The ragged tooth shark is also known as the sand tiger shark and the. There can be anything from 1 10 tigers on a dive out at aliwal shoal. Apart from all the seasonal sightings, aliwal shoal provides so much more. Aliwal shoal scuba diving padi divemaster qualification and. Dive into the warm waters of the indian ocean surrounded by blacktip sharks keeping an eye into the blue for the massive tiger sharks to appear. Other sharks know the drill too and lots of black tips show up, sometimes as well as dusky and bull sharks, all often getting very close to divers. Their habitat is warm warters and they migrate to the tropics during winter months. Seeing one of these guys on a shark dive can make any divers day. You never know what you may see on the aliwal shoal baited shark dive. Dive the big 5 has had a 100% success rate in tracking them down from the aliwal shoal reef in south africa since 2004. The aliwal shoal is a rocky reef which is the remains of an ancient sand dune approx. The aliwal shoal region, including the entire southern coast of natals, was threatened with destruction due to environmental pollution in the early phase of our research.
The tiger shark can be found all over the world in temperate and tropical waters, in the open. Tiger shark baited shark dives a shark dive is an exciting and unforgettable experience, you never quite know what or who is going to come cruising through. Tiger shark diving in aliwal shoal, durban is now a world famous destination to see tiger sharks and other species of sharks. The program is located at the world famous aliwal shoal, where volunteers will be working with unto five different species of sharks and a host of other marine life. Whale sharks can be seen sporadically, throughout the year, and are particularly satisfying to spot. Shark cage diving kzn is situated just south of durban near aliwal shoal only 60 minutes from king shaka international airport. They are a common sighting along the south african east coast. Its been rated as one of the best subtropical dive sites worldwide. Its well known for the haven of ragged tooth sharks during the mating season. The reef is inhabited by many kinds of hard and soft corals and a variety of tropical and subtropical fish species, which makes diving in aliwal shoal very unique. We have 2 stunning locations where we find many ragged tooth sand tiger sharks called the cathedral and raggies cave. Durban shark cage diving with tiger sharks aliwal shoal.
Tiger sharks are relatively slow moving and like the ragged tooth shark are able to remain motionless for long periods by regulating water flow over the gills by means of active respiration. Jan 24, 2016 in an effort to understand more about the tiger sharks behaviour, aliwal shoal scuba also launched a tiger identification project in 20. After breakfast we meet at the dive centre to kitup and prepare for the days shark diving on the aliwal shoal. The aliwal shoal is a worldrenowned shark diving site in south africa where. It is not a malaria area, but mosquitoes can be a nuisance. In season you might also see tiger sharks in the midwater.
May 09, 20 aliwal shoal is a marine reserve, and you need a permit to dive there. Aliwal shoal is rated as one of the top 10 dive sites in the world. Shark diving with tiger sharks in aliwal shoal, a rocky reef which is the remains of an ancient sand dune approximately 5 km off the coast of kwazulunatal, south africa. No cage diving with tiger sharks off south africa scuba. The program is divided into four sections, on which volunteers will work on a daily basis. Chromodoris geometricanudibranch facts and photographs.
The reef is inhabited by many kinds of hard and soft corals and a variety of tropical and subtropical fish species. The aliwal shoal habitat for the tiger sharks are 35km off the the south african east coast, the tend to be in the aliwal reef areas during the mornings and then move south during the afternoon. The ragged tooth shark is also known as the sand tiger shark and the grey nurse shark, and it sticks to small areas around the world, preferring warm water. Besides the beautiful reef and the formidable produce ship wreck, aliwal shoal is the gathering ground for raggedtooth sharks, where a dive amongst these spectacular creatures is truly an unforgettable experience. The skin of a tiger shark is one of the most appealing sights in the ocean. Rated the capital of shark diving, aliwal shoal is an amazing place to capture many different species of sharks. The aliwal shoal is a paradise for many species, not only for sand tiger sharks, but its preservation initially had to be fought for and the fight is far from over. We also have our humpback whales and bull sharks that passes through throughout the year, if you come across any of the three mentioned above then it was a successful dive no matter what the surf, water conditions or the visibility was. Mar 18, 2016 kwazulunatal province, including aliwal shoal offers some amazing opportunities for shark diving without a cage. A second day of diving with the sharks of aliwal shoal, as yesterday we will do a reef dive and then onto the baited dive to finish off. The shoal is known especially for its abundance of grey nurse sharks known locally as ragged tooth sharks or raggies between august and november when the sharks congregate there to mate.
These active predators do not see us as a prey item, and will swim within centimetres of you without attempting to bite. Aliwal shoal boasts an abundance of aquatic life from nudibranchs to. Baited shark dive, got up close with a 4m tiger shark. Getting to know aliwals tiger sharks also meant understanding more about their life history, and about the issues threatening their continued presence in south africa. When diving on the aliwal shoal, youll get to see all sorts of exciting. Do not forget the mantas, parrot fish, puffers, eels, wrasses, trigger fish and so much more. Diving with the famous tiger sharks of the aliwal shoal from umkomaas near durban. Tiger sharks galeocerdo cuvier the tiger shark, attaining a length of over 5 m 16 ft. The year 1849 marked an event that literally put aliwal shoal on the map. Summer season joys tiger sharks bull sharks dolphins posted on january 16, 2020 by aliwal dive centre time flies when you are having funwe just entered the beginning of a new year and already we are almost exiting the first month. This 3 day package gives you the thrill of the tiger shark baited dives for 2 days straight as well as 2 reef dives. Diving in south africa, great white shark, sardine run. They use aliwal shoal as a mating ground from july to november, and can be seen in the various caves, and shark alley, whilst enjoying their siesta.
Tiger shark prey includes small sharks, rays, dolphins and turtles. The aliwal shoal offers some of the most exciting scuba diving in the world. The shark species include ragged tooth, oceanic black tip, guitar, sand and tiger. Dive sites ponta do ouro, mozambique, aliwal shoal, south. Tiger shark scuba diving aliwal shoal great white dive.
This reef structure hosts a large variety of marine life and predators and this is a must do destination for divers who love things big. The aliwal shoal offers up some of the most exhilarating shark diving or snorkelling opportunities in the whole world. Tiger shark diving aliwal shoal, durban shark diving. One look into the huge dark eyes of a a tiger shark and youll be mesmerised and hooked. Shark and shoal diving guesthouse accommodation in aliwal and. Aliwal shoal should not be confused with resort diving, as conditions are demanding sometimes bumpy launches, swells and currents.
Nov 24, 2015 baited shark dive, got up close with a 4m tiger shark. Raggies or ragged tooth sharks are regularly spotted between. Shark diving in aliwal shoal, 7 night reef wreck in south africa with dive discovery. Please arrive at aliwal shoal scuba, one hour before launch. Aliwal shoal has been largely renowned as an excellent shark diving. The tiger shark can be found all over the world in temperate and tropical waters, in the open ocean and in shallow waters. Ragged tooth sharks spend a lot of time patrolling the shallow reefs around durban and aliwal shoal, close to the sandy bottom the sharks rub their bodies on the sandy bottom to dislodge parasites and perhaps this could explain their alternate name. Black tip sharks can be seen throughout the year in schools of 5 to 30 sharks on a dive at durbans aliwal shoal.
The aliwal shoal is a worldrenowned shark diving site in south africa where you will see various species of sharks all year round, a marineprotected area and mission blue hope spot. Shark diving south africa, aliwal shoal, drankensburg. Nov 12, 2018 the ragged tooth shark is also known as the sand tiger shark and the grey nurse shark, and it sticks to small areas around the world, preferring warm water. Raggies or ragged tooth sharks are regularly spotted between august and november as they use the area to mate. Aliwal shoal is a marine protected area, and tiger sharks along with four other. The aliwal shoal is home to a wide variety of shark species. Umkomaas lodge tiger shark id project posts facebook. Ragged tooth shark dive addon july november why not make the trip a true one to remember and in season july november choose to do a scuba dive with the many ragged tooth sharks which are resident on the aliwal shoal. Ragged tooth shark dive at aliwal shoal blue wilderness. The famous tiger shark bait dive is definitely one of the top dives in the world and this is part of the dive packages offered. During the summer months nov march tiger sharks are seen frequently and can be accompanied by a shy bull shark at times. There are a number of dive sites in the area to suit all levels of experience.
Shark diving aliwal shoal, south africa dive with sharks. Aliwal shoal is a reef unlike any other reef you have seen before. Shark diving in aliwal shoal, 7 night reef wreck, south. It is possible to do baited dives and even cage diving for nondivers. Aliwal shoal is specially famous for its abundance of raggedtooth sharks or gray nurse sharks between june and november, and the blacktip sharks who frequently show up to check the dives. Our team, who have years of experience are here to give you the best diving adventure on the aliwal shoal. Seeing a tiger shark sliding silently past you shimmering in the filtering sun rays and the blue water, is the. Aliwal shoal has diverse marine life including large predators and is popular as a recreational scuba diving destination. The great whites are encountered in gansbaai and this is cage diving. Working to conserve tiger sharks at aliwal shoal scuba.
Whether you are a macro buff looking for nudies and paper fish or an adrenaline junkie looking for larger pelagic species, like sharks and rays, the aliwal shoal has some amazing scuba diving for you. Another section of the aliwal shoal is named the channel, not much light gets in here, leaving the cave in darkness. Named for the dark stripes covering the top of its body, the tiger shark galeocerdo cuvier is considered the worlds second most dangerous shark after great whites. Getting to know aliwal s tiger sharks also meant understanding more about their life history, and about the issues threatening their continued presence in south africa. If all you want to do is dive into shark infested waters and do not have much time to spare then this is the package for you. We say seasonally resident as there are distinct seasonal visitations. Diving, ocean explorers, sharks, tiger dive, tiger season, travel tiger shark facts this beautiful shark grows to maximum length of 5. Shark diving in kwazulu natal, south africa aliwal shoal. Huge tiger sharks and hammerheads are mostly seen here during the summer months. The best time of the year to see ragged tooth sharks at aliwal shoal is during the winter months, from june to october. The warmer waters of durban and kwazulu natal allow us to enjoy shark cage diving on aliwal shoal with many different species of sharks throughout the year. Diving is possible all year round while the marine life differes between the seasons. Diving aliwal shoal the it place for big marine life. Scuba diving aliwal shoal, south africa scuba diving.
So in the end it does not matter what your preference is to sightings, aliwal shoal truly do provide for each and every diver. A baited shark dive on the aliwal shoal offers an exceptional opportunity to dive alongside oceanic blacktip sharks while they hunt for pieces of sardine. South africa, umkomaas, aliwal shoal, one of the best places to dive with tiger and black tip sharks. Diving aliwal shoal guide to diving aliwal shoal with. Tiger sharks attain sexual maturity at around 3m and give birth to between 10 and 80 live young, measuring 50 to 90cm. Welcome to aliwal dive centre situated in umkomaas, on the south coast of kwazulunatal, south africa.
Aliwal shoal is rated as one of the top 10 dive spots in the world, but regular divers say it is second only to the rocky ride over breakers to get there, the marine life of aliwal shoal is said to be spectacular. Seeing a tiger shark sliding silently past you shimmering in the filtering sun rays and the blue water, is the main goal of this baited tiger shark dive with blue wilderness. From december through to march when the waters at its warmest is the time when you are most likely to see tiger sharks on a shark dive. Shark and shoal guesthouse offers the best umkomaas accommodation to enjoy a relaxing stay in umkomaas, a town famed for shark diving on the aliwal shoal. Aliwal shoal is a marine protected area, and tiger sharks along with four other key shark species are protected within its boundaries. All year round we have the oceanic black tip shark that we can see in the 10s and 20s on the baited dives. The shoal is a rocky reef comprising of an ancient sand dune, that disappeared under the waves in the last ice age many thousands of years ago.
Along the east coast of africa they can be found from port elizabeth, in south africa, all the way up to the red sea. Aliwal shoal, our resident reef, is rated in the top 10 dive sites in the world. We launch from the safest launch site on the durban south coast rocky bay. Tiger shark diving on durbans aliwal shoal blue wilderness. These majestic and shy animals visits our reef fairly often, roaming mostly on the reef bottom, sometimes in search of food, but mostly cruising through quietly. The tiger sharks are encountered off aliwal shoal, and this is free diving. This page aims to identify and record individual tiger sharks seen during baited dives in the aliwal shoal marine protected area.
Had 4 large 4 meter tiger sharks and aroung 40 black tip sharks. Rated by jacques cousteau as one of the top 10 dive sites in the world, it has a great reputation to live up to. Throughout the year our waters are home to oceanic blacktip sharks, dusky sharks, bull sharks, and the famous everpresent but shy tiger shark. From the small town of umkumaas, near durban, you can get into a cage or without and snorkel with sharks such as the black tip, spinner sharks, white tip sharks and for the lucky ones perhaps the bull shark and tiger shark during season december to march. Outside of mating season, these sharks live in segregated groups of males and. Dive with tiger sharks, blacktip sharks, ragged tooth sharks.
Our setup is userfriendly and safe while viewing the oceans apex predators in their natural environment. Aliwal shoal south africa shark diving aliwal shoal. A short drift south of raggies cave, shark alley is another favourite hangout for the raggies. There are also tiger sharks june to november, blacktips, hammerheads, whitetips, and zambezi sharks. We did it 2 years ago, with good conditions, and we dive with tiger sharks, raggies, oceanic blacktips and whitetips. With years upon years of safe and successful cage shark dives under our belt, we are completely confident that youll be blown away by this really exceptional opportunity. It is found in many tropical and temperate waters, and it is especially common around coastal areas and central pacific islands. The tiger shark is a regular visitor on a baited shark dive on. Entry into the cave is not permitted when the sharks are here but there is an excellent viewing area at the entrance where divers can safely kneel and watch the sharks activities.
Why not make the trip a true one to remember and in season july. Shark diving takes place all year at the aliwal shoal high season for the ragged tooth sharks is april to november. Tiger shark baited shark dives agulhas house and diving. Tiger sharks at aliwal shoal are encountered primarily during the summer months, and particularly when water temperature rises above 23c. Captain james anderson, who captained a vessel aptly named aliwal discovered the northern pinnacle by chance and managed to avoid disaster. The different shark species residing on durbans aliwal shoal. Shark cage diving durban cage dive or snorkel with sharks. The tiger shark migrates to tropical water during winter and then back to temperate water during summer. The aliwal shoal is a rocky reef which is the remains of an ancient sand dune approximately 5 kilometres 3. Scuba diving on the aliwal shoal is nothing like anywhere else in africa. Aliwal shoal is one of the few places in the world where divers can enjoy the extreme thrill of diving with both oceanic blacktip sharks all year round and tiger sharks in. Tiger shark diving aliwal shoal, durban shark diving trips.
Scuba diving aliwal shoal, south africa scuba diving website for. Tiger shark diving in aliwal shoal, durban is now a world famous destination to see tiger. We will then spend and hour or over with the many oceanic blacktip sharks and hopefully will be able to draw in a nice big tiger shark to the bait. Dark stripes down its body which resemble a tiger s pattern, which. The baited dive takes place on the southern tip of the aliwal shoal which takes 15 minutes to reach by boat. Tiger sharks of the aliwal shoal 1 trying to eat me. Tiger shark dives have been occurring at the aliwal shoal for over twelve years, and marchjune is peak season. To encounter a tiger shark on one of our dive is truly a once in a lifetime experience. This video only has 2 species, the oceanic black tip and the tiger shark. We are specialists in shark cage diving, snorkeling with sharks and shark viewing at durban aliwal shoal in south africa. Shark diving in aliwal shoal, south africa scuba diving. New video showcases oceanic black tips and tiger sharks in.
Three day tiger shark diver package aliwal shoal shark. In aliwal you can dive with bull zambezi shark, tiger shark three types of hammerhead sharks, dusky sharks, spinners, copper shark, spotted ragged toothed sharks and the occasional sighting of great white sharks. Aliwal shoal is one of the few places divers can encounter tiger sharks, bull sharks, sand tiger shark, hammerheads, raggedtooth sharks, and oceanic blacktips without the security of a cage. Eelskin, at the southwestern tip of the reef, is a superb example of the fossilised rock formations, swimthroughs, sand gullies and caverns that epitomise the shoal. Diving with a tiger shark in south africa dive the big 5. Oceanic blacktip, spinner and dusky sharks are the most common and in the summer we encounter tiger and bull sharks. Through photographs of the animals distinctive stripe patterns, bryan and his team are able to tell the tigers apart and to establish which are recurring visitors from one season to the next. Galeocerdo cuvier, the tiger shark, is a relatively large shark with some specimens capable of. Since 1991, we have arranged trips to exotic locations utilizing the best dive and land adventure specialists. Dive report aliwal shoal, umkomaas, kwazulunatal south coast, south africa by eldene.
Larger species such as tiger, zambezi bull, hammerhead and even the magnificent great white shark. At world famous aliwal shoal, in umkomaas near durban, you can scuba dive with the charismatic tiger sharks and see their bluesilver stripes for yourself. Permits are available at agulhas house r30 for a months permit or from the post office down the road r95 for a year. While our main focus is to scuba dive with the many species of shark found on the reefs of the aliwal shoal including diving with tiger sharks, ragged tooth sharks, blacktip sharks, hammerhead sharks, guitar sharks, whitetip reef sharks, bull known locally as zambezi sharks, we do also see a huge variety of other marine life including whales. Shark cage diving durban cage dive or snorkel with. Umkomaas and the aliwal shoal is a haven for divers wanting a close encounter with tiger sharks and many other species of shark. Sharks that can be seen are bull shark known as zambezis in south africa dusky spinner three types of hammerhead copper shark spotted ragged toothed shark, tiger shark, and the protected great white as an occasional sighting. They are a cautious shark, and frequently chumming must occur for a number of hours to attract them to a boat and divers. The diving starts with a surf launch from either the umkomaas river or umkomaas beach depending on the tide and conditions. Hammerheads can be seen as they migrate past in the summer months, as well as the odd great white shark. Shark diving south africa, aliwal shoal, drankensburg mountain retreat, safari and battlefields touring with dive discovery. Sharks on aliwal shoal shark cage diving kzn durban. Situated close to raggie cave, this can be a scary dive as sharks edge ever closer to see you. The shoal gives divers the unique opportunity to experience wreck, reef and seasonal shark diving at the same site.