Aliwal Shoal recommendations

I'm going to be in S Africa for a few weeks in October/November, and was hoping to use this time to get some dives done at Aliwal Shoal.

Anyone have any recommendations for dive operators that are photographer-friendly and which treat you like adult? Also, any must-visit dive sites, wrecks, etc?

Cheers,

Vandit

I've used a few of them and found Dietmar and Rafaella Posch to be better for low client to DM ratio. I believe their website is still down but the email is info@gentle-blue.com He is also apparently the Seacam dealer for South Africa.

Dietmar is based in Umkomaas which is sort of the dive central of KZN.

I would also suggest you stay at the Agulhas House where Dietmar is based. It's very nicely decorated,secure, quiet, convenient and has wifi internet. The owner Mickey is a former owner of a dive ops and very dive friendly too. The only thing is food isn't the best thing in Umkomaas. LalaMantzi has decent food. Taste is now not so good and Sebatian's is just typical greasy food.

Scottsburgh has better restaurants but busier and you'll need a car to get around.

Aliwal is known for the tiger and raggie (C. Taurus) shark dives. They do chum and some operators feed them so I don't go anymore. The behavior has been altered completely. There are also plenty of Black tip sharks around (C. Limbatus).

You may also want to consider Sodwana Bay. The diving is better for fish other than sharks and Nov is the beginning of whaleshark season. It is more rugged as a place but the beaches are wonderfully not as crowded and the surf entry makes it an exhilarating ride. I use Gypsea Diver's Rob Bester gypsea@saol.com

as many of the others are very much cattle car operations. Book yourself into the Sodwana lodge.

Hi Drew -

Thanks for that headsup. I am actually going to do both Sodwana Bay & Aliwal Shoals. We'll be renting a car, so getting around shouldnt be a problem. Thanks for that headsup - I'll email those guys and try to work out some arrangements.

Regards,

Vandit

Vandit, if you are renting, then watch out for the rental car outfits who try to change you for "unfilled" fuel AFTER you leave. Europcar and Woodforde have tried to do that to me. Which is BS since I filled the car at the airport. Get them to give you a return slip with everything signed.

On the drive to Sodwana from Durbs, try to drive in the day time. The last 90 km to Sodwana is full of speed bumps and livestock and the road from Mbazwana into Sodwana can be pretty in spots. Sodwana has about 3 restaurants worth doing. The Sodwana Lodge is decent but busy sometimes. There's a new pizza joint opposite Reefteach and the 3rd best restaurant is your own cooking. There's a big Spar supermarket in Mbazwana where you can buy groceries for food. Want something more urban? Do your shopping in Durban before you head out. If you want to do some game drives, Hluhluwe park is pretty decent and the St Lucia Wetlands has nile crocs and hippos. Lake Sibayi has both and is closer to Sodwana but it's 4 wheel drive to get there.

Don't drive off road too often as rental cars are not covered by insurance on dirt roads.

Thanks for that tip re. unfilled gas, Drew - I'll be aware of that.

And yeah, I am definitely NOT driving in Africa after dark. I did that once on our last trip to SA/Mozambique in 2005 - we were late leaving Maputo for Inhambane and en route, I went over a pothole at night at 120kph. Blew out one tire, damaged the rims on both right tires.. and then had to replace the tire at dark on the side of a mostly deserted, dark road at night. Not fun.

Dont think we are going to make Hluluwe park this time, as we'll be coming after spending 2 weeks in Kruger.

As you seem to have dived there a fair bit, what is your opinion on best focal length for getting good shots of sharks? I went to Layang Layang & Sipadan with a 10-17FE and 10-20 Sigma, and was disappointed as the sharks never came close enough for either of these lenses (dunno why, I was expecting closer encounters). This time, as I'll be carrying a 500/4 and 100-400 for topside shooting, I was planning to save weight and take a G6 in an Ike housing. Reckon that is going to be enough?

Vandit

If you do the tiger shark dives in Aliwal, they chum and feed so they are RIGHT against your port, along with the C. Limbatus and the occasional C.Obscurus or Brachyrus. Let's face it, the chances of getting close to a shark without rebreather or chumming is lower. More often than not, they stay away unless there's food around. The plastic bottle trick works pretty well too.

If you want to get shots of the Raggies (C. Taurus) I think the Sodwana site is better because there's only 1 boat allowed at anytime on the site, so the sharks stick around unlike Aliwal where it's a zoo.

There's also a chance for whaleshark in Sodwana so choose your lenses well.

Don't forget that dolphin encounters are very possible around Aliwal and Sodwana including the elusive humpback dolphin. Good luck on that one! lol

Great info. We will be in the same area in 2wks. I am taking the 10-17 and 17-55 based on input from others. We will be back late September and maybe can have some advice based on experiance then.

Cool, looks like I'll take my DSLR rig after all. Perhaps I can convince El Wife that she doesnt need any change of clothes or carry on stuff of her own. Of course, if we are taking all that camera gear, then perhaps I'll go dive Mozambique again as well... guaranteed mantas and whale sharks. Tough life!

NWDiver - look forward to hearing your trip report and comments as well.

Drew - one last question, mate: how many days of diving is it worth doing there, you reckon? I really couldnt be arsed doing standard reef dives (hard to beat my own backyard for that), but I'd like to do a few wrecks and of course, a few days of shark diving. Are the tiger sharks "guaranteed", incidentally?

Cheers,

Vandit

Vandit

The tigers in Aliwal have a very good hit ratio due to the constant feeding. You'll definitely see the C.Limbatus hanging around.

As for whalesharks, Sodwana is also pretty good for that. You can pay for a microlite to spot the whalesharks and put you right on them. Same for the dolphins. The raggies are usually there but best to email the ops to check on the latest and also put you on the wait list. While I agree Havelock and Neil are very nice for picturesque reefs, South Africa still has the megafauna in sharks and dolphins. November is alsopart of the humpback season where they are on their way back to the Antarctic. Not as much action as when they move north though.