Horseshoe Reef
LOCATION Christies Beach, Adelaide, South Australia
DEPTH 1-4 Meters
WATER TEMP 17-22 Degrees
DIFFICULTY Medium
The site is 400m off shore so you need to be a confident swimmer
FEATURE
Google Map data © 2025 Imagery © Airbus, CNES / Airbus, Maxar Technologies
Horseshoe Reef
LOCATION Christies Beach, Adelaide, South Australia
DEPTH 1-4 Meters
WATER TEMP 17-22 Degrees
DIFFICULTY Medium
The site is 400m off shore so you need to be a confident swimmer
FEATURE
Horseshoe Reef Snorkel
We couldn’t have asked for better conditions for our snorkel at Horseshoe Reef, with calm waters, sunshine, and a gentle breeze making for an easy swim to the reef. This small, horseshoe-shaped limestone reef offered crystal-clear shallows teeming with marine life, from curious leatherjackets to schools of moonlighters and even a Port Jackson shark egg.
What Can I See?
- Magpie Perch
- Sweep
- Zebra Fish
- Scaly Fins Goatfish
- Silver Drummer
- Leather Jackets
- Port Jackson Sharks
- Australian Sea Nettles
- Whiting
Getting There
Christies Beach is 30km south of Adelaide, it takes about 35 minutes by car to get there.
Where & How do you get in?
Horseshoe Reef is opposite Christies Beach Surf Life Saving Club. Christies Sailing club is in the same area too. There is parking on the esplanade either side of this precinct. Best entry is right in front of the where a bend in the beach will have you slightly closer to the reef
Best Season
There are no seasonal considerations here. The warmer months – November to April – will mean the water is a little warmer.
Potential Hazards
- 400m from the beach
- Jellyfish
How Busy / Crowds
Because it is a distance off shore, you generally won’t be bothered by to many people on Horseshoe Reef. In summer, people do kayak out there to have a look around but it is a big enough area that it does not get crowded.
Parking
On a nice day, especially in summer, parking right in front of the snorkel spot is tricky as there the surf and sailing club keep the area busy. Best idea is to park on The Esplanade either side of this area.
The information for each snorkel spot is provided by people who have snorkelled there. However, snorkelling conditions change daily. Please be aware that wind, swell, tides and cloud cover can all affect visibility and your experience in the water.
Disclosure: Please Note That Some Links In This Post May Be Affiliate Links, And At No Additional Cost To You, We Earn A Small Commission If You Make A Purchase. Commissions Go Toward Maintaining The Snorkel Spots Website.
Rate this Snorkel Spot
If you have snorkelled here, rate your experience
Best Conditions
Light winds or easterly or north breeze will create the best conditions. If conditions have been like that for a day or two visibility will be better.
Aim to swim out to the reef at low tide. Not only will you have a shorter swim, but the exposed reef will provide protection inside the horseshoe and there will be less current.
Try and avoid big tides as there can be a strong northerly current which can be hard work over a 400m swim.
Windy Map Instructions – Click on the wind icon in the top right to see other conditions such as swell, temperature, rain. To clear the four day forecast click and close the wind icon.
Facilities at Christies Beach
Toilets
Showers
Picnic Tables
Parking
BBQ’s
Shade
Food & Drinks
About the Snorkel
We scored a ripping day to do this snorkel. The tide and the sun was out and there was a light breeze so the swim to the reef wasn’t difficult.
As its name suggests, this small reef has a horseshoe shape so there is a nice calm arc you can snorkel inside the reef. With the tide out, conditions inside the reef were like glass and only 1 or 2 metres deep.
We started at the southern end and worked our way around the limestone reef. There were lots of fish including South Australian reef regulars like moonlighters, magpie perch, sweep, zebra fish, scaly fins goatfish and silver drummer. There were also several types of leather jackets which were especially curious and happy to swim right up to us.
A couple of other highlights were some big whiting on the sand inside the reef and we found a Port Jackson shark egg too. We had quite a few little Australian sea nettles floating around but they were easy to avoid and fun to watch.
We spent so long looking around the inside of the reef we ran pout of time to look on the outside or western edge of the reef but we are keen to go back and explore here again.
If you have a kayakk or don’t mind the swim, Horseshoe Reef is a great option.
Snorkel Spots Nearby
More Things To Do
- Swimming with Turtles in Australia - October 29, 2023
