Gqeberha scuba diving in Algoa Bay

Gqeberha scuba diving centres on Algoa Bay, a wide bay on the Eastern Cape coast. The city was known as Port Elizabeth until 2021, and many dive maps still use the old name. Its reefs are some of the most colourful in South Africa: rocks covered in sponges, sea fans, soft corals and sea squirts, sitting where the cool water of the southern coast mixes with warmer water from the east.

The bay is also one of the richest marine wildlife areas on the coast. The St Croix islands hold a colony of African penguins, Bird Island is home to the world's largest breeding colony of Cape gannets, and dolphins and whales are seen throughout the year. Both island groups now lie within the Addo Elephant National Park marine protected area.

What you will see

On the reefs, look for pyjama catsharks and other small endemic sharks, nudibranchs, octopus and shoals of reef fish. Ragged-tooth sharks are a seasonal highlight. These large but placid sharks travel along the coast, and pregnant females are known to spend time in Eastern Cape waters, where their young are born. Ask local dive centres when raggies are on the reefs.

Popular dive sites

1. Reefs near Cape Recife

   The point at the south end of the bay has reefs with dense invertebrate life, dived by boat when the sea is calm.

2. The Haerlem

   A former navy ship scuttled in Algoa Bay in 1987 as an artificial reef. It is now covered in growth and home to many fish.

3. Shallow shore reefs

   Several reefs close to the city's beachfront are dived from shore, and are popular for training and night dives.

4. Offshore banks

   Deeper reefs further out, such as Riy Banks, have larger sea fans and bigger fish, but need calm weather and experience.

Which sites are running depends on the swell and wind, so check with a Gqeberha dive centre before you plan.

When to go

Algoa Bay is dived all year. Autumn and early winter, roughly March to June, often bring good visibility and settled weather. In some winters, sardine-run activity begins near the bay before the shoals move north-east up the coast, bringing dolphins, gannets and sharks with them. Strong winds can blow at any time of year, so build spare days into your plan. Compare the regions in our guide to the best time to dive in South Africa.

Above the water

Algoa Bay is one of the best places on the coast to combine diving with marine wildlife trips. Boat trips run out to the islands to see the penguins and gannets from the water, though landing on them is not allowed. Large pods of common dolphins and bottlenose dolphins are seen in the bay, Bryde's whales are found here through the year, and humpback and southern right whales pass through in winter and spring. Inland, Addo Elephant National Park is about an hour's drive from the city, so it is easy to add a day of game viewing on a non-diving day, which also helps with the wait before you fly home.

Learning and training

Gqeberha's sheltered shore reefs make it a popular place to learn. If you are thinking about a course, read learn to dive in South Africa for how courses work and how to choose an instructor.

Practical tips

A 5 mm wetsuit is fine for much of the year, with a 7 mm suit and hood in winter or when upwelling brings cold water; see our water temperature and wetsuit guide. Gqeberha has an international airport, so it is an easy start or end point for a Garden Route road trip that takes in Tsitsikamma scuba diving on the way west.