York Shoal

This dive site, known as York Shoal, is marked on nautical charts. The reef primarily consists of hard sedimentary rock with a strike roughly east-west and a dip of approximately 10 degrees to the north. This creates a landscape characterized by low, flat ridges and gullies. The maximum depth reaches around 28 meters at the edge of shingle bottom (small loose rocks), while the top of the reef is just 4 meters deep. The average dive depth likely falls between 18 and 20 meters. Marine life includes a significant population of red-bait ascidians, alongside patches of black mussel – potentially invasive Mediterranean mussels. Sandy anemones, striped anemones, false plum anemones, and gorgonian sea fans are also found, with the latter becoming more abundant at greater depths. Hottentot seabream and klipfish are common inhabitants. Visibility is unpredictable, so macro photography may be a suitable focus. This dive offers an interesting exploration of a unique rocky reef ecosystem.