Cathedral
In raggie season up to 40 ragged-tooth sharks rest in this reef amphitheatre; in summer, look out for hammerheads above.
- Advanced
- Rock formations
- Hammerhead sharks
Advanced≤30 m
Protea Banks
Dive site in Aliwal Shoal & Protea Banks, South Africa
A marine protected area since 2019 where dives bring close encounters with tiger, bull and hammerhead sharks and giant guitarsharks.
- Max depth
- 40 m
- Level
- Advanced
- Best months
- May–Nov
- Entry
- By boat
- Current
- Strong
The dive
A drift and pelagic dive from a boat. Known for bull sharks, great white sharks and hammerhead sharks.
Who it's for
Advanced≤30 mSource: afridive.com
Recommended minimum: Advanced (PADI Advanced Open Water, N2).
- CurrentCurrent can be strong; you need good air management and buoyancy.
- DriftYou move with the current and surface away from where you started.
- Strong current: dive with a local guide and carry a surface marker buoy.
- The site goes deeper than 30 m: Advanced divers stay above 30 m.
Conditions
- Dive type
- Drift, Pelagic, Reef
- Current
- Strong
- Estimated
- Environment
- Open water
- Water
- Sea water
What you might see
- Bull sharks
- Great white sharks
- Hammerhead sharks
- Ragged-tooth sharks
- Thresher sharks
- Tiger sharks
- Guitarfish
Season in Aliwal Shoal & Protea Banks
- J
- F
- M
- A
- M
- J
- J
- A
- S
- O
- N
- D
- Best
- Good
- Possible
- Closed
- Not documented yet
Best months: May–Nov.
Source: blueoceandive.co.zaWhere is Aliwal Shoal & Protea Banks?
The point shows the Aliwal Shoal & Protea Banks area, not the exact dive site.
More dives in Aliwal Shoal & Protea Banks
Cave
down to 18 m
Raggies Cave
Aliwal's most popular site: kneel at the cave entrance to watch ragged-tooth sharks in season, then hunt for shed shark teeth in the sand.
- Advanced
- Ragged-tooth sharks
Wreck
down to 32 m
MV Produce
A molasses freighter sunk in 1974, lying upright in three sections; home to lionfish and, reputedly, two giant brindle bass.
- Advanced
- Tiger sharks
Wreck
down to 27 m
Nebo
An 1884 steamer wreck with its propeller and boiler still visible, large shoals of baitfish all year, and barracuda and tuna hunting them.
- Advanced
- Tuna
Reef
down to 14 m
South Sands
- Open Water
- Dolphins
Drift
down to 30 m
Arena Reef
- Advanced
About this page
Values marked “Estimated” come from our original catalogue and are being checked against published sources one by one. Sourced values link to where they come from. Conditions change with the season, the weather and the tide: confirm with a local dive centre before you dive.
Photo credits
- Cathedral Aliwal Shoal dive site, Aliwal Shoal, South Africa, Peter Southwood, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
