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Rocktail Bay, South Africa

Stay in Sodwana Bay: see the trip Its beds, the way there and every spot near it.

Also within 20 km of Sodwana Bay

Fresh water: lake, river or quarry

About Rocktail Bay

A reef dive in fresh water: a lake, quarry or spring. It goes down to 18 m. You get in from a boat. It suits Open Water divers and up, as a dive guide states it. No dive centre within 10 km, the nearest 36 km away. For Open Water divers the best months are usually January, February, March and April, with about 7 good days in 7. From the weather of past years. The town to stay in is Sodwana Bay.

  • Water Fresh water: a lake, river or quarry, not the sea. It is scored on its wind and rain only.
  • What it is Reef.
  • How deep Down to 18 m.
  • Getting in From a boat.
  • Who it suits Suits Open Water divers and up, as a dive guide states it.
  • Dive centres No dive centre within 10 km, the nearest 36 km away.

Facts: verified.

Dive centres nearby

No dive centre mapped within 25 km.

Dive centres: © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Credits

What is under the water (visibility, current, life) no free forecast gives. Ask a dive centre before you book.

Save this trip A link to come back to, or to send to the group.

Book the trip

From Chicago: about 29 h 50 door to door, one way. An estimate; the journey never changes the score.

  1. Fly. Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to MPM, changing at Lisbon Humberto Delgado Airport (LIS). About 4 flights a week that month.

    See flights ORD → MPM · Skyscanner from about £795 returnAd

  2. Getting there. 2 h 45 from the airport to Rocktail Bay.

    Car hire · Discover CarsAd

  3. Accommodation.

    Stay in Sodwana BayAd

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote.

    Room photos are examples, not these hotels (credits).

    See all places to stay on Booking.com →

    Closest towns to stay in

    Typical prices for a double room that month, not a quote. Distances are straight lines unless a drive is given: a site out at sea is reached by boat.

  4. Hire and lessons.

    Dives and courses in Sodwana Bay · GetYourGuideAdDive gear hire in Sodwana Bay · GetYourGuideAd

Everything else for the trip

Where it is

Rocktail Bay on Google Maps · Directions

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One finger scrolls the page; two fingers move the map. Pins are our own positions. Map OpenFreeMap, © OpenMapTiles, data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Forecast

Fresh water: lake, river or quarry: scored by other rules.

Fresh water has no waves to forecast, so the 48 points out of 80 that a sea site gets for a calm sea are given in full. The day turns on the wind (24 points) and the rain (8); gusts of 25 kn or more still score it nothing.

No sea temperature is read for it: nothing forecasts a lake's water, and it is often much colder at depth than at the top. Ask a dive centre what suit to bring.

Best on Wed 21: Fresh water (a lake, river or quarry): no sea, so scored on wind and rain only. Wind 10 kn gusting 23.

The score for Open Water divers, coloured as on the area pages:GoodFairPoor

DayScoreWindGustsRain
Mon 19Oct3712 kn24knboats in0 mm
Tue 20Oct408 kn23knboats in1.3 mm
Wed 21Oct8010 kn23kn0 mm
Thu 22Oct805 kn12knboats in0 mm
Fri 23Oct3911 kn23knboats in0 mm
Sat 24Oct806 kn12kn0.9 mm
Sun 25Oct3811 kn23knboats in0 mm
Mon 26Oct807 kn16knboats in0 mm
Tue 27Oct805 kn15kn0 mm
Wed 28Oct013 kn26knboats in0 mm

Day scores are the conditions out of 80, from the two best daylight readings: a morning and an afternoon dive. Fresh water (a lake, river or quarry): no sea, so scored on wind and rain only. Wind and gusts are in knots (10 kn is about 19 km/h); rain is over the daylight readings, in mm. Water has no reading: no sea temperature is read for a lake. What is under the water (visibility, current, life) no free forecast gives.

The season

Good diving days in a typical week, each month, for Open Water divers, from 2016 on (ERA5 history scored the same way).

  1. Jan7of 7
  2. Feb7of 7
  3. Mar7of 7
  4. Apr7of 7
  5. May7of 7
  6. Jun7of 7
  7. Jul7of 7
  8. Aug7of 7
  9. Sep7of 7
  10. Oct7of 7
  11. Nov7of 7
  12. Dec7of 7

Typical, not a forecast: the mean wind of each day (a lake has no sea), with no gusts or rain in the history.

Rough cost

About £1,105–£2,200 each for 6 nights, 2 people sharing. A guide from typical prices, not a quote. Dives are not priced yet: we have no sourced price for a guided dive, so they are not in it.

  • Flights £795–£1,655
  • To the UK airport £35–£65
  • Hire car £50–£85
  • Stay £110–£185
  • Food £115–£210

Book the trip

Getting thereAd

Flights · Skyscanner Car hire · Discover Cars

Where to stayAd

Places to stay · Booking.com

In the waterAd

Dives and courses · GetYourGuide Dive gear hire · GetYourGuide

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