KwaZulu-Natal

eThekwini Metropolitan Municipality

South Africa

Vetch's Pier is an artificial reef that was created some 80 years ago. Today it is teaming with corals and fish, espacially plenty of eels & scorpionfish. 
Take a buoy along since a lot of boat traffic is around. 

The dive site is best accessed from shore just south of the uShaka Waterfront. 

Vetch's Pier is also known as Vetchies Pier.

Durban

Vetch's Pier

Birthday Ledges is so named due to the
high number of surprises hidden in every
nook and cranny. The site is the southern
most tip of the large Blood reef and
therefore should be dived in either no
current or in the less common south north
current. Sitting further off shore than our
other sites, Birthday ledges often has
better visibility. As you drop down to the
deepest part of the site you'll be at 18m
and will find an awesome cave roughly
2m in height. While in front of the cave
you'll look up to see a colourful array of
pink and orange thistle coral. This cave
is an area to explore as one can enter the cave through the side wall and exit at
three different points. The cave system has three main areas… The 2m deep
passage leading out towards the right is the best of the swim throughs as it is
slightly wider than the rest and therefore lessens the chance of you damaging
the reef or yourself and your gear. The center passage, directly in front of the
cave entrance is approximately 3m deep but has no exit point at the end of it
how ever there is a roof exit that is in the center of all these passages. The
passage leading north, or to the left, is the narrowest of the lot, as it has more
overhead rock handing down. It's great to have a torch along, especially in this
area as there are always interesting things hiding in the dark recesses of the
cave. The northern passage if followed leads towards the channel like rock
structure that you'll follow from here. The channel walls are in between 3-4m
high, not always being solid to the ground. You'll come across many cave like
gaps along the bottom edge of the wall that often house Blue stingrays. The
channel walls camouflage many paperfish and the more commonly overlooked
Painted anglerfish. Painted angler fish are known as Frogfish and are on most
avid divers' 'to-see list'. The skin patterns blend in well with there surroundings
and that can easily be mistaken as a small sponge or coral.



Birthday Ledges

Coral gardens

Aliwal Shoal has become internationally renowned as one of the best scuba diving sites in the world. The shoal, a rocky reef situated 5 kilometres off the KZN coast, is inhabited by many kinds of hard and soft corals and a variety of tropical and subtropical fish species. Aliwal Shoal is situated about 3 km off the coast and 7km from the launch site. A great dive all year round offering different marine species per season. Sharks are all year round. Tiger Sharks, Bull Sharks, Ragged Tooth Sharks, Oceanic Black Tips, White Tip reef sharks, Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks, Greater Hammerhead Sharks and even the occassional Great White.
Stunning reefs offer plenty of fish, turtles, rays, eels and too many more species for macro divers.
Conditions are diverse, making Aliwal an exciting dive experience.

Dive site is being accessed from either Umkomaas or Scottburgh by boat. The Channel drop point (inside edge, south of pinnacle ridge) is at S30 15.381 E30 49.791

Aliwal Shoal

Situated off the shore of Shelly Beach, Protea Banks is one of the world's top shark diving destinations. This unique reef system with exquisite topography along the KwaZulu-Natal coast offers diving experiences second to none.

Protea Banks
During the summer months the Bull Shark (Zambezi) makes PROTEA BANKS its home. Hammerhead sharks are often seen overhead and not just one or two, we are talking hundreds .... yes hundreds. Guitar Sharks, Dusky and Oceanic Blacktip sharks frequent this reef with a select few getting the privilege of seeing the elusive Tiger Shark in the Tiger sharks season.

In the winter months the Ragged-Tooth Sharks congregate on PROTEA BANKS to mate.

Aside from sharks PROTEA BANKS, also boasts a vast number of gamefish such as Barracuda, Snappers, Cape Yellowtail, Kingfish, Tropical Amberjack, Bonita, Prodical Son to name but a few. Friendly Potato Bass are often encountered and sometimes we are privileged to see Brindle Bass. A variety of Rays are also a common sighting - Round Ribbontail Rays, Eagle Rays and occasionally Manta's.

And with pristine reef, the reef is alive with a wide variety of reef fish. These are unfortunately often overlooked as once the sharks are sighted, the reef is often forgotten ...lol.

And then of course with PROTEA BANKS just about anything can happen. We have had rare sightings of Marlin, Sunfish, Humpback Whales, Dolphins, the odd Great White Shark and even a very curious Blue Shark. So if you are looking for adventure and a dive site where just about anything can happen, PROTEA BANKS is the place to be. I have personally been diving PROTEA BANKS for 15 years, and still get excited each and every time I go on a dive!!! and very jealous when I am not on the dive!

PROTEA BANKS - SOUTHERN PINNACLES: Depth 26 to 40m

Dived mainly in the summer months, this site is home to the notorious Bull Shark (Zambezi) which brings a great deal of notoriety to this world-renowned dive location. Other sharks frequenting PROTEA BANKS include Hammerheads, Oceanic Blacktips, Dusky, Guitar Sharks and a variety of Rays. For a fortunate few there is even the possibility of sighting the Tiger Shark.

PROTEA BANKS - NORTHERN PINNACLES: Depth 28 to 38m

This site, normally dived in winter months during the Ragged-Tooth mating season, allows divers to view "Raggies" in close proximity on their annual migration route. The area consists of two cave systems in which the "Raggies" congregate. At times it is impossible to see the mouth of the caves as it is completely obscured by masses of sharks!

Access to Protea Banks is from Shelly Beach - about 100 km South of Durban.PROTEA BANKS offers an exceptionally exciting specialty SHARK dive. Situated 7,5km off Shelly Beach, on the KwaZulu Natal's South Coast, PROTEA BANKS allows ADVANCED divers the opportunity to experience a shark dive that is completely unique.

Protea Banks

Situated within the iSimangaliso Wetland Park, Sodwana Bay is the only tropical scuba diving site in South Africa. The reefs at Sodwana are the southern-most coral reefs in Africa and offer a wide diversity of attractions.

Sodwana Bay

This dive is generally open during the Dec-Jan Holiday season as the spotted ragged tooth sharks are in the area. Close encounters during this season are pretty certain. 

Access to this site is restricted and divers must be accompanied by an KZN Wildlife accredited divemaster. As with most of the sites in Sodwana this reef is named by the distance from the launching area at Jesser Point.

Quarter Mile is also known as Raggie Reef.

Quarter Mile

Stringer is a bit closer to Jesser Point than the main portion of 2 Mile Reef. It's is home to many different species and is a fantastic place to practice photography. Many Tomato Rock Cod, cleaning stations and paper fish can be found here as well as ghost pipefish.

Access to this reef is by boat only through one of the many charters in the area. Boats launch from Jesser Point

Stringer is also known as Stringer reef.

Stringer

A 1m to 1.5m ledge in the sea bed, home to many lion fish. Also large gamefish. Can have a strong current, in which case a negative entry may be advisable with experienced divers who are comfortable with the practice, as the main wall is a relatively small spot to find, especially after the 30m descent. Great unusual species to be seen. Also beware the lack of profile results in a deep average depth, nitrox may be worth while to extend MDT. Incidentally this reef was discovered on breath hold.



Hot Spot

This is a stunning small reef for those interested in small creatures. It is also home to Ribbon Eels.

Access this divesite is by boat only. Boats launch from Jesser point.

Ribbon Reef is also known as Ribbon Reef.

Ribbon Reef



The reef is about 1.7 km long and up to 900 m wide. It is one of the most popular reefs to dive at, since it is only a few minutes away from the launch area. Many different corals, reef and mid-water fish can be found here, with eels and other creatures hiding in the many caves and holes. Two Mile Reef is where most new divers in South Africa do their qualifying dive. 


Vetch's Pier

Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at Vetch's Pier