Some of the best diving in South Africa can be found at Aliwal Shoal, just 50 km south of Durban. Aliwal is voted as being one of the top 10 dive sites in the world.
Besides being able to dive and swim alongside the many tropical fish species and loggerhead turtles, the major attraction at Aliwal is the ragged tooth shark, or 'Raggy' as it is fondly known within the local dive community.
From July to November the ragged tooth sharks visit Aliwal Shoal in their annual migration from the Cape to the St Lucia Marine Reserve for their gestation period.
The docile nature of this species means that divers can get extremely close to the sharks without the need for a diving cage, and this attraction draws divers from all over the world.
Dive Shops
There are several dive centres located in the small town of Umkomaas, and the choice of operator is key to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable dive.
One of the best dive centres is The Whaler, which is one of the oldest established dive centres on the south coast of KZN.
Experienced, friendly and safety conscious skippers expertly guide the dive boats out through the rough breaking surf off the beach, and the hand picked Dive Masters make sure that both new and experienced divers are looked after and enjoy their diving experience.
Launching the Boat is no easy matter!
Divers should be aware that some of the 'fun' at Aliwal is actually launching the boat - the waves breaking against the beach make for an exhilarating boat launch even on a 'calm' day - and sea-sickness tablets are highly recommended.
Dive Wrecks
There are also 3 wrecks at Aliwal, which can be found at a depth of about 30 m.
The 'Produce', a small freighter carrying molasses, went down in 1974 after hitting the reef, and the 'Nebo' carrying railway sleepers, went down in 1984 after hitting bad weather. The last wreck, the 'Griqualand' is a speciality for the 'tech' divers.
