Top Dive Sites along the Garden Route – Plettenberg Bay
Plett is known for its spectacular reefs, abundance of marine animals and superb natural beauty; a resort town surrounded by mountains, beautiful beaches and indigenous forests. An ultimate seaside getaway along the Garden Route with numerous outdoor and adventure activities available for the whole family!
The bay offers several notable dive sites, from shallow colourful reefs to deeper offshore sites accessible by boat & a variety of shallow house reefs which are only a short swim from the shore directly in front of the dive centre, alive with marine life – a photographer’s paradise.
A true Plett-style boat launch
The Seal Colony is situated on the Robberg Nature Reserve, which is a 10-minute boat ride from Plett’s main beach. We offer seal dives at this site where you get the opportunity to get up close to these inquisitive and playful animals. The whole family can enjoy this experience by joining to view the seals from the boat or jump in and snorkel with the seals.
The most popular dive sites include:
shore dives
Redbait reef:
Depth: 6 – 9m
Qualification: Open Water
Plettenberg Bay’s house reef is a delightful introduction to the area and conditions. Juvenile reef fish, cuttlefish and shy sharks are regularly spotted amongst the colourful anemones, urchins and sponges. Easily accessible from the shore this site offers lots of natural light for photography and is suitable for beginners.
shallow blinders:
Depth: 10 – 13m
Qualification: Open Water
A short swim from the shore in Plettenberg Bay lays a trio of pinnacles and this large reef is home to many fish species and is a nursery in the summer months. Summer also brings the ragged-tooth sharks to this reef; however pajama sharks, leopard sharks and puffadder shy sharks are spotted all year round. Sightings of rays, cuttlefish and boxfish on the swim out are common and nudibranchs, octopus, sea spiders and scorpion fish inhabit the reef itself, making it ideal for macro photography.
Sometimes you can be surprised by large rays on the sand and a school of dolphins swimming by.
shore/boat dives
the wall – deep blinders:
Depth: 10 – 13m
Qualification: Open Water
As part of the Blinders reef, The Wall is worth the slightly further swim. Rising from 10m to just below the surface and covered in many species and colours of soft coral – Strawberry Anemones share space with Blue Choirboys, Orange Wall Sponge and multi-colour coral, painting a dramatic underwater landscape.
wreck of the athina:
Depth: 3 – 7m
Qualification: Open Water
A 10 minute boat ride from Central Beach or a 10 swim from the beach. This is the one and only wreck diving site in Plettenberg Bay and it is popular amongst snorkelers, free divers & scuba divers. Best dived on the high tide and when the sea conditions allow (flat, calm seas) as it is situated very close to the shore. MFV Athina, a Greek trawler that was carrying a full cargo of fish when it hit Whale Rock. It sank on the Eastern Side of Robberg on 1 August 1967. The steel hull has created an artificial reef which is alive with fish and marine life.
Read more on the Athina Wreck here: The Athina Wreck in Plettenberg Bay
boat dives
jacob’s reef:
Depth: 10 – 16 m
Qualification: Open Water
A 5 min boat ride from the Beacon Island Hotel, characterized by a large pinnacle, Jacob’s is a spectacular wall dive covered in soft coral. This shallower site showcases the colour and beauty of the Plett and Eastern Cape reefs. The Sea fans are draped in Basket Stars and groups of Shysharks rest in the rocky crevices. Large Red Roman, Zebras and Blacktail share space with numerous species of nudibranchs, orange wall sponge and purple soft coral making for a fireworks display of colour!
dolphins column:
Depth: 14 – 16m
Qualification: Open Water
A 5 minute boat ride from the Beacon Island Hotel, this reef is populated by multitudes of sea fans, sea stars and sponges with nudibranchs, reef fish, octopus and dolphins being regularly viewed.
seal dive:
Depth: 4 – 6m
Qualification: Open Water
The Seal Colony is found on the Robberg Peninsula and is only a 10-minute boat ride from the dive centre. It is a shallow dive (4 – 6m) and is suitable for all divers. We descend onto the sand and wait for the seals to approach the divers – their large, intelligent eyes follow the divers as they swim playfully amongst them, blowing bubbles and moving in for a closer look – this is a once in a lifetime diving encounter!
Video taken at Robberg Nature Reserve along the Garden Route ~ 2023
playground:
Depth: 16 – 30m
Qualification: Advanced
A 20 – 40 minute boat ride from central beach – the Playground is an immense reef characterized by large terraces rising magnificently from 24m to within 10m of the surface. Situated near the Tsitsikamma National Park, the reef is vibrant and unspoilt with opportunities to spot sharks and game fish.
grootbank:
Depth: 20 – 30m
Qualification: Advanced
A 20 – 30 minute boat ride from Central Beach. This extensive reef is celebrated for its topography and rich marine life. Numerous caves, swim-throughs and drop-offs create a spectacular maze with ragged-tooth sharks often sighted year round. The reef is beautifully unspoiled and covered in a vibrant array of soft corals, sponges and fans. Red Roman, Yellow Belly Rock Cod, Pyjama & Shysharks are among the most commonly sighted fish species.
whale rock:
Depth: 24 – 30m
Qualification: Advanced
Situated off Robberg Point and a 10 minute boat ride from Central Beach; over and above the sea-fans, soft corals and colourful sponges, it is known for its big fish and many Ragged Tooth Sharks. Whale Rock is a large pinnacle off Robberg Nature Reserve and can often be seen breaking 900m offshore. The site is only dived when conditions allow and is definitely not for the novice diver.
the island:
Depth: 6 – 18m
Qualification: Open Water
This site is located off the island at Robberg Nature Reserve and can only be dived on a windless day or with a moderate easterly wind. The site is made up of large round boulders with big caves worth exploring and a variety of colourful invertebrates. This site is approximately a 20 minute scenic boat ride across the bay and around the point at Robberg Nature Reserve.
