PROPERTIES

Rocktail Bay Beach Camp - KwaZulu Natal - Coast - South Africa

Rocktail Beach Camp is located on the Natal north coast,set back in and shaded by the sanctuary of the lush coastal forest that covers the ancient dunes that make up this edge of South Africa's coast.

The camp consists of twelve rooms (including three family units), most of which have a view of the ocean. All have en-suite bathrooms, open-feel indoor shower and overhead fans. Rocktail Beach Camp also has a central dining room, bar and lounge with large wrap around veranda. A television set and iPod are available in the camp's main area for guests' enjoyment, as well as a large pool.

From a scuba diving perspective, Rocktail Bay is unique. Not only is the diving conducted within a reserve and World Heritage Site along unspoiled reefs, but divers have the luxury of knowing that they alone have access to these sites and are the only underwater visitors along this stretch of the coastline.

This is not a traditional 'big game' area, but the camp is situated within a pristine coastal forest reserve which is interspersed with rolling grasslands and waterberry/palm savannah. This lush area abounds with a variety of animals, birds and plant life that provide a natural counterpoint to the bushveld. Common reedbuck frequent the marshes and grasslands and the red duiker lives in the forest areas. Hippos are sometimes found in freshwater lakes, while whales and dolphins are often seen offshore. The birding is outstanding with a wide variety of species often being spotted.

The reef systems here are amongst the most pristine in the world, boasting healthy soft and hard corals. Sharks are sighted at intervals, including great hammerheads, tiger sharks, blacktip reef sharks and the enormous whale shark. Large numbers of pregnant spotted ragged-tooth sharks (also known as grey nurse sharks) appear in the area from late November until March and Rocktail Beach Camp assists the Natal Sharks Board in monitoring and understanding what drives the arrival of this species in the area. The dive site most often frequented by these sharks is only in ten metres of water and as such can be enjoyed by both divers and snorkellers.

The advent of winter heralds the arrival of whales in the seas off Rocktail. Both humpback and southern right whales are recorded, with humpbacks the more commonly seen species. Finally, green and loggerhead turtles are regularly seen, while leatherback and hawksbill turtles are occasionally encountered. October to March sees the loggerhead and leatherback turtles come ashore at night to lay their eggs.

	cultural interaction
	diving
	fishing
	guided walks
	whale watching
	snorkelling