Not only is Aliwal Shoal rated by Jacques Cousteau 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 ('rocky' describes the turbulence of the sea rather than any protuberances between the coast and the reef).

The marine life of the shoal is said to be spectacular. Raggies or ragged tooth sharks (also known as grey nurse sharks) are regularly spotted between August and November as they use the area to mate. They are, despite looking like hunters of the deep, rather docile. In fact in the history of diving the shoal, there has been no recorded attack from a shark. You are more likely to spot them close to a famous area known as the 'raggy caves'. 

But it is not only the prospect of seeing 15 to 20 sharks at any one time that attracts divers here. You can also see mantas, moray eels, huge stingrays, sweetlips, potato groupers (also known as potato bass or cod) and turtles. 

Whilst, with any luck and only at certain times of the year, you can also hope to see dolphins, humpbacks, whale sharks and hammerheads. This excludes the schools of pelagic and coral fish that frequent the 5 kilometre long reef or shoal.