with little relief. The southern part has steps, large boulders and deep gullies, while the northern part has a shallow, sprawling kelp forest of split fan kelp.

The top of the reef lies at around 25 metres, and the area shallower than 30 metres covers about two square kilometres, sloping gently to over 75 metres towards the south. Dives usually stay between 25 and 30 metres, with a depth range of 22 to 35 metres and about 40 minutes of dive time. Visibility is often better than at other sites in the area, and a light is recommended because of the depth. A delayed surface marker buoy is mandatory.

On the south side, divers descend at 30 to 35 metres and work up the slope. Sponges carry anemones, and crayfish walk freely across the sea floor without shying from divers. The highest point of the bank, at 22 to 25 metres, holds the kelp forest, where stingrays and gully sharks are seen on every dive. Pelagics such as yellowfin tuna and yellowtail have been seen during safety stops. The reef is also covered in small life such as nudibranchs, anemones, sponges and crustaceans.