Scuba Diving in South Africa

Aliwal Shoal, South Africa

PLEASE NOTE : Our Diving packages are for Qualified Scuba Divers only!

We don't offer dive courses so dive sites won't be restricted by student divers on the boats.

The Aliwal Shoal is situated about 5-kilometers from the small diving town of Umkomaas and is rated as one of the top shark diving sites in the world. The Aliwal Shoal got its name due to a 3-mast vessel called the 'Aliwal' that almost collided with the Aliwal Shoal. The 'Aliwal' was under the command of Captain James Anderson who reported the Shoal.

Our Aliwal Shoal scuba dives are aimed at introducing scuba divers to the many species of shark found on the reefs around the Aliwal Shoal. Before each scuba dive we will give a briefing to help you to understand the behaviour of the sharks, ensuring you have a safe and knowledgeable scuba dive with the sharks. Observe the sharks, learn how to identify the different species, understand the sharks behaviour and find out how sharks interpret your behaviour in return.

While the main focus is to scuba dive with the many shark species found on the Aliwal Shoal including Tiger Sharks, Blacktip Sharks, Ragged Tooth Sharks, Dusky Sharks, Guitar Sharks, Bull Sharks, Hammerhead Sharks & more, the Aliwal Shoal is also home to a huge variety of other marine life including Whales, Dolphin, Turtles, Manta Rays, Devil Rays, Eagle Rays, Ribbontail Rays, Eels, Game Fish, Reef fish & more.

The wrecks of the MV Produce [1974] & the Nebo [1884] are great wreck dives at the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa with loads of marine life.

Between scuba dives we also try to spot Whales & Dolphin during the surface interval.

Shark Diving

Our daily Shark Diving takes place on the wrecks & reefs of the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa. Depending on the season & conditions, we select the dive sites that are best for scuba diving with sharks including Tiger Sharks, Ragged Tooth Sharks, Blacktip Sharks, Bull Sharks [known as Zambezi Sharks], Dusky Sharks, Hammerhead Sharks, Whitetip Reef Sharks, Giant Guitar Sharks & sometimes other species

Our baited Tiger Shark diving takes place on the southern end of the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa. We start the baiting either on the southern point of the Aliwal Shoal or on a reef called Castle depending on the direction of the current. The baiting can takes up to an hour. We create an odour corridor to attract the Tiger Sharks as well as other species before entering the water to dive with the sharks.

Before the baited Tiger Shark Dive, we will give a full briefing to help you to understand their behaviour and how we behave in return. Tiger Sharks are very shy, they are also very inquisitive and intelligent animals which is why they are one of the ocean's apex predators and deserve the highest respect. As well as Tiger Sharks we also see Blacktip Sharks, Dusky Sharks and sometimes other species including Bull Sharks {known locally as Zambezi Sharks] and even the odd Hammerhead Shark.

Reef Diving

The Aliwal Shoal is home to a huge variety of marine life including Sharks, Whales, Whale Sharks, Dolphin, Turtles, Manta Rays, Devil Rays, Eagle Rays, Ribbontail Rays, Moray Eels, Game Fish, many species of reef fish & much more, which is why it is rated as one of the top-10 dive sites in the world!

Wreck Diving

Wreck Diving at the Aliwal Shoal is dependent on the current and conditions. There are two wrecks that we can scuba dive, the MV Produce [1974] & the Nebo [1884] which are also great dive sites with loads of marine life including Ragged Tooth Sharks, Huge Brindle Bass [a highlight], Ragged Scorpion Fish, Lesser Guitar Sharks, Turtles, Butterfly Rays, Ribbontail Rays, Moray Eels, Game Fish, many species of reef fish.

Typical day scuba diving the Aliwal Shoal

Kit-up and dive briefing.

Our dive centre is on site and once breakfast is finished, we move down to the kit-up area to get ready for the days scuba diving. Our scuba dive team are there to help you with your gear, load the boat and to brief you on the boat launching and days scuba diving.

Dive dive dive.

Jump on the vehicles and we are off to the launch site, where you will experience an exciting surf launch on our 8m RIB. The scuba diving is planned around the best sites for the conditions each day, get up close with the different types of sharks as well as the rest of the marine-life found on the Aliwal Shoal.

Our scuba dives are for advanced divers and the depth varies from around 15 to 35 metres depending on the dive sites. While our main focus is to scuba dive with the many species of shark found on the reefs of the Aliwal Shoal including diving with Tiger Sharks, Ragged Tooth Sharks, Blacktip Sharks, Hammerhead Sharks, Guitar Sharks, Whitetip Reef Sharks, Bull [known locally as Zambezi] Sharks, we do also see a huge variety of other marine life including whales, dolphin, manta rays, eagle rays, turtles, morays and much more that make reefs of the Aliwal Shoal their homes. We do two scuba dives a day, we can do more if the conditions are good.

After the scuba diving.

After the scuba dives we head on back to the dive centre where there are hot showers, rinse tanks for the gear and lock-up drying rooms where you can store your gear ready for the next day. Enjoy lunch at the lodge and then you can choose to relax by the pool, chat to the dive guides to learn more about what you've seen on the scuba dive, download photos & video footage or even enjoy a massage! We can also arrange an excursion to one of the local attractions.

The evening.

In the evening enjoy dinner at the lodge or a local restaurant. If you are not completely tired by your days scuba diving and sightseeing, then you can enjoy a drink, watch TV [Satellite] before you retire to your bedroom with en-suite facilities to enjoy a relaxing nights sleep, ready for the next days shark diving.

Ragged Tooth Sharks

Ragged Tooth Sharks are mainly seen whilst scuba diving on the reefs of Aliwal Shoal in South Africa. The Ragged Tooth Sharks offer some great photo opportunities as you can get upclose and personal with these amazing animals whilst diving many different dive sites on the Aliwal Shoal.

Tiger Sharks

Tiger Sharks can be seen in both South Africa & Mozambique. They grow up to about 6-metres, the average size is about 3-metres. The Tiger Sharks are often seen following large schools of game fish during a dive at the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa and on the reefs of Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique - awesome!

Blacktip Sharks

The Blacktip Sharks can be seen in both South Africa & Mozambique and are very inquisitive, they often approach divers offering some great sightings. They are fast and can often be seen as they approach the divers. We see them whilst scuba diving the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa and on the reefs of Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique.

Bull Sharks

We often see Bull Sharks at the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa however the Bull Sharks are the highlight of the scuba diving with sharks on the reefs of Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique.

Dusky Sharks

Dusky Sharks are seen mainly at the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa during our winter time however we do also see Dusky Sharks on the reefs of Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique.

Hammerhead Sharks

Hammerhead Sharks can be seen on the outside of the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa but are mainly seen by us on the reefs of Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique. They are generally in mid-water, we generally see the Hammerhead Sharks between 8-meters and 20-meters.

Whale Sharks

Whale Sharks can be seen whilst travelling to and from dive sites and occasionally we are lucky enough to see them at the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa and on the reefs of Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique.

White-tip Reef Sharks

White-tip Reef Sharks can be seen on the shallow areas of the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa. The sharks are inquisitive and can often be seen cruising the reefs following the schools of game fish.

Other Sharks

We also have a number of other species of sharks at the Aliwal Shoal in South Africaand see them from time to time including Giant Guitar Sharks, & even on occasion Great White Sharks!

Humpback Whales

Between April and November the annual Humpback Whale migration passes both South Africa & Mozambique. The whales can often be seen from the boat between dives and during dives we often hear the whale song which is amazing.

Dolphin

Dolphin are seen in both South Africa & Mozambique. There is a resident pod of Bottlenose Dolphin that can often be seen at Ponta Do Ouro. The dolphin often approach the boat and we often see them during a dive.

Manta Rays

We often see Manta Rays whilst diving on the reefs of Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique as well as whilst scuba diving at the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa. The Manta Rays vary in size from around 2-metres but can be as large as 6-metres.

Eagle Rays

Eagle Rays are often seen on the reefs of Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique as well as the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa. During the dives we see them on the outside edges of the reefs.

Round Ribbon-tail Rays

Round Ribbon-tail Rays can be seen on the sandy patches of the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa and the reefs of Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique as well as in the current on the outside edge of the reefs. They can be a large as 3-metres in diameter and are sometimes in large groups.

Honeycomb Rays

Honeycomb Rays are found on the sandy patches of the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa and the reefs of Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique. These Rays are huge and make for some fantastic photo opportunities.

Devil Rays

Devil Rays are often seen towards the end of the dives when we drift into deeper water. They can be in small groups of two to three but can also be in the hundreds.

Ragged Scorpion fish

The reefs of the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa and Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique are home to many Ragged Scorpion fish. While you don't want to touch them, they offer some fantastic photo opportunities.

Turtles

Turtles can be seen on the reefs of the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa and Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique, there are many species including Green Turtles, Hawksbill Turtles and Loggerhead turtles.

Eels

We have a huge variety of moray eels found on the reefs of the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa and Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique including huge Honeycomb Eels, Geometric eels and Black-cheek moray eels.

Potato Bass

Potato Bass are seen on the reefs of the Aliwal Shoal in South Africa and on the reefs of Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique and are generally very friendly and will often approach divers.

Game & Reef Fish

Aliwal Shoal in South Africa and Ponta Do Ouro, Ponta Malongane & Ponta Mamoli in Mozambique have a huge diversity of game and reef fish that can be seen during most dives. We are often lucky enough to have schools of barracuda, king fish and even sometimes sailfish.

Packages & Costs

We offer a number of different scuba diving packages at our dive centres in both South Africa & Mozambique.

All our scuba diving packages are all fully guided by our ScubaAddicts team.

From the moment you arrive we are your hosts, guides and dive guides for the duration of you stay with us.

Our scuba diving packages include ALL transfers, accommodation and scuba diving as per the itinerary.