Imagine a place where you can see more than twelve hundred species of fish, swim with sharks, dolphins, rays, and turtles, and even experience two incredible shipwrecks. Now, stop imagining – this place is real! Aliwal Shoal has it all – and, while this area is best known for its masses of Ragged Toothed Sharks, which come here to mate every year, it is also home to some incredible underwater architecture and two stunning shipwrecks: The Produce, and Nebo.
Umkomaas
Umkomaas, sometimes mistakenly thought of as the name of a wreck, is really the name of the region and the river that flows into the Aliwal area. The small town’s name is derived from the Zulu name, Umkomanzi, which is translated as “Watering Place of the Whales.” The name was given by King Shaka Zula, who spotted a pod of whale cows and calves resting in the shallows just outside the river mouth. Here, you will find a number of local dive charters that are more than happy help you find Nebo and The Produce, as well as give you the opportunity to dive the rest of Aliwal Shoal.
The Produce
The Produce struck the reef at Aliwal Shoal in 1974 and sank relatively quickly. Even though the ship now lies in thirty meters of water, no lives were lost when she went down, thanks to the efforts of a rescue party that came to the aid of the sinking cargo ship quickly.
The rescue itself was fairly harrowing. Two commercial fishermen, the Janson brothers, who still operate in the Umkomaas area, received South Africa’s Honorous Crux, which is the nation’s most esteemed award for bravery. They battled high winds and heavy seas to rescue the entire crew, as well as two female entertainers from a local red light district, who were onboard to help keep up the crew’s morale.
Today, divers can enjoy this enormous ship, which has open holds and is 119 meters long. She lies on her starboard side, and has been partially flattened. The wreck of The Produce is not always diveable, though, due to a swift current. Restricted to advanced divers, and recommended for those with wreck diving experience, this dive is best enjoyed on Nitrox or Trimix.
When you reach the wreck, you’ll find massive Brindle Bass, which are related to Giant Queensland Grouper, and which reach lengths of three meters at times. These elusive creatures enjoy feeding on smaller fish, including the rare pink toned Harlequin Goldies that share the same space. Check out the ship’s bow for a look at the spare propeller, but don’t bother looking astern for the main prop – it has been salvaged.
While The Produce is home to an incredible array of coral, it is best not to touch it – particularly the fire coral – for your own safety and the well-being of the coral!
Nebo
Nebo is a much older wreck, and is now mostly just a lot of metal ribs that jut from the seabed as a ghostly reminder of the ship that was once proud and fresh off the shipyard’s building blocks! Nebo, a two thousand ton steamship, sank while on her maiden voyage, on May 20th of 1884. She was laden with a heavy railway bridge, and while official records state that the ship sank upon hitting an uncharted pinnacle, there is speculation that the real cause of the sinking was the weight of the bridge combined with the action of a large wave. This could very well be true, since Nebo is lying upside down and is quite scattered.
A bit of an easier dive than The Produce, Nebo is at twenty-four to twenty-seven meters below the surface, and is wreathed in colorful coral. She is home to goldies and batfish, and it is not uncommon to see rays swooping through the water as you explore the pylons and ribs that were once a ship and her cargo.