Aliwal Shoal South Africa

Please register or login

Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.

Benefits of registering include

  • Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
  • A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
  • You can make this box go away

Joining is quick and easy. Log in or Register now!

LindaL

Registered
Messages
20
Reaction score
1
Location
Worcestershire, UK
# of dives
200 - 499
Hi, Anyone able to give me some advice/info on the diving around Aliwal Shoal SA please? Is it worth the trip, is it safe (I'll be traveling with my daughter), is there a better place to dive with and see such a variety of sharks? I'm currently looking at 2 potential locations, Umkomaas Lodge and Scuba Addicts - this one is a split holiday with Aliwal Shoal and Mozambique. I'd also add that these are both land based, which I thought might make a nice change from LB .... but I am open to any advice on the best way to do this trip .... or alternatives. Thanks
 
Try searching the SB site for threads about "Aliwal Shoal." I Know there were several in the past and they might be helpful.
 
Hi Linda...Aliwal is worth it! I've dove with www.oceanworx.co.za, and www.agulhashouse.com came highly recommended from some South African friends, if you are looking for some other options. About an hour's drive away is Protea Banks, off Shelley Beach, which I'd rate even better, probably one of the best single dive spots I've ever been to for sharks www.afridive.com is who I dove with there and recommend. There is a chart at their website that gives you an idea of what sharks can potentially viewed at what time of year. Baited dives are done in both locations...in my visits in April-June of last year I only saw oceanic black tips at Aliwal (where I didn't do a baited dive), but tiger, bulls, oceanic black tips, guitar sharks and probably as many as 100 gray nurse sharks on one dive in Protea Banks (the tigers and bulls were on a baited dive). I didn't dive Aliwal again once gray nurse shark season started, but I know they can be seen in large numbers there as well. Of the two, Aliwal offers the more varied diving (reef, other fish, etc.), where Protea is primarily just for the sharks..but they are so close together you can easily combine both in a visit. Where are you going in Mozambique? You'll love it there as well..sounds like a great trip!
 
Hi Ocdiver, thank you so much for your reply .... I'll certianly check out the dive companies you've suggested .... as for Mozambique, not sure 'where' it just came up as a recommended split holiday with Aliwal and so I thought it may be sensible to try and do them both - I have heard that Mozambique is good for Tiger Sharks, although it may well be its better done by LB. Looks like I still have some investigation to do, but its great to hear that SA worthwhile for diving .... thanks again.
 
No problem. In Mozambique I'd definitely recommend Tofo, and I don't think there are any liveboards operating in the country. I think you'd actually have a better chance at seeing a tiger shark at Aliwal or Protea Banks than in Moz, depending on what time of year you were going. If I can help with any questions, feel free to pm.
 
Hi Linda, Aliwal Shoal is definitely worth it!

You should consider even Protea Banks, in front of Shelly Beach, there a less sharks but it's a much stronger experience.

First you usually have better visibility, then you have more chances to see Bulls, Tigers, Dusky and Hammerhead sharks.
 
Hi Eda,
Yep, thanks for that - also looking at taking in Protea Banks as part of the trip and then up in to Moz (thanks to advice from OCDiver) - just trying to work out which dates - I'm told it could make a big difference to go at the wrong time time of year.
 

Back
Top Bottom