Selected as one of the top ten dives sites of the world by the Diver Magazine the Aliwal Shoal offers almost anything a diver can wish for. The shoal is a twenty-minute boat ride from Umkomaas -- a sleepy sea side / riverside town which serves as the gateway to the Aliwal Shoal.
A huge array of fish species as well as rays, turtles, sharks and manta’s occupy the Aliwal Shoal, and schools of dolphins and pods of whales are frequent visitors. The shoal is approximately 5kms in length, and runs in a north to south direction. Today, many thousands of divers flock to the Aliwal Shoal in search of excellent diving and true adventure.
Diving during the months of June through to November you are sure to see Ragged Tooth Sharks as they congregate on the Aliwal Shoal to mate. It is not uncommon to find 15 to 50 of these ferocious looking but docile sharks on a single dive.
In summer you have every chance of seeing Tiger sharks and Hammerheads. Should you tire of the sharks, you can always dive on any of the wrecks or go hunting for the huge (and I mean huge) Brindle Bass. Other species (depending on the season) include Manta, Devil and other rays, schools of pelagic fish, whales, dolphins, and many, many more!
Visibility varies from 5 to 40 meters, and the water temperature in summer is 24+ ° C and in winter not colder than 19 ° C. The depths vary between 6 to 18 meters with 30-meter sites for the suitably qualified. The dives are all done without cages and afford the unique opportunity to see the sharks in their natural environment!
Aliwal Shoal was first dived in the 1950’s, and was extensively explored in the 1980’s by operators, to ascertain the viability of transporting divers to the launch, in the midst of a world wide scuba diving boom. Umkomaas is the sea side town which provides the launch site for the shoal under the Umkomaas bridge on the river (uMkomazi) mouth. Lying 3 – 5 kms off shore, Aliwal Shoal is on the inner edge of the Mozambique current, and the warm waters often provide for excellent visibility.
The top sites are:
Cathedral - Aliwal Shoal
This is a spectacular hole in the reef and is home to many large stingrays, moray eels and ragged tooth sharks, beginning with a depth of 28m (94ft), and continuing the dive up to 10m (34ft).
The Pinnacles - Aliwal Shoal
Average depth is 10 - 15 m (34ft - 50ft). It is best dived when there is little or no surge or current. Many caves, gullies and overhangs can be explored on this reef, and there are large shoals of fish.
Raggie Cave and Shark Alley - Aliwal Shoal
Average depth is 16 m. Best known for housing groups of ragged tooth sharks in winter. Although they are not overly aggressive, they should never be approached too closely.
North Sands - Aliwal Shoal
With and average depth of 12m (40ft) and a maximum of 15m (50ft), this flat, sandy part of the reef provides the opportunity to see rays, skates and sand sharks of all sizes. In winter, groups of Raggies often congregate close to the large overhang on the southeast side.
South Sands - Aliwal Shoal
Like North Sands, this site is home to rays, skates, sand sharks and guitar sharks. Average depth is 15m (50ft) with a maximum of 18m (60ft).
The Produce (1974) - Aliwal Shoal
The wreck of the Produce, a Norwegian Bulk Molasses tanker, struck Aliwal Shoal on the NE Pinnacles in 1974, no lives were lost. She now rests in 30 metres of water (100ft) and makes an interesting wreck dive. Big game fish such as salmon, kingfish, brindle bass share the wreck with lionfish and many colourful tropical species.
The Nebo (1884) - Aliwal Shoal
The Nebo struck Aliwal Shoal in 1984 in fair weather and went down with its cargo of railway material. No lives were lost and she lies in 30m of water (100ft), still fairly intact. The wreck is home to an abundance of reef and pelagic fish.
Umkomaas
Umkomaas is the sleepy sea side / riverside town which serves as the gateway to the Aliwal Shoal. The Zulu name is Umkomanzi, which was given by King Shaka Zulu himself in 1928 on one of his royal processions with his ‘Impi’ (warriors). During a hunting sojourn, he saw a number of cow whales and calves which were basking in the shallows a short distance out to sea from the river mouth. The name Umkomanzi, literally translated means ‘The watering place of the whales’.
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