Aliwal Shoal
Protected Area
Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area
Why dive here
With 490+ marine species recorded in the area - including barracuda, blue sharks, bull sharks, eagle rays and great white sharks - Aliwal Shoal offers some of KwaZulu-Natal's richest reef diving. Water ranges 21-26°C, warmest January, February, March.
Aliwal Shoal is an ancient fossilized sand dune, now a rocky reef in the Indian Ocean off KwaZulu-Natal. It’s a reliable spot for encounters with ragged-tooth sharks, particularly between May and November, when they congregate in the caves and overhangs. We've seen oceanic blacktip sharks and tiger sharks here too. The currents can be lively, so it’s a site better suited for divers comfortable with drift diving and managing varied conditions.
Typical Aliwal Shoal Dive Profile
Illustrative profile based on site depth and type. Actual dive profiles vary - always follow your dive computer and training.
Nearest Dive Centres to Aliwal Shoal
Dive shops near Aliwal Shoal
Aliwal Shoal Adventures - Ocean Warriors
Blue Ocean Dive Resort
ScubaXcursion
MISS BEHAVIN’S MERMAIDS
Umhlanga Scuba
Reviews for Aliwal Shoal
Conditions
Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Aliwal Shoal
Aliwal Shoal Ocean Conditions
Monthly averages for Aliwal Shoal, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (-30.31, 30.76) (42km away)
October Averages
Sea Temperature
22°C
71°F · Range: 21–22.7°C
Air Temperature
20°C
68°F
Wind Speed
7.64 m/s
14.9 knots
Atmospheric Pressure
1017.9 hPa
Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data
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