Diving Aliwal Shoal
Full Service Dive Centre
We are perfectly positioned at Rocky Bay providing divers with easy access to the northern & southern reefs of the Aliwal Shoal MPA.
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We love diving all area’s of the Aliwal Shoal and are proud to be able to call the Southern Reefs our House Reefs. We even have a few secret spots that we’ve been exploring since we opened our dive centre at Rocky Bay Resorts in December 2020!
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We have 2 x 8m zodiac boats each fitted with twin 100HP 4stroke Yamaha engines, radio’s and all safety equipment; well maintained dive equipment for hire; cylinders; Bauer compressor providing air & nitrox fills; gear wash, dry and storage area; ablutions comprising showers with hot water and toilets; safe parking.
We have an on-site swimming pool where you can learn to dive with one of our instructors.
Our team are all highly experienced and passionate about the ocean and we look forward to diving with you soon.
Aliwal Shoal – Marine Protected Area
Aliwal Shoal is a large Marine Protected Area (MPA) situated on the South Coast of Durban, Kwa Zulu Natal. The protected area has increased in size over the years and now stretches from the Illovo River in the North to the Mzimayi River in the South. Diving here is spectacular with a huge diversity of marine life including tiny critters to large turtles, sharks and rays. So wonderful is the diving that is was rated as one of the Top 10 dive sites worldwide by the legendary Jacques Cousteau.
The Northern Reefs of Aliwal
Depth: 6-30 m | Suitable for beginners and advanced divers
The northern section of Aliwal forms the Crown Area, often referred to simply as “Aliwal” or “The Shoal” by local divers. This area is a section of the reef approximately 5 kilometers long. It varies in depth from about 6m at it’s shallowest point to about 27-30m at the deeper sections. The Crown area falls in the protected zone and fishing is not allowed. Suitable for beginners and advanced divers, the northern reefs are popular with divers of all levels.
The Southern Reefs of Aliwal
Depth: 19-25 m and 23-32m | Great for Advanced Divers
The southern section of the marine reserve is referred to as ‘The Southern Reefs” or “The Rocky Bay Reefs” as they sit directly off Rocky Bay. These reefs lie in the deeper section of Aliwal and are for advanced divers as depths range from 19-25m to around 23-32m. The Rocky Bay Reefs are the lesser dived reefs in the marine protected area due to their depth and they boast impressive corals and fish life.