Cape Town & Western Cape, South Africa
    Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area

    Alpha Reef

    Best months: Mar

    Protected Area

    Table Mountain National Park Marine Protected Area

    Why dive here

    With 269+ marine species recorded in the area - including blue sharks, blue whales, dolphins, dwarf minke whales and great white sharks - Alpha Reef offers some of Cape Town & Western Cape's richest wall diving. Water ranges 14-16°C, warmest February, March, April.

    Best timeMar
    WetsuitA 7mm wetsuit with a hood
    Marine lifeBlue Sharks, Blue Whales, Dolphins, Dwarf Minke Whales and Great White Sharks · 269+ species recorded
    Water14-16°C · warmest February, March, April
    CharacterWall dive
    StandoutExceptional marine biodiversity

    Alpha Reef, off Cape Town’s coast, is one of those spots that really highlights the unique geology here. We're talking granite corestones forming two distinct sections, broken up by a sandy gully running east to west. The southern lobe is the more substantial part, sloping up from the south before flattening and then dropping into another gully. It’s a wall dive, but not in the typical tropical sense; think dramatic rock formations with corals clinging to the surfaces. We've seen a fair amount of smaller reef fish darting around here. Depths max out around 3 meters, making it a good choice for newer divers or for a longer, relaxed explore without deep deco stops. Visibility can vary, so we'd suggest picking a calmer day for the best experience.

    Safety Notes

    Cold water this month (avg 15°C). Drysuit or thick wetsuit (7mm+) recommended.

    Today05:1017:5712h 46m daylightGolden hour 17:23

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    Conditions

    Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Alpha Reef

    Alpha Reef Ocean Conditions

    Monthly averages for Alpha Reef, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (-33.92, 18.46) (8km away)

    ExcellentGreatGoodFairPoor★Best monthsThis month

    October Averages

    Sea Temperature

    15°C

    59°F · Range: 12.4–17.2°C

    Air Temperature

    17°C

    62°F

    Wind Speed

    7.33 m/s

    14.2 knots

    Atmospheric Pressure

    1018.1 hPa

    Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data

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