Protea Banks

Protea Banks is a submerged fossilised-dune reef lying about 7.5 km off Shelly Beach on the KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, at diving depths of roughly 27 to 40 metres. It sits within the Protea Banks Marine Protected Area, where sharks are fully protected and several species are known to aggregate — among them hammerhead, ragged-tooth and giant guitarsharks, with tiger, Zambezi (bull), dusky and blacktip sharks encountered across the seasons.

On baited dives, operators typically suspend a perforated bait drum around 10 m deep to draw sharks closer. Because of the depth and strong currents, this is an advanced site: dive operators require an Advanced (deep) certification and prior logged dives. Divers regard it as one of the country's premier shark dives, and the winter months bring the added spectacle of the Sardine Run passing offshore.