diving margate, south africa

Margate dive guide

Margate diving

Margate is a beautiful seaside resort in the south of the KwaZulu-Natal. It was named after another seaside resort in the United Kingdom. Its attractive beaches are suitable for all kinds of water activities; swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving and more. It is located close to two of the most dived destinations in South Africa, Protea Banks and Aliwal Shoal. That makes it a good starting point to many attractive dive sites. Sharks are of course the main attraction in this area, you will find many kinds over there all year round.

Always dive according to your level of training.
Never enter the water without checking with the local dive center for safety, additional information, level required for each dive site and without being accompanied by a professional.
All the information provided is purely informative for our readers and shouldn't be used as is to plan your immersion.

Average Water surface temperature: From 19 °C to 24°C (66 °F to 75°F).
Average visibility: 15 to 131 feet (5 to 40 meters) depending on the tied.
Possible to dive all year round.

Margate has some of the best dive sites in the area like the Southern Pinnacles. It is at a depth of 92 to131 feet (28 to 40 meters) and it is home to a wide variety of marine life, you will encounter manta rays, ribbon tail skates, moray eels, spotted eagle rays and large schools of pelagic fish. There are a few reefs located only minutes away from Margate, like Adda Reef and Deep Salmon. This reefs have some beautiful deep caves with colorful soft corals, huge coral trees and a lot of tropical fish.

One of the most popular diving destinations near Margate is Protea Banks. It is located about 7.5 kilometers off Shelly Beach. Protea Banks is suitable for advanced divers as depths here exceed 98 feet (30 meters). You can find many kinds of sea life from large turtles, tuna and sailfish to sharks and even whales. It is famous for its different species of sharks, you can encounter them any time of the year when visiting Margate. Grey nurse sharks come here from August to September. In November you may spot bull sharks, known also as Zambezi sharks. Tiger sharks are often seen in summer and in June/July you will get to see copper sharks as they follow the migration of the sardines. However the hammerheads may be seen any time of year. Dolphins as well are present all year round.

Also easily accessible from Margate is Aliwal Shoal, another very famous place for scuba diving. It is suitable for novice divers as well, with dive sites at a depth ranging from 32 to 55 feet (10-17 meters). Best time to see raggies here is from the months of August to October and tiger sharks are spotted during the months of February and March. Aliwal shoal also offers popular wreck sites like the SS Nebo and the MV Produce.

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