This comfortable, characterful diving retreat was originally a residential dwelling and doctor’s surgery, before being converted to guest house and dive centre.
Featuring well-appointed rooms catering to the more discerning traveller, each room has air-conditioning, en suite facilities, a small fridge, security safe, tea and coffee making facilities, and WiFi internet. Rooms can be arranged for singles, twins, or families.
Landscaped gardens surround a generously-sized swimming pool, with plenty of space to relax. All meals are provided on site in a communal environment; however, Agulhas House is also close to a variety of restaurants and other facilities in the small town of Umkomaas.
The on-site dive centre calls on 40 years of combined experience and offers safe and professional excursions to dive the Aliwal Shoal and the Protea Banks. A range of land-based activities can also be arranged for non-divers, or in the afternoon after a morning of scuba diving.
The on-site dive centre at Agulhas House & Diving offers daily excursions to the Aliwal Shoal, where exciting marine life awaits.
Two morning dives are available from one of five Zodiacs. These are launched from the nearby river mouth through the surf, for an exciting an adventurous start to your day’s diving. Dive time is not limited, allowing you to fully enjoy the riches of this area.
The Aliwal Shoal boasts astonishing marine biodiversity and an impressive variety of dive sites. Throughout the week, divers can encounter a kaleidoscope of reef fish, moray eels, crayfish, batfish, stingrays, eagle rays, dolphins, and multiple shark species.
Oceanic blacktip sharks are a year-round highlight, while ragged-tooth sharks (raggies) arrive in large numbers each June for their breeding season, particularly at the renowned Cathedral dive site. Tiger sharks are best seen between December and March, when the waters are at their warmest.
Tiger shark dives are baited using fish scent. Depending on the season, divers may also spot bull sharks, hammerheads, and guitar sharks. From July to August, humpback whales make their annual migration along the coast and can often be seen from the surface.
Excursions to Protea Banks can also be arranged. The dive centre also offers Sardine Run excursions in June and July from a second base in Port St John’s to the south.
Nitrox is complimentary for suitably qualified divers.
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A must for divers, Aliwal Shoal is home to over 1,200 species of fish and an abundance of corals, as well as turtles, rays and pelagics. From June through to November ragged tooth sharks congregate to mate, while huge tiger sharks and hammerheads are also seen. Find Out More about {acc:title}
