Quarter Mile

Quarter Mile Reef is a shallow rocky coral reef just outside Sodwana Bay in the iSimangaliso Marine Reserve, KwaZulu-Natal. The reef is made up of large rocky boulders and outcrops with sandy patches, covered in soft corals and sponges, and is widely known for a seasonal aggregation of pregnant ragged-tooth (Carcharias taurus) sharks from roughly November through March. Outside the shark season the reef remains rich in marine life. The dive is conducted from a boat with vessels anchoring over the reef. Depths are roughly 8-14 meters. The site is only dived in very calm sea conditions; even modest surface swell or current can make diving hazardous because of the shallow depth, so it is generally open to diving only when conditions are flat. Several small overhangs and caverns provide brief areas to explore and act as cleaning stations.