Diving the south coast of South Africa/Twelve Mile Bank

Understand

This is the second to southernmost recreational dive site on the coast of Africa, and has a reputation among spearfisherman for plentiful fish.

Position 1 12 Mile Bank ridges: S35°01.300' E19°55.473'

Name The name "12 Mile Bank" is a simple description of the distance offshore of the reef.

Depth Maximum depth is about 36 m. and the top of the ridges are about 30 m. (Average depth of a dive is likely to be about 32m.) Minimum charted depth is given as 26 m.

Visibility Visibility can be quite good, in the order of 10 to 15 m, but not much data is available.

Topography The bank is a reef of apparently hard sedimentary rock, much of it fairly low profile, with higher profile roughly parallel ridges and gullies, with relatively steep slopes. There are occasional sandy patches in locally low areas.

Conditions The site is exposed to the weather, wind waves, and swell from all directions, so should be dived when the weather and sea state forecast is good.

Getting there

This is a boat dive. The site is about 12 nautical miles (22 km) south of Cape Agulhas, and 36 km by boat from Struisbaai Harbour, where there is a large public access slipway in good structural condition.

See

Marine life The flatter areas are dominated by a spiny kelp forest of variable density, with more colourful sessile invertebrates such as sponges, octocorals and bryozoans on the steeper surfaces. A variety of fish typical of south coast reefs swim above the rocks.

Photography

Suggested routes