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Diving in Saipan

This article is intended to provide the already qualified Scuba diver with information which will help to plan dives in the waters of Saipan, whether as a local resident or a visitor. Information is provided without prejudice, and is not guaranteed accurate or complete. Use it at your own risk.

Understand
Located at latitude of 15.25° north and longitude of 145.75° east, about 200 km (120 mi) north of Guam, Saipan is about 20 km (12.5 mi) long and 9 km (5.5 mi) wide. The island is a popular dive destination in the Pacific, attracting a large number of "introductory", beginner, and advanced divers from Japan, Korea, America and elsewhere. Its underwater beauty and appeal to divers is greater than Hawaii's and Guam's, but less than Palau's or Australia's Great Barrier Reef.

General topography
The island is a typical middle-aged island composed of ancient fossil-rich coral limestone atop a subsiding, extinct marine volcano. A fringing reef of healthy offshore corals forming an extremely large lagoon and many small shallow lagoons in its larger bays, as well as a few offshore subsurface coral mounts.

Climate, weather and sea conditions
Visibility, typically in the 50~90ft./16~30m range, varies enormously based on location, tide, and season.

Wave conditions are ideal, seldom rising above 1~2ft. / 30~60cm in height, except during typhoons and tropical storms.

Divers should consult weather reports for the region before traveling to Saipan during the typhoon season (Autumn), as the frequent typhoons and tropical storms can cause travel delays and undivable water conditions for several days at a time.

Marine ecology
Saipan's excellent reefs, white beaches, clownfish colonies, underwater caves, WWII shipwrecks, underwater WWII munitions dumps, and underwater WWII plane wreck offer diving that appeals to almost every type of diver.

Get help
Emergency services

See
The following are some of the named dive sites in Saipan:

Understand:
This dive site in is sure to amaze you. After a giant stride into the water from a rock in the cavern, divers can take three different exit holes out to open ocean. Once outside, there are beautiful walls, swim-throughs, and caves to explore. Turtles and Clown Triggerfish are some of the many types of sea life to be seen at this magnificent dive site. Several resident White Tip Sharks lounge on the bottom during the day.

This site is one of the four divesites most frequently visited by professional dive shops on Saipan. Because of its difficulty, it is typically used only for divers who have already been certified, though on rare rough-weather occasions when all other sites are undivable, open water students and even introductory divers are brought here.

Topography: — The Grotto is possibly the most popular and most challenging dive in Saipan. It is a natural tunnel leading from the top of a high cliff down below sea level, then exiting into open ocean through three wide openings at depths between 0~60ft./0~18m. Outside the openings, the cliff descends far beyond the depths of recreational diving, but allows for easy drift-diving along the cliff wall. To the left (southwest) of the openings, along the cliff face at 40~50ft. deep is a large divable underwater cavern known informally as "the batcave". (Divers should not attempt to reach the batcave without a local guide, and only if their air consumption rate is quite slow.)

Conditions: — Visibility here is quite possibly the best Saipan has to offer, typically exceeding 90ft./30m.

Get in
Shore dive — Access is via a well-paved asphalt road from San Roque to a parking lot atop the cliff, then down 112 cement steps to a sunlit large natural rock in the cave lagoon. From this rock divers make a giant-stride entry into 15ft./5m of water and hold onto a mooring buoy until all the members of their group are in the water.

Exit is also via this rock, and accomplished by holding onto the mooring buoy rope while swinging onto a sea-level ledge on the entry/exit rock.

See
Marine life: — Typical natural life in and around the Grotto includes 1~3 harmless white-tip reef sharks, bubble coral and lace coral (in the batcave), a small group of barracuda, and pyramid butterfly fish. Occasional fauna include green sea turtles, Napoleon wrasses, tuna, and spotted eagle rays.

Coral growth is slight.

Stay safe
Hazards: — Because of the physically demanding 112-step staircase, beach divers visiting this site should be in good physical condition. There are occasional boat-dives outside the Grotto, but distance from the harbor and the ease of beach entry make this an uncommon boat dive.

Snorkelers and swimmers should avoid exiting the Grotto even under the calmest conditions, since exiting at or near the surface is sometimes easy but reentry can often be impossible because of strong currents, whitewater waves crashing against the cliff, and extremely sharp rocks. Once outside the Grotto, the nearest surface-exit points are the far-away Bird Island to the northeast and equally distant Wing Beach to the southwest. It's therefore imperative that divers retain enough air to return underwater and make their safety-stop within the Grotto.

Understand:
Wing beach is the beach/boat dive closest to The Grotto. Access is via a very poor dirt road, then to a small jungle clearing near the far northeast side of Wing Beach. From there, beach divers walk across a white pebble beach and follow the northeast rocky wall of the beach down a flat rocky slope, then follow the underwater wall around further to the northeast. Exit is by the same route. This site is not commonly visited by professional dive shops.

Position — Wing Beach is located on the northwest part of the island.

Topography: — There are some great geographical features here, such as large crevices and breathtaking drop-offs. Rock formations include a 30m/90ft. tower and equally deep canyon in the underwater wall.

Conditions: — excellent visibility

Get in
Boat or shore dive: — A fantastic dive that can be done from the beach or a boat. A drift dive from a boat is the best way to do this dive.

See
Marine life: — The site has poor-to-moderate coral growth. Common sights there are coral-eating pincushion starfish, somewhat poisonous coral-eating crown-of-thorns starfish, and butterfly fish. This site is well known for shark encounters and Spanish Dancers at night

Understand:
This shallow introductory beachdive site should not be confused with the Saipan boat harbor of the same name. The two locations are separate, with extremely different beach and water conditions.

Tanapag is possibly the easiest, most convenient, safest introductory dive site on Saipan.

Controversially, professional dive leaders will often bring canned and plastic-wrapped hot dogs underwater so that customers can enjoy feeding the fish, who will flock around the diver in large numbers. While this is undoubtedly thrilling for the diver, the unnatural food source leads to health problems for the fishes and the cans/wrapping are often abandoned underwater, polluting the area.

Depth: — 0~15ft./5m

Conditions: — Moderate 30ft./10m visibility. Although occasionally strong longshore currents inside the lagoon may reduce visibility to near-zero and require that divers cling to a submerged, anchored rope "walkway" along the dive's route, typically the conditions are near-ideal, with near-zero currents.

Get in
Shore dive — Access is via a well-paved asphalt road very close to Garapan City and San Roque, then parking next to a small church and an open-air public theater. From there, divers typically sit around the edges of the theater on low walls, listening to dive instructions and arranging their gear. Next, divers enter the water via an extremely gently sloping sand beach and practice their dive-training in water where they can stand up. Then the divers proceed into deeper water along a submerged anchored rope.

See
Marine life: — small coral outcroppings surrounded by small reef fishes, sea cucumbers, small boxfish, clownfish, pufferfish, and occasional scorpionfish.

Photography: — This is an ideal site for using an inexpensive snorkeling camera without flash to take underwater photos, since the area is well lit and depths are within snorkeling-camera depths.

Understand:
This World War Two troop ship was owned by the Japanese, but sank while carrying conscripted Korean soldiers. It is a rare type of shipwreck since it is in shallow water and contains almost no overhead environment, making it a very simple, safe dive.

Controversially, in the mid-1990s Korean divers placed a memorial plaque on the wreck and a large stone memorial within a few yards of the wreck. The plaque, it's said, mourned the death of the Korean soldiers but made no mention of the other war casualties. This caused a minor uproar in the multinational professional dive community of Saipan.

Position — The wreck is located in the large lagoon outside Garapan/Tanapag.

Depth: — 30~40ft./10~13m

Conditions: — Occasional strong currents may make diving difficult and visibility poor, but conditions there are typically 50ft./17m visibility and zero current, with a white sandy bottom and no surface wave activity.

Get in
It is strictly a boat dive, being too far from shore for a beach entry.

See
Marine life: — The area has moderate coral growth, limiting the types of fish that gather at the wreck. Divers should not be surprised, however, to find small 3ft(1m) whitetip sharks occasionally napping in and around the wreck.

Understand:
Ice Cream is outside the lagoon, slightly south of Garapan on the west side of Saipan. It is a very large submerged coral mound of staghorn corals rising from a bottom at about 50 ft to a baseball-diamond-sized summit roughly 40ft(16m) below the surface.

Conditions: — Visibility is typically 20m/60ft, and currents are rarely problematic, though divers should take care to cling to the anchor rope while descending, ascending, and making safety stops.

Get in
Boat dive. There are several permanent boat moorings.

See
Marine life: — includes large populations of moorish idols and butterfly fish, particularly pyramid butterfly fish. Also to be seen are eels and octopus, and it is not uncommon for a couple of Eagle Rays to visit the site.

Understand:
Pronounced "ob-ZAHN". This beach is particularly well used by professional dive shops, both for easy "fun dives" and for open water training dives. Occasionally, dive boats will moor and dive here and also visit the nearby site called "Mushroom rock/Boyscout beach/Secret beach".

Position — Located near Naftan Point.

Depth: — 15ft(5m)to 60'(18m)

Conditions: — Visibility generally varies from 30ft(10m)~60ft(18m). On a good day, there may be 150 + feet of visibility.

Get in
(Boat or shore dive)— The dive site is near the airport, and accessed via a poorly maintained pothole-ridden asphalt road and a dirt/coral-rubble road. Access and exit are typically from the beach along a rope anchored inside a natural cut in the coral plateau near the beach.

See
Marine life: — After entering through the first reef, there is a beautiful patch reef with hundreds of small fish and some interesting animals to see. The second reef starts at about 50 feet where one finds Barracuda, sharks, and garden eels. There is also good hard coral growth, large colonies of soft coral, a large variety of reef fishes, and occasional green sea turtles.

Stay safe
Hazards: — World War II history enthusiasts will note a Japanese pillbox near the parking lot. As with much of Saipan's beaches, shallow waters, and jungles, Obyan's underwater sandy regions and the nearby jungle area still give up occasional artillery fired from American warships and from the pillbox. If you see one, do not touch it, as roughly a third of the undetonated armaments are still capable of explosive reactions to mishandling.

Snorkelers should be cautioned to stay in the yard-deep lagoon inside the wave-break zone, because although moving out into deeper water through the coral cuts is easy at the surface, return is not — the waves break in extremely shallow sharp corals, and the coral cuts experience strong outgoing rip-tides.

Skills: — This dive site is ideal for all skill levels, especially people interested in photography.

Understand:
This is one of Saipan's most frequently visited sites, and is an ideal dive site for beginners or people interested in smaller, more colorful animals.

Topography: — one of the largest reefs on the island

Get in
Shore dive — easy beach entry

See
Marine life: — Wrasses, butterfly fish, surgeons, Big eye skad, snappers, and more. For the diver that likes to go slow, you will also have frequent encounters with nudibranchs, scorpionfish, and octopus.

Understand:
Boyscout 1 & 2 - Both Boyscout beaches are rarely visited by divers or anybody else for that matter, because they are hard to get to. Divers who take the trouble are rewarded with beautiful coral and white sand.

Get in
Boat or shore dive

See
Marine life: — Some of the largest clams can be found here.

Suggested Routes: — On a calm day you can do a surface swim from the second beach to Naftan and dive all the way back to the beach.

Understand:
B-29/Emily - Okay, so the wreck is not a B-29 the name led you to believe, but that of a Japanese H8K or Type 2 Large Flying Boat. The Allied reporting name for this type of plane was Emily. The Emily was an Imperial Japanese Navy Flying boat used during World War II for maritime patrol duties.

Depth: — At 30 ft of depth this is an easy and relaxing dive.

Topography: — The 4 large props are still intact as is most of the wing. The gun turret can been seen off the side. A chair and control panel lie close by.

Get in
Boat dive

Understand:
Eagle Ray City is one of the most unique dives in Saipan. Rising out of the sand at a depth 30 feet is a rocky formation that on a good day will have up to 40 Eagle Rays hanging out. While divers hold on to the rock Eagle Rays glide overhead.

Depth: — 30 feet

Topography: — Rocky reef on sand

Get in
Boat dive

See
Marine life: — Eagle rays

Understand:
Suitable for all skill levels

Depth: — 40 to 130 feet

Topography: — a seamount on the Western side of Saipan.

Get in
Boat dive

See
Marine life: — Red Snappers, butterfly fish. Eagle rays, eels, and Surgeons are also seen often.

Understand:
One of the best wall dives in the CNMI, with amazing visibility and fish life Position — located on the southern tip of the island

Depth: — The top of the wall starts at 45 feet and goes down to over 130 feet

Topography: — Wall dive

Conditions: — Visibility usually good

Get in
(Boat dive)

See
Marine life: — On the top portion, there are some great coral formations that are home to huge clams among other things. As one starts to descend on the wall, you will find magnificent fan coral and colorful animal life. Since this dive is at the edge of the abyss there is always the possibility of running into the larger fish like Napoleon wrasses and sharks.

Understand:
Chinsen Maru is a large Japanese freighter that lies at 30 foot of depth in the lagoon. The ship has been in the water for over 50 years, allowing for some significant coral growth as well as becoming a home to thousands of fish.

Depth: — 30ft (9m)

Get in
Boat dive

See
Marine life: — There are monstrous Red Snappers as well as Big Eye Emperors patrolling the wreck while huge schools of Goat Fish swim on top. The wreck is probably the best place on island to find Stonefish. To top it off a resident White Tip rests underneath the wreck.

Understand:
There is only a brief time during the year when conditions are suitable for diving, but it is well worth the wait if you like the big blue dives.

Topography: — beautiful wall

Get in
(Boat dive)

See
Marine life: — Large pelagic fish such as sharks, rays, huge tuna, and dolphins are often seen. There are also amazing anemones and coral formations.

Stay safe
Hazards: — Currents

Skills: — This is an advanced dive due to the depths and currents.

Understand:
This cavern dive is named Spot Light because when the sun shines through a hole in the top of the cavern, it is like a spotlight shining on a stage.

Position — This dive site is very close to Banzai and as with Banzai only accessible during a brief time period.

Topography: — Cavern dive

Get in
Boat dive

See
Marine life: — There is always the possibility of seeing large fish and animals such as turtles and sharks. The cavern has some of the largest lionfish you will ever see.

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title: Diving in Saipan


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Diving in East Timor

Timor-Leste has some of the best dive sites in the world due to its location, warm waters, minimal tourist trade and lack of commercial fishing or heavy industry. Situated in the Coral Triangle, Timor is surrounded by deep water (about 2,500 m between Liquiçá and Alor Island, Indonesia) that gives home to an abundance of coral and fish life, including the annual migration of whales through the Ombai Strait and Wetar Strait according to a Marine Megafauna Survey in Timor Leste of June 2009. However, those same deep waters can cause strong currents at even the most protected sites so check the Tidal Predictions beforehand. High tide and days of smaller variation are usually better. Always have a good look at the water before entering.

While many of the dive sites can be reached by land, some of these entry points require a long walk over coral, a long surface swim or a boat.

Listed below are some of the popular dive sites in Timor-Leste, but there are plenty more if you are adventurous or have a boat to get to those hard to reach places.

Remember, always dive safely and in accordance with current dive regulations and procedures. Note security precautions topside, cultural sensitivities such as the sacred trees at K41 and private property issues.

Nun's Tree
General. (This information is unconfirmed and maybe out of date).

Location. Coordinates: 8°37'1"S 125°10'48"E see Wikimapia Satellite Map. Near Nun's clinic.

Entry.

Profile.

Points of interest. Large giant clam (~1 meter), black tipped reef sharks, turtles.

Topside.

Seal Rock Maubara
General. This is a nice dive, easily found, but dangerous currents in all directions have been encountered, including a strong downward/northerly one. Until more data is collected, this is considered an advanced adventure dive for experienced divers. Safety marker buoys and gloves in particular are essential. Tight buddy teams and conservative diving well within no-deco and minimum air limits are also recommended given the potential for sudden changes in the situation. A stand-by boat would be optimal. Have a good look at the water's surface before entering.

Location. Coordinates: 8°36'41"S 125°11'33"E see Wikimapia Satellite Map. From Maubara Fort, drive 1.2 km west and look for the large seal shaped rock on the right. Park on the road.

Entry. Gear up at the car, negotiate a low wall, and go straight in on either side of the rock. Although an easy entry initially, at low tide the coral is very close to the surface, so fin-up early or dive on high tide.

Profile. The slope dips away slowly at first, then drops off quickly to 30 m or more. Follow the shoreline and enjoy nice coral gardens with lots of "bombies" and creatures to see including bat fish, nudibranchs, flute fish, lobsters and others. On the west side of Seal Rock there is plenty to see both at depth and in the shallows, but note safety issues above. As of June 2012 the east side is yet to be explored.

Top Side. There is plenty of parking beside the road, but no shade. However, Maubara, its shade and amenities are close by.

Maubara Church aka Kindergarten
General. Although getting mixed reviews, there is still plenty to see on this coral slope with some good gardens and lots of creatures to be seen. In close proximity to Maubara (see “topside”, below) and with plenty of shady parking, this is a great place for a picnic, sun-baking, snorkelling and diving.

Location. Coordinates: 8°36'36"S 125°12'7"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. From Liquiçá, drive through Maubara past the fort, cross the small river, past the Church and an old, disused, chalet style building on the right. Immediately after that building, turn right onto the track leading to the beach and large shady trees, about 150 m west of the Church.

Entry. Easy entry straight out from the car parking area (NNW), although better to walk west for 50 m before entering, over sand and small rocks.

Profile. Enter, swim out 50 – 100 m then turn west along the lovely coral slope, sprinkled with sandy patches, plenty of bombies (coral outcrops) and an abundance of sea life. Beware of currents on this semi-exposed site. Average depth 15 m, max 28 m.

Points of interest. Bat fish, lion fish, assorted nudibranchs, crabs, the occasional spotted ray or shark, and dolphins and whales (November to January).

Topside. At Maubara there are local products on sale at the road side stalls. The historic Dutch fort is usually open for inspection and the restaurant within it serves a good meal or coffee quickly and at reasonable prices, under the shade of some magnificent trees. Be prepared for local spectators and curious children whilst on the beach!

Maubara Fort
General. This infrequently dived location has some good coral on a sloping, sandy bottom, although parts of it have been washed away.

Location. Coordinates: 8°36'34"S 125°12'15"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map.

Entry. Entry in front of the fort, down the steep steps of the sea wall and out over the easy entry sandy bottom.

Profile. The usual profile is to head straight out (NW) over the gradual sandy slope, then turn right and follow the slope roughly east/SE until ready to turn around. Average depth 8 m, max 18 m.

Points of interest. Large nudibranchs, some “spanish dancing worms”, some unusual soft corals, big shrimps, eels, clams and some larger fish.

Topside. As per Maubara Church, however there is no shade close to the entry point.

Bubble Beach
General. Although difficult to find underwater, this is worth the effort. Like most dive sites around Timor-Leste, the currents can vary from calm to hazardous and visibility can vary from stunning to poor. A fence effectively denies access to the beach, although a number of dives have been undertaken when the fence has collapsed or divers have walked from the road to the beach.

Location. Coordinates: 8°34'30"S 125°22'7"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map, about 30 km from Dili and about 4 km before Liquica. After coming over a headland with a religious station on it, the dive site is in front of an old, walled Indonesian memorial.

Entry. Nice sandy slope.

Profile. Head straight out (NNW) from the old Indonesian memorial on a bearing of (needs information)° for about (needs information) m to find the bombies and, possibly, the sharks at about 30 m depth. Alternatively, head NW until the slope drops away to a maximum of about 18 m and turn due west. The NE profile drops to about 27 m and is mostly sand.

Points of interest. Large, picturesque bombies and soft corals on a sandy bottom at about 30 m (straight out) or 15 to 5 m (half left). In places, the sand is warm and bubbles leak from the sea bed (needs information). Sharks, barracuda, lobster, nudibranchs, garden eels, blue spotted rays, triggers, puffers, morays, lizards, squirrels, parrots, angels and butterfly fish.

Topside. No shade close to the entry point – fence

Dan's Sandy Bottom
General. A great site for critters, although the best spots can be hard to find; to the west and east is nothing but sand. Like other sites, currents are variable. Named by/after the well-known photographer and environmental activist Dan Groshong.

Location. Coordinates: 8°33'47"S 125°24'15"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. At the large industrial quarry on the left of the road, look for an old sign board (minus the sign) on the right hand side of the road. Enter track at this point and continue west along the foreshore, passing under some large trees with deep shade. 50m west of those trees is the entry point.

Entry. From the beach, the entry point is halfway between the shade trees and a large palm tree log buried in the shade. A smaller white log [if present] marks the entry. A gentle and sandy slope makes for an easy entry.

Profile. Head straight out (NNW) from the smaller white log on a bearing of (needs information)° for about (needs information) m. The dive site extends about (needs information) m to the west and (needs information) m to the east, at depths from 5m to (needs information) m.

Points of interest. Occasional dugong, pygmy pipe-horses, bobtail squids, a large moray, spotted rays and some interesting nudibranchs. Lions, clams, sea slugs, garden eels, sergeant majors, lobster and hermit crabs. Large table corals and other bombies and rocky formations on a sloping sandy bottom

Topside. Some shade and a pleasant spot for a picnic with sweeping sea views. Sandy Bottom is quite a popular weekend getaway for Dili residents, some with generators and loud music.

Giant Clam
General. A reasonable boat dive notable for the giant Giant Clam (over 1.5 m long), but good local knowledge is required to find it.

Location. Coordinates: 8°33'20"S 125°24'46"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map (location to be confirmed). Although really a boat dive, it could be accessed from the eastern end of "Dan's Sandy Bottom" beach [more info needed on bearing and distance from shore].

Points of interest. The Giant Clam, Olive Sea Snake, Batfish, Jawfish and Long-nosed Butterflyfish. Otherwise nothing above and beyond many other sites.

Dili Rock West
General. DRW is the lesser known side of Dili Rock, it is nonetheless a reasonable dive with plenty to look at and some interesting coral formations with the associated sea life. It can be combined with a west to east circumnavigation of the Rock with the prevailing currents, exiting on the eastern side of the Rock.

Location. Coordinates: 8°33'20"S 125°29'54"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. Just after leaving Tasi Tolu there is a long open beach, complete with soccer field. At the western end is Dili Rock, a prominent rocky headland through which the main road passes. Pass the Rock and park near the pillar (gates of Dili).

Entry. Rocky entry.

Profile. Head NW from the small cove and turn left or right if circumnavigating the Rock.

Points of interest. Eels, nudibranchs, flutes, trumpets and clams. An interesting hard coral formation near the exit point hides many small fish.

Topside. No shade and can be quite secluded, despite its proximity to the main road.

Dili Rock East
General. DRE is a popular dive site with both private divers and the dive shops due to its proximity to Dili, easy entry, sandy bottom for classes and some good coral and some great sea life. The coral is less vivid than other sites, often covered with a light layer of silt. Accordingly, visibility can be hit and miss.

Location. Coordinates: 8°33'22"S 125°29'55"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. Just after leaving Tasi Tolu there is a long open beach, complete with soccer field. At the western end is Dili Rock, a prominent rocky headland through which the main road passes. Vehicles can enter about 300 m short of the Rock and park alongside the signboard.

Entry. From the signboard head straight out (NE), although divers should right left to avoid the rocks closer to the headland.

Profile. Heading west, divers will come across the coral slope at the base of the rock. Turning NNW, follow the coral down and around the headland to the designated turnaround point, or continue on to DRW.

Points of interest. “Piccadilly Circus”, a large bombie near the start of the coral, with abundant fish life. Lots of lions, the occasional turtle, octopus, morays, clams, crabs, shrimp, clowns, aggressive trigger fish, parrots, cuttle fish, leaf scorpion, gropers and lots of others. There is a nice coral garden between two and five metres on the southern end of the slope before heading in an easterly direction back to the exit point.

Topside. There is no shade, but a nice spot for a swim or sun-baking. Although relatively public, thieves target the area. On the top of the headland on southern side of the road is a beautiful look out worth driving up to, replete with a statue of Pope John-Paul II and a church.

Tasi Tolu
General. TT is very close to Dili. The dive site can be difficult to find without a guide or previous dives there and it is quite small, but it is a well-known enthusiasts dive site with some interesting macro life. It is especially good at night when many burrowing crabs, crustaceans and cephalopods come out of the sand to look for food. Outside the dive site there is little else to see.

Location. Coordinates: 8°33'18"S 125°30'33"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. Just after leaving Tasi Tolu there is a long open beach, complete with soccer field. Park at the sign board.

Entry. Easy, gradual sandy slope (but be careful to check depth to avoid going too deep).

Profile. From the eastern most goal post on the soccer field, head NW on a bearing of (needs information)° for about (needs information) m and look for the small patch of coral.

Points of interest. It is not uncommon to see rhinopias, sea horses, frog fish and harlequin ghost pipe fish. At night, small octopus and well camouflaged pink soft coral crabs often highlight the dive.

Topside. There is no shade, but a nice spot for a swim or sun-baking. Although relatively public, thieves target the area.

Pertimina Jetty
General. PJ is another enthusiasts dive site and quite shallow (10–12 m) but is often subject to zero visibility, strong currents and shipping. The site cannot be dived when ships are in or due in and divers should check with Pertamina oil storage security before entering the water. It is at its best at the end of the dry season (September/October). PJ is a bit like the wreck dive you have when you don't have a wreck.

Location. Coordinates: 8°32'32"S 125°32'52"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. A couple of kilometres from the centre of Dili, drive around to the west side of Pertamina oil storage complex and park in the shade on the beach, on the western side of the jetty, immediately north of the Pertamina complex.

Entry. Easy entry over a sandy bottom, but beware of jagged metal wreckage.

Profile. Follow the pylons NNE until the second light pole and descend. Continue to follow the pylons until the end and explore the east/west jetty and debris on the seabed.

Points of interest. Lots of scorpion and lion fish so be careful where you put your hands. Eels, flutes, crabs and shrimp, sweet lip, gropers and fan corals. Be sure to check every pylon, in every pipe and under every small overhang for rewarding discoveries.

Topside. About three minutes’ drive from a number of nice restaurants and bars, with good shade and plenty of parking but beware of vehicle security.

Pinnacle
General. Only accessible from a boat, this underwater pinnacle in the Wetar Strait off Dili can be a very challenging dive, at depth (it starts at 22 m) and subject to strong currents.

Location. [Coordinates needed].

Entry. Boat dive, straight down.

Profile. straight down to planned maximum depth, follow the underwater pinnacle around as dictated by the dive guide and the currents.

Points of interest. Barracuda,

Topside. N/A.

Christo Rei
General. Close to Dili, this is a reasonable day dive and an excellent night dive.

Location. Coordinates: 8°31'23"S 125°36'29"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. A few kilometres east of Dili in Area Branca, parking at the base of the Jesus Statue is plentiful. Park close to the second entrance to the large car-park.

Entry. After negotiating the short steps to the beach, there is a relatively easy entry at high tide. Low tide can be difficult and should be avoided when there is a swell.

Profile. Head straight out (west, NW) and down, turn north and follow the coral slope. Beware of lobster traps, fishing nets and other lines in the water.

Points of interest. Stunning coral colours at night. Resident turtle, spotted rays, moray eel, scorpion fish, lobsters, shrimp, puffers, angelfish, butterflyfish, clowns, lions, nudibranchs and many others. Nice garden at the end of the dive.

Topside. A little crowded by day as this is a popular beach.

Christo Rei East aka Back of Jesus aka Kiwi Beach
General. Best done from a boat as a drift dive, but perfectly doable from the surface if the currents are favourable. Great spot but be wary of strong current near the point.

Location. Coordinates: 8°31'13"S 125°36'50"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. Note that it is about 90 mins from the dive shops and about half an hour back to Kristo Rei. Drive over “Ramos-Horta gap” and descend again to sea-level, turning left into the first navigable track. Follow this back along the seashore to the entry point, which is marked by a small hook shaped “bay” (see satellite image)

Entry. See map: Good entry point, surface swim quite short.

Profile. Hook around and head straight out (north) and down; turn east or (most probably) west and explore the sandy patches and extensive coral gardens, improving closer to the point.

Points of interest. Nudibranchs, shrimp, Banded Sea Snakes, Clown Trigger Fish, Moray Eels and a small Devil Ray (4 March 2012).

Topside. Some nice beach and shade, but be careful of security.

Secret Spot / Sacred Garden
General. Sacred Garden is a lovely dive site and generally reliable for good visibility all year round and little current.

Location. Coordinates: 8°29'18"S 125°49'53"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. This dive site is a bit hidden at 34.8 km East of Dili. It is located behind a grove of lovely palm trees; find the small dirt track leading NNW through the trees to the beach (it is not well marked). If you get to "Dollar Beach" you have gone too far.

Entry. This site has a relatively long, shallow entry. It takes some distance to get to deeper water but well worth it. Although not generally recommended for low tide dives, the site can be accessed via a sandy “path” that heads NNW from the large mangrove tree in the water on the north eastern edge of the dive site.

Profile. Straight out, left or right at various depths.

Points of interest. Variety of slope, short walls and plenty of "caves" to explore if you have a torch. Stunning gardens at 3 to 8m, right the way along the dive site. Reef sharks, Crocodilefish, spotted rays, scorpion fish, shrimp, large bats, big clams, various Nudibranchs (e.g. nembrotha cristata, phyllidia picta), lobster, flutes, lions and many others.

Topside. Plenty of shady parking and a great spot for a picnic, but beware of coconut strike and security. Good snorkelling is also available with fantastic gardens at 3 to 5m. The lip of the drop off is at about 8m, so visible from the surface when viz is good, but a fair way out.

Black Rock – Galole Hato Metac
General. Black Rock is a beautiful dive and probably the best wall dive on the mainland but it can be challenging due to the strong and frequent currents. Consult the tide charts before you go – usually the water is calmest an hour or two before high tide. Avoid neap and low tides, the latter to avoid walking on the coral. The currents should be checked from the elevated headland at the western end of Dollar Beach before entering the water. Don't dive if the water looks as if it is "boiling" or streaming around the rock. Note that there can be three different currents acting on this site at the same time and they can come up quite suddenly during a dive, so this is only recommended for experienced divers. As the current between the Rock and the mainland is often strong, be prepared to crawl back to shore (gloves are essential) or drift east and make for Dollar Beach.

Location. 36.3 km East of Dili, coordinates: 8°28'41"S 125°50'30"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. The turn off for Black Rock is just before the small headland which overlooks Dollar Beach. Turn left off the road and follow the tracks between the trees to the water, parking close in beside the western face of the headland. Alternatively, continue on to Dollar Beach and park on the eastern side of the headland, although this requires a longer surface swim.

Entry. The most popular entry is on the deeper, Eastern side of the rock (see map) in order to circle anti-clockwise around to the shallower Western side and then back to the beach. The first part of the entry is marked with a flat shelf of broken coral, then drops off into the abyss. At low tide this shallow shelf can make for a bit of a walk before it starts to get deep.

Profile. There is a great underwater horseshoe wall on the eastern face of the rock which can be clearly seen in the satellite image, dropping away to depths of 50+ meters. Beware of west to east currents at the northern tip of the horseshoe, at the point where the wall flattens out into slope (max depth here is about 20m). If currents are running, stay within the protected confines of the horseshoe and return the way you came. Take the time to explore the “cave” (deep recess) at 6 to 10 m near the entry/drop off point.

To the north and west, depths are shallower as the seabed flattens to a slope. If safe to do so, leave the horseshoe and continue around the rock in an anti-clockwise direction via the northern and western slopes to some enormous bombies at about 10–12 m, quite close to the base of the Rock, and nice coral gardens from 3–5 m on the north, west and southern sides.

Points of interest. Within the horseshoe shrimp, flutes, lobster, lion fish, pipe fish, hermit crabs, nudibranchs, eels and the small “flash light” fish in darker recesses can be regularly seen, or a spotted ray in one of the other recesses. Occasionally reef sharks, barracuda, lobster, turtles, cuttlefish and bump head parrot fish can also be observed. On the western side look out for turtles, lobster, Wide Mouth Blue Ribbon Eel and other big fish.

Topside. There are some shade trees near the water which can make for a nice picnic spot, but note security issues

Dollar Beach
General.

Location. Coordinates: 8°28'39"S 125°50'45"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map.

Entry.

Profile.

Points of interest.

Topside.

Wayne's World
General. (Needs development)

Location. Coordinates: 8°28'26"S 125°51'17"E Wikimapia Satellite Map. Eastern end of Dollar Beach, on the eastern side of the small rocky headland.

Entry. Easy, sandy entry.

Profile. Head straight out (NNE). Long swim through exposed seas to a shallow slope. If taking the western profile, be careful of the rocks when exiting.

Points of interest. Some lovely gardens with huge bombies. Eels

Topside. Plenty of shade and camping, close to the ever popular swimming, snorkelling and sun-baking Dollar Beach.

K41
General. Extremely popular with divers and snorkelers, K41 can get a little crowded on weekends and public holidays. But the shady beach, easy entry, proximity of the dive-site to the shore (a matter of metres) and the wall (with fish streaming up and down it) come slope further out plus shallow coral plateau on top are good reasons to go there if you don't mind sharing. Although one of the most protected sites, currents sometimes swirl about in the small coral bay which is clearly visible in the satellite image.

Location. Coordinates: 8°28'30"S 125°52'56"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. Drive 41 km from Dili and enter the first track at the grove of eucalyptus trees, just before a bay. Do not use the second track.

Entry. Rocky but easy entry at any tide, although it can be tricky when the seas are rough.

Profile. North: Follow the coral wall north/NE. Beware of currents as the wall flattens out however if calm continue as far round as your air allows. There is also an interesting dive to the left (NW) across grass beds that sometimes attract dugongs, to coral slope.

Points of interest. Razor fish in a bush just to the left when entering, at about 7 m. Occasional bump head parrots, barracuda, striped catfish, hermits scorpions, banded pipe fish, crabs, crayfish, flutes, trumpets, spotted rays, clown triggers, peacock gropers and ribbon eels. Plenty of angelfish, butterflyfish, bats, nudibranchs, lions, giant trevally, clowns, puffers, sergeant-majors and millions of others. Apparently there are sharks in a cave at 40 m but this author has never seen them.

Topside. The second track leads to the point at K41, which is a local sacred site. The first track takes you to some big trees with plenty of parking right next to the sand. IMPORTANT NOTE: The four little trees on the North/NE most foreshore are sacred to the Timorese as a place where the spirit of the wind lives. Non-Timorese should stay away from them, so keep west, towards the big trees and deep shade).

Be'e Hau Village aka Resort
General. Another lovely dive spot, usually but not always well protected from currents and silt.

Location. 42 km east of Dili, coordinates: 8°28'35"S 125°53'28"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. At Be'e Hau village, enter the walled beach enclosure through either of the two. The entrance is rocky and care should be taken when entering with smaller vehicles.

Entry. If the currents are favourable, walk east along the beach for about 50 m to a large tree and head into the water in a NNW direction until the bottom drops away. Alternatively head straight out (NNW) from the parking area over a sandy patch until the bottom drops away. The first few meters is rocky leading to sandy bottom and then on to coral structures.

Profile. Head straight down to your maximum depth and go east or west depending on your entry point and currents. To the West the coral cover is more expansive with small outcroppings whereas to the East, the area is characterized by larger coral outcroppings in a more sandy area.

Points of interest. Alternating small walls and sandy slopes. Big bombie at 30 m to the NNE of the car-park. A variety of wall, slope and some sandy patches at depth, but plenty of coral and fish life. Beautiful “gardens” between 10 and 3 m, right on the lip of the drop off and back to shore. Big barrel sponges, Napoleon wrasse scorpion fish, lion fish, giant clams and shrimp (particularly at night).

Topside. Shady parking, with some cement foundations that are useful for setting up on. Be prepared for lots of spectators.

Bob's Rock / Be'e Hau Forest
General. Great spot for picnic and good for snorkelers too, this dive site is well worth repeat visits, although currents and visibility can be variable.

Location. Coordinates: 8°28'36"S 125°54'33"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. After curving around a raised headland road, descend to sea-level and turn left into the forest.

Entry. Rocky entry that can be difficult, particularly when there is a swell running.

Profile. Go NNE and turn west, various depths.

Points of interest. Occasional turtles, flying gurnard (Dactylopteridae), feather duster worms, puffers, clowns and crabs, butterfly-fish, bat-fish, lions, clams, scorpion fish and a "garden" of garden eels at about 7 m at the end of the dive, near the entry point – sit well back and stay still to watch these interesting eels as they feed.

Topside. Shady parking in the forest, but parking can be limited (please think of others when you do park) and it is quite isolated if you are on your own.

Chimney (Marble Rock West)
General. Dramatic walls to 40 m or more and, as the name suggests, a chimney. Beware of currents.

Location. Coordinates: 8°28'42"S 125°55'6"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. 50m west of the Marble Rock parking area (see below).

Entry. Entry is rocky and can be difficult, but with a shorter surface swim than Marble Rock to the drop off and the chimney.

Profile. Head out on a bearing of 40° to the drop off: Good wall to depths of between 40 and 50m but flattens out above 25m with sections of wasteland, particularly above 11m, so better near the line of entry. The swim-through "chimney" is located at 340° azimuth (to be confirmed) from the centre of the rocky beach below the small tree (closest tree to the water), about 150m from shore. In addition, about 30° azimuth from the entry point at 5m is a nice sandy patch at the top of a sandy valley that continues in that direction, offering a really nice dive profile gradually descending to 18m. From there, proceed west following the 18m contour until the swim-through, then ascend to the top of the wall at 12m and return to the entry/exit point on a bearing of 160°. There are even more dramatic walls and canyons further west of the swim-through, with depths well below 40m.

Points of interest. Coral chimney swim-through and dramatic walls. Blackspotted/dog-faced puffer (arothron nigropunctatus), long-nosed butterflyfish, purple spotted jelly fish possibly venomous, clams, maori wrasse, goatfish, bats. Tons of coral on the walls and sufficient fish, but not teeming.

Topside.: Beautiful topside parking area with stunning sea and mountain views.

Marble Rock
General. This is an interesting spot with slope and a good wall, albeit quite short.

Location. Coordinates: 8°28'45"S 125°55'14"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. After passing Bobs Rock, and curving around a small headland, look for a large rock marking the small track, just prior to the road re-joining the foreshore and passing a small village.

Entry. Entry is rocky and can be difficult, both immediately in front of the carpark or further west, the former being the easiest.

Profile. Head NNW and then go west. Beware of currents.

Points of interest. White tip reef shark, yellow-lipped sea krait, lobster, puffers, big sea slugs, various nudibranchs, butterfly-fish, cuttle-fish, Ribbonfish crabs, shrimp, garden eels, puffers, lions, and a chimney with openings at 19 and 14 m.

Topside. Extremely limited parking (two cars) and not a lot of room, but good shade.

Bus Stop/The Wall
General. Although a longer surface swim, this is a stunning dive on a steep slope/wall densely covered in all sorts of coral and teeming with fish.

Location. Coordinates: 8°28'45"S 125°55'14"E Wikimapia Satellite Map. Located 46.2 km from Dili, 360m west of the entry to Marble Rock, where the road rejoins the foreshore, at the base of a small village. Park on the side of the road.

Entry. The entry to the site is rather rocky but there is a patch of sand that makes for an easier entry/exit. If the surge is bad or there is considerable wave action, make a note of this point otherwise getting out can be challenging.

Profile. Long surface swim (100m plus) straight out before the gentle slope drops away sharply into a steep slope. Turn north-west to follow the coral bulge visible in the satellite image.

Points of interest. On the rock wall you will find cup corals, and soft corals including lots of sea squirts. This is a great place for a night dive where the wall lights up with the reds and oranges from the blooming polyps of nocturnal corals. Small reef sharks and blue ribbon eels have been seen at this site as has purplemouth (?) moray eel, masked anglefish, flutefish, damsels, long-nosed butterflyfish, parrotfish and schools of fusiliers. There is plenty to see above 10m including a group of three huge and stunning "bombies" at 6 – 3m, NNE of the entry point, complete with a large tassled scorpionfish, perfect for the safety stop.

Topside. Little shade on the beach side of the road. Directly to the East there is a pebble strewn beach good for taking strolls. The area is close to the road and not very private, though.

Lone Tree / One Tree / Giant Clam
General. Good site with west and east profiles.

Location. Coordinates: 8°28'42"S 125°55'51"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. Just before rounding a rocky bluff there is a small pretty bay and beach, with a single, looking tree.

Entry. Easy entry over sandy bottom.

Profile. Head NNW, turn left or right, variety of slope and short walls. Beware of currents at the eastern point

Points of interest. Under water apostle (from NE corner of sandy patch, drop down to 27m), garden eels on the sandy patch, Flounder, small bombies on sandy bottom are very pretty, nudibranchs and millions of other fish.

Topside. No shade whatsoever.

Dirt Track aka Whale Shark Point
General. The deep water and prevalent currents bring an abundance of marine life to this dive site, however those currents can make for challenging diving here, particularly towards the easternmost point.

Location. 47.8 km east of the Government Palace. Coordinates: 8°28'37"S 125°56'21"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map.

Entry. Steep sandy bank then rocky entry, difficult if sea is rough. Entry can be gained from either the western or eastern end; the former is easier, the latter is harder and may be subject to more currents, but is the better end of the dive site

Profile. Straight off the beach (NW) and go right or the better, left profile.

Points of interest. Whales (around November) can often be seen off the coast of Dirt Track, millions of fish including nubiranchs, orangutan crab Barracuda lions, eel, masked batfish, crabs, lions, fusiliers, pipefish, scorpion fish, triggers, black sweet lips, rays, bumphead parrot fish, squid, maori or humphead wrasse, sharks, turtles and many other large fish, combined with vibrant coral, large fans corals, etc.

Topside. Little if any shade, but stunning mountain range vista and lovely sea views.

Phil's Cave
General. This little dived site is believed to be one of the few true cave dives in Timor-Leste.

Location. Coordinates: 8°29'5"S 125°57'49"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map. Go over the cliffs to K57 (see below) but park on the western edge of the bay, near the eastern end of the cliffs, near the fisherman's village. Seek permission from the residents of the house on the beach to both park and dive before proceeding.

Entry. While it is possible to swim round to the cave, it is between 500 and 600m distance. The local fishermen know where the cave is and, for a small fee, can drop divers on it and bring them back. A picture of the cave's location, taken from the western side of the cliffs, can be seen along with photos in the cave at American Dive Master – Phil's Cave.

Profile. The cave is at about 32m and highly susceptible to silt. Entry should only be undertaken by experienced divers, with serious thought about safety. Like K57, this site is very susceptible to silt from the nearby Manatuto River, particularly during the wet season (October to April)

Points of interest. Cave diving. The cliffs are covered by coral, another awesome wall, but frequently the coral is dulled by silt.

Topside. Some shade, but be respectful of the local residents.

K57
General. A wonderful site with very interesting topography and wonderful coral. However, the area is frequently subject to poor visibility thanks to the nearby Manatuto River and is best dived towards the end of the dry season (September to October).

Location. 57 km east of Dili, on the eastern end of the beach. Coordinates: 8°29'15"S 125°58'27"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map.

Entry. Straight out, entry is easier to the left.

Profile. NW, left or right although the right is better.

Points of interest. Crevices and caves (deep overhangs), razorfish, lions, cleaner shrimp, exotic nudibranchs, scorpion fish, box fish, clams, butterflyfish and many others.

Topside. Some good shade and camping areas, with plenty of parking, but beware of thorns.

Atauro
Atauro stands some 27 km off the coast of Dili, see (Wikimapia Satellite Map) and has a number of stunning dive sites with great visibility almost all year round due to the lack of run-off and the deep, deep waters (up to 3000 m) that surround it. There are a number of eco resorts on the island but none are consistently equipped with diving equipment. Most diving is done via boat from Dili.

Hand of God aka Frank's Crack aka Kitali Bay
General. One of several stunning wall dives.

Location. Coordinates: 8°12'28"S 125°33'20"E., see

Entry. N/A

Profile.

Points of interest. Stunning walls and topography, including crevices dropping away into the deep, with abundant coral cover. Turtles, large parrot fish, sea snakes, lionfish, giant trevally, clams, the occasional lobster and plenty of others,

Topside.

Adara Hill's Reef
In front of Adara Village of Atauro, closed to Frank's Crack. On the left side of the village is made up of coral outcrops surrounded by white slope of sand gardens. And, on the right side of the village is a wall with a spectacular contrast in the clear water anything, from turtle, Napoleon wrasse, white tip shark, pipe fish, leaf scorpion fish and other creatures, can be expected here.

Average depth 20 m. Max depth 40+ m. Visibility is good, approximately 10 – 30 m.

Activities at the dive site: – First dive – Dive training – Snorkelling / Free diving – Photography

Table Top
General.

Location.

Entry.

Profile.

Points of interest.

Topside.

Mission Beach
General.

Location.

Entry.

Profile.

Points of interest.

Topside.

Big Fish Rock
General. This difficult dive site at about has an abundant stock of bigger fish due to the convergence of three currents, but this is not for the feint hearted or novice divers, requiring depths of 35m or more to get to the rock, which is at about 30m. Gloves and/or reef hooks are essential, and surface marker buoys are a must. Note the danger of

Location.

Entry.

Profile. Follow the slope down through the saddle and then back up to the rock. Seek an appropriate hand hold, hang on and watch. Upon reaching maximum dive time, let go and ascend slowly, monitoring depth carefully as the strong current pushes south.

Points of interest. Big pelagics, barracuda, trevally, trigger fish, tuna, potential for sharks.

Topside. Enjoy the whale and dolphin watching.

Manta Cove
General.

Location.

Entry.

Profile.

Points of interest. Abundant and colourful coral with wonderful topography, nudibranchs, lionfish, clams

Topside.

Shark Fin Reef
General. Can suffer from strong currents.

Location.

Entry.

Profile.

Points of interest. Reef sharks and turtles are common. Spotted rays, big puffers, parrots, trevally and many other larger fish.

Topside.

Bar Stool
General.

Location.

Entry.

Profile.

Points of interest.

Topside.

North Point
Most northern point of Atauro is made up of coral outcrops surrounded by white sand gardens. A spectacular contrast in the clear water anything can be expected here.

Average depth 20 m. Max depth 40+ m. Visibility is good, approximately 10 – 30 m. Activities at the dive site: – First dive – Dive training – Snorkelling / Free diving – Photography

Com Pier
General. A really interesting shallow dive akin to a wreck dive. Note there is a sign on the pier warning of crocodiles

Location. Wikimapia Satellite Map

Entry. Off the pier can be difficult, particularly at low tide – a boat is better.

Profile. Up and down the pier and nearby debris on the seabed, maximum depth is about 14 m.

Points of interest. The many hiding holes and pylons provide habitat for eels, scorpionfish, lionfish, crabs and shrimp.

Topside. Com Beach Resort is a nice place to stay and the Com harbour is beautiful, with white sandy beaches and a few old Portuguese buildings.

Valu Reef
You need to walk to the end of fisherman village and approaching the rocks, at the edge of the fisherman village is the entry to the dive site. The entry is an easy entry on the beach, small rocks and follows by the nice coral reef garden with lots creatures to see. Average depth 15 m Max depth 28 m Current is a little bit strong Visibility is good, approximately 10 – 30 m Activities at the dive site: – Snorkelling / Free diving – Photography

Jaco Island South
General. This is a really stunning dive site, but it can only be reached by boat.

Location. Coordinates: 8°26'51"S 127°19'44"E, see Wikimapia Satellite Map

Entry. N/A

Profile. In accordance with currents/boat dive procedures.

Points of interest. The slope/sandy bottom with a channel through which a lot of marine life moves. The sandy bottom sets large bombies off beautifully. Multiple reef sharks and turtles, large Maori wrasse, parrotfish, bumpheads, remora and thousands of other fish and corals.

Topside.

Security
Sadly, break-ins and theft while divers are in the water do occur from time to time and a number of assaults against lone sun-bakers have also occurred. For a small cost, security can be organised through the dive shops Dive Timor Lorosae or FreeFlow and is well worth it for peace of mind, as well as creating some dive industry employment.

Dive Site Briefing Template
Site Details Emergency Procedures Back to Scuba diving
 * Map
 * Objective/value of diving here
 * Entry (location, tips on how to go in / leave the boat)
 * Profile, route, topography, layout, contours, bottom composition, etc.
 * Points of interest and at what depth
 * Hazards, environmental dos & don’ts
 * Normal conditions (surge, viz, etc.)
 * Exit (location, tips on how to get ashore / aboard the boat)
 * Communications
 * Nearest medical facility

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Diving in East Timor


text:
Divinópolis

Divinópolis is a city in Central Minas Gerais.

Get in
From Belo Horizonte the intercity bus Viação Teixeira has the trip for around R$55 (Dec 2021).

See
The city 's churches, especially those in the Central Region with its beautiful squares. See also some monuments, such as the Maria Fumaça do Esplanada, the Illuminated Bridge of Niterói, the sundial in Praça Candidés, the Parque da Ilha, the Parque do Gafanhoto,

title: Divinópolis


text:
Diving

There is more than one activity called Diving:

The sport of Diving, ie, jumping off high places into the water with or without acrobatic evolutions, is not considered a travel topic. The following topics are available:

 * Scuba diving - Includes Recreational and Technical Scuba Diving: Swimming underwater for extended periods breathing from a Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus for recreational purposes.
 * Snuba - Swimming underwater while breathing from a surface air supply for recreational purposes.
 * Free diving - Swimming underwater while not breathing for periods limited by the breath-hold abilities of the participant.
 * Snorkelling - Swimming mostly on the surface, breathing through a snorkel, with occasional short and shallow breath-hold underwater excursions, for recreational purposes.

See also:
 * Skydiving, a form of air sport

title: Diving


text:
Diving Aliwal Shoal

This article is intended to provide the already qualified Scuba diver with information which will help to plan dives in the waters of Aliwal Shoal, whether as a local resident or a visitor. Detailed information on individual dive sites is provided in the sub-articles linked from the Dive sites section. The information in the site descriptions ranges from superficial to highly detailed, depending on what is known about the site.

In some instances a dive site sub-article will include several sites which are in close proximity, as much of the information will be common to them all. In other cases, usually involving wreck sites, two closely adjacent sites will each have their own sub-article.

Understand
During 1849, after a ship, the Aliwal, nearly collided with an uncharted reef, its captain reported the position of this reef that later became known as the Aliwal Shoal. It is located about 60 km south of Durban in South Africa. The closest towns are Umkomaas and Scottburgh, both of which offer extensive tourist facilities, also for scuba divers.

General Topography
The Aliwal Shoal is a fossilised sand dune lying roughly parallel to the coast, about 5 km from the shore. It comprises a narrow northern part (the crown, some 250 m wide, becoming about 800 m wide and finally with a wider landward ridge to the south, greater than 2 km in width. The crown varies in depth from about 6 m (around the Northern Pinnacles) to around 30 m on the seaward side. The mean depth of the crown area is 12.5 m. The southern wider area includes several protrusions that reach from a depth of some 30 m to around 15 m (e.g. Howard's Castle, Landers Reef). In the crown area, many dive sites, e.g. Raggie Cave and Chunnel have a large amount of uneven topography with small caves, ledges and swimthroughs rich in sea life, both fish-wise as well as in invertebrates, e.g. octopus.

Climate, weather and sea conditions
The Aliwal Shoal has a subtropical climate witch mean monthly air temperatures ranging from 17.0°C (Jul) to 23.9°C (Feb). The sea temperatures tend to be somewhat warmer, due to the warm, tropical, southward-flowing Mozambique sea current, resulting in a balmy 21-26°C throughout the year. Mean monthly weather statistics at or near the Aliwal Shoal:

The period May to July has the least wind (18 to 19 days per month less than 20 km/h, i.e. small waves with breaking crests and fairly frequent whitecaps), while September to November is more windy (10-11 days less than 20 km/h).

Depending on sea current conditions, underwater visibility is sometimes strongly affected by effluent from the Sappi-SAICCOR paper mill at Umkomaas, released through a pipe that runs some 6 km into the sea just north of the shoal, venting along a considerable length of the pipe.

The shoal often has strong currents that can be from the north or from the south. This makes for fantastic drift diving.

Marine life
The Aliwal Shoal is a fossilised dune upon which coral and other sessile animals have established. It is therefore not a true coral reef comprising the calcareous remains of dead corals upon which other corals grow. It is a coral site surprisingly far from the equator, made possible by the warm southwards-flowing Mozambique current. Therefore it contains many of the subtropical and tropical species found further north. However, the hard corals are relatively rare compared to those on tropical reefs and soft corals are much more common. The same applies to the tropical fish encountered on the shoal: they are relative more sparse than on tropical reefs. However, a surprising variety of tropical fish are still found on the shoal, including many species of surgeonfish, goldies, rockcod, triggerfish, cardinals, scorpionfish, lionfish and representatives of most other tropical fish genera. The wreck of the MV Produce houses the endemic Harlequin goldie Pseudanthias connelli.

Aliwal shoal is well known for the ragged-tooth sharks Carcharias taurus mostly encountered during winter. They pup in the cold water of the Cape during summer. During May to August they migrate up the east coast of southern Africa and mate in the vicinity of the Durban on the KwaZulu-Natal coast, including the Aliwal Shoal. After mating they spend a few months along the subtropical coast of Mozambique before returning to the Cape in the early summer. They prefer to rest in holes, caves or depressions large enough to contain sharks. They frequently swim slowly in a semi-sleep condition and can bump against divers.

The shoal commonly hosts blacktip reef sharks Carcharhinus melanopterus, bull sharks Carcharhinus leucas and tiger sharks Galeocerdo cuvier, the latter often found at deeper depths. Blacktip reef sharks are the most commonly encountered animals during baited dives.

The shoal has large numbers of invertebrate species such as sponges, coral (mostly soft corals), molluscs such as octopus, cowries and nudibranchs, crustaceans such as shrimps and lobsters, as well as sea anemones.

Marine ecology
At more than 30 degrees south, the Aliwal Shoal lies at the extreme latitude at which tropical corals have been observed worldwide. The biodiversity on the shoal is shaped mainly by the amount of light that penetrates the sea water and by the physical wave action.

The shallow, northern part of the shoal with depth 6-10 m, is dominated by hard corals and sponges. Since hard corals are generally dependent on plant cells within the coral body (zooxanthellae), they are critically dependent on light for the photosynthetic products produced by the zooxanthellae. The most common hard coral species at Aliwal Shoal are the knob-horned and smooth-horned corals (Pocillopora sp. and Stylophora pistillata, respectively). The hard corals define a distinct community of animals along the top of the crown, found at dive sites such as the Northern Pinnacles and Pinnacle Ridge. The encrusting sponge Subites kelleri is also common in this area. The corals and sponges on these parts of the reef are physically robust and can withstand the wave action in shallow water.

A second distinct community on the shoal is characterised by specific soft corals, e.g. the Dead Man's Fingers (Eleutherobia aurea). These corals do not have zooxanthellae, are mostly dependent on water movement for feeding on small free-floating organisms, and cannot survive where the wave action is very strong. This community also has many sea worms (Polychaeta) and is found along the seaward as well as landward edges of the shoal at dive sites such as Raggie Sands, Blowhole and Inside Edge.

The third community is poor in distinctive corals and sponges, situated at greater depths, especially towards the southern end of the crown. However it still contains a large array of sea animals and it is easy to locate colourful nudibranchs. This area has a large abundance of algae and is found at dive sites such as North Wall and Burn Rock.

Conservation
Possible threats to the shoal include: Although the above threats are real, we know very little about the relative importance of each of them.
 * Pollution from the Sappi-SAICCOR paper mill effluent pipeline into the sea. Although it is claimed that the effluent is non-toxic, it reduces the light penetration to the coral on the reef and therefore affects the symbiotic nature of the corals and their zooxanthellae.
 * Pollution from the coast and Mkomazi River. The Mkomazi river arises in agricultural areas, the polluted runoff of which flows into the sea at Umkomaas. However, for this water to reach the shoal, a special combination of rainfall and sea currents is required and it is therefore not expected to be a frequent event. Usually this runoff is close to the shore and not far in the sea.
 * Structural damage by scuba divers. It has been claimed that the large number of scuba divers on the shoal damage the coral. However no strong evidence for this has been presented.
 * Fishing, affecting the numbers of fish on the shoal. Fishing line also entangles and damages corals. Within the crown area this has largely been alleviated by the proclamation of the Marine Protected Area (MPA).

The Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area (MPA) was proclaimed in 2004 in terms of section 77 of the Marine Living Resources Act of 1998, managed by Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife. It extends 18 km along the coast from the mouth of the Mkomazi River at 30°11.92'S; 030°48.29'E to the mouth of the Mzimayi River at 30°20.80'S; 030°43.60'E south of Scottburgh and with a width of some 5-12 km into the sea. It comprises a control zone in which limited fishing is allowed and two restricted zones where no fishing is allowed. The Crown area restricted zone, delimited the 25 m isobath around the crown, includes about 2.5 km2. The Produce restricted zone includes the wreck of the MV Produce at around 30 m. The rest of the MPA is the control zone. The MPA was expanded in 2019, but this is not expected to affect diving.

Respect
The dive sites of Aliwal Shoal are in the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area. A permit is required to scuba dive in any MPA. The permits are valid for a year and are available at some branches of the Post Office. Temporary permits, valid for a month, may be available at dive shops or from dive boat operators. The permits are valid for all South African MPAs.

Boundaries of the Aliwal Shoal Marine Protected Area are shown in the image, which also shows the Restricted zones, where in theory, no fishing or harvesting activities are allowed.

Diving is made acceptable to conservation authorities and the general public by the hands off principle. This means:
 * Respect the coral and the fish on the shoal. Do not touch the coral. Mechanical damage to the coral degrades the environment. Collecting any items from the Restricted zones (containing most the dive sites) within the Marine Protected Area constitutes a crime.
 * Respect the Ragged-tooth sharks when they are on the reef. Interference with these sharks may cause them to use less favourable places for resting and may affect their survival.

Connect
Several dive operators undertake scuba trips to the Shoal. The following are at Umkomaas or Scottburgh, close to the shoal:

Get around
The Aliwal Shoal lies close to the towns of Umkomaas and Scottburgh, about 60 km south of Durban. Both towns have ample accommodation and dive facilities and can be reached either by motorcar or by train. Prior arrangements would be required to get from the train station to accommodation or to a dive facility.

Most of the dive charter boats are large RIB's carrying 10 to 16 divers. A divemaster and skipper are generally the crew, though extra hands may be provided at the launch site to help launch the boat and move dive kit.

Equipment
Recreational scuba equipment is adequate for normal diving, since the deepest dive depth is unlikely to exceed 30 m. A DSMB and reel are advantageous. For the sites deeper than 25 m, the use of nitrox would allow a much longer bottom time.

Stay safe
At Umkomaas, inflatable boats (RIBs) with 10 to 16 seats are normally launched from the mouth of the Nkomazi River or in very calm conditions from the beach. Crossing the breakers into the sea requires strict adherence to safety procedures on a RIB. All gear including cameras need to be tied down or safely stowed. Parts of the boat trip may be rough.

The shoal frequently has strong currents or bad underwater visibility, necessitating divers to group closely and to perform drift dives. A DSMB and reel allows extra safety in the event that a diver becomes separated or lost or surfaces relatively far from a boat.

Do not closely approach sharks or touch them. Ragged-tooth sharks are not capable of directly killing a person because of their mouth structure. However, they can inflict serious wounds if they are startled or harassed. During the winter these sharks often swim slowly in a semi-sleeping state and they may therefore not swerve to avoid a diver. Keeping out of their way ensures safety. The larger Bull sharks and Tiger sharks are potentially lethal and should not be approached. (However, enjoy observing them!)

Crown area

 * Inside Edge
 * Raggies Cave
 * Chunnel
 * South Sands
 * Chunnel
 * South Sands
 * South Sands

Wrecks

 * SS Nebo wreck
 * SS Nebo wreck

Southern area

 * Tiger Ledge
 * Howard's Castle
 * Fern Reef
 * Landers Reef
 * Canyons

Read

 * Bosman C, Uken R & Smith AM. (2005) Bathymetry of the Aliwal Shoal, South Africa. South African Journal of Science 101, 255-257.
 * Peppard CRC, Davy SK & Pilling GM. (2010) The biology of coral reefs. Oxford University Press. 339pp.
 * King D & Fraser V. (2014) The Reef Guide. Struik Nature, Cape Town.
 * Bansemer, CS, Bennett MB. (2011) Sex- and maturity-based differences in movement and migration patterns of grey nurse shark, Carcharias taurus, along the eastern coast of Australia. Marine and Freshwater Research 62 (6), 596.
 * Olbers JM, Celliers L, Schleyer MH. (April 2009). Zonation of benthic communities on the subtropical Aliwal Shoal, Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. African Zoology 44(1), 8–23.
 * South African Government Gazette 26433, Notice No. 697 of 4 June 2004 Proclamation of Aliwal Shoal MPA.
 * South African Government Gazette 36646, Notice No. R110 of 3 February 2016 Modification of Aliwal Shoal MPA.
 * Barker SM, Peddemors VM, Williamson JE. (2011). A video and photographic study of aggregation, swimming and respiratory behaviour changes in the Grey Nurse Shark (Carcharias taurus) in response to the presence of SCUBA divers. Marine and Freshwater Behaviour and Physiology 44 (2), 75.

title: Diving Aliwal Shoal


text:
Diving Aliwal Shoal/Cathedral

The dive site Cathedral is an offshore rocky reef with coral on the Aliwal shoal, near Umkomaas in the Kwa-Zulu-Natal province of South Africa.

This is one of the deeper reef sites at Aliwal, and is quite spectacular.

Access
The site can only be accessed by boat. It is site is about 7.2km from the launch site at Mkomazi river mouth or 6km out from Scottburgh main beach.

Position

 * S30°15.864' E030°49.661'

This site is in a Marine Protected Area. A permit is required for access.

Depth
Maximum depth is about 29m. and the top of the surrounding reef is about 24m.

Visibility
Visibility may exceed 15m

Water Temperature
About 21°C

Topography
Cathedral is a big roundish hole on the northern seaward side of the shoal, featuring a rock bridge over one side. The hole is several metres deep and maybe 20m wide. Rocky reef to the north gets shallower in places.

Marine life
Various fish and reef invertebrates: Raggy or tasseled scorpionfish, Paperfish, Yellowmouth moray, Salt and pepper moray, Honeycomb moray, Goldie, Striped eel-catfish, Domino, Coachman, Emperor angelfish, Halfmoon rockcod, Whitespot butterflyfish, Clown triggerfish, Yellow snappers. Encrusting hard corals, Staghorn hard corals, Branched black corals, Red sea fan with purple polyps, Yellow whip coral, Branching soft corals, Green tree coral, Thistle soft coral, Striped and spotted anemone, Orange lacy false corals, Lacy white bryozoans, Dead man's fingers, Peacock mantis shrimp, Cleaner shrimps, Lobster, Blue-green sponge, Brown wall sponge, Grey volcano sponge, Yellow tip granular stars, Light brown starfish, Brown feather stars, Brown and orange spiky starfish, Nudibranchs, Spanish dancer. The site is regularly cleaned and surveyed by Crystal Divers as part of Project AWARE's Adopt a Divesite campaign.

Features
Big round pothole at the edge of the tabular reef, with a stone bridge on the east side.

Photography
When the visibility is sufficient in winter, this site allows good photography of sharks. The site is also excellent for macro-photography.

Suggested Routes
During winter do not only focus on the sharks. Observe all the other sea life around the site including shrimps, colourful nudibranchs and many fish.

Hazards
There may be sharks, as this is one of the main attractions of Aliwal shoal, but the Ragged tooth shark is not considered a significant hazard to divers if not molested or startled. During winter, several ragged-tooth sharks inhabit the Cathedral. Be careful not to startle, threaten or touch these sharks.

Skills
No special skills required.

Equipment
Conventional recreational dive gear is sufficient for diving this site. A DSMB may be useful if you have to ascend away from the dive leader.

Back to Diving Aliwal Shoal

title: Diving Aliwal Shoal/Cathedral


text:
Diving Aliwal Shoal/Eelskin ridge

The dive site Eelskin Ridge is an offshore rocky reef with coral at Aliwal Shoal, near Umkomaas in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.

Access
The site is only accessible by boat. It is about 7.2km from the launch site at the mouth of the Mkomazi river.

Position

 * S30°15.804' E030°49.415'

This site is in a Marine Protected Area (2009). A permit is required.

Depth
Maximum depth is about 24m.

Visibility
Visibility may exceed 12m

Topography
Reef slopes up from west to east (inshore to offshore) in this area, and runs roughly parallel to coast.

Conditions
This is an area which often has a slight current.

Marine life
A variety of fish and invertebrates can be seen: Turncoat hogfish, Devil firefish, Scorpionfish, Halfmoon rockcod, Crown squirrelfish, Black spotted blaasop, Yellow snapper, Barred filefish, Goldies, Blacksaddle goatfish, Clown triggerfish, Longnose butterflyfish, Moorish idol, Loggerhead turtles, Zigzag oyster, Radial sea pen/dead man's fingers, Desmarestia seaweed, encrusting coralline seaweeds, Dark grey turreted ball sponge, white encrusting colonial ascidian, branched black corals, white feathery hydroids, brown feather stars, Lobster, Striped and spotted anemones. buried sea cucumbers, cleaner shrimps, brown and orange spiky starfish, Slender brown squirts, Octopus,

Suggested Routes
Follow the divemaster.

Skills
No special skills required. Ability to deploy a DSMB recommended.

Equipment
No special equipment required. A DSMB and reel could be useful if you have to surface away from the dive leader.

Back to Diving Aliwal Shoal

title: Diving Aliwal Shoal/Eelskin ridge


text:
Diving Aliwal Shoal/Northern Pinnacles

The dive site Northern Pinnacles is an offshore rocky reef with coral at Aliwal Shoal near Umkomaas in the Kwa-Zulu-Natal province of South Africa.

Access
The site is only accessible by boat. It is about 7.2km from the launch site at the mouth of the Mkomazi river.

Position
S30°15.698' E030°49.679'

This site is in a Marine Protected Area (2009). A permit is required.

Marine life
Various fish and invertebrates can be seen: Starry moray, Strepie, Round ribbontail ray, Blackedged blaasop, White spot butterfly fish, Twotone fingerfin, Black edged butterfly fish, Shortspine porcupine fish, Honeycomb moray, Salt and pepper moray, Goldbar wrasse, Bridle triggerfish, Spotted Hawkfish, Goldies, Potato bass, Crown squirrelfish, Whitespotted boxfish, Ladder wrasse. Queen coris. Yellow radial sea pen, Tubular hydroids, Yellow jelly colonial ascidian, White soft coral, Branched black coral, Barnacles, Mottled maroon sponge, Greentree coral, Nudibranch Chromodoris africana, Turret coral,

Suggested Routes
Follow the divemaster.

Skills
No special skills required. Ability to deploy a DSMB recommended.

Equipment
No special equipment required. A DSMB could be useful if you are separated from the group and have to surface away from the dive leader.

Back to Diving Aliwal Shoal

title: Diving Aliwal Shoal/Northern Pinnacles


text:
Diving Aliwal Shoal/North Sands

The dive site North Sands is an offshore rocky reef with coral at Aliwal Shoal, near Umkomaas in the KwaZulu-Natal province of South Africa.

Aliwal shoal is probably best known for ragged tooth sharks, but is worth diving for the other marine life too.

Access
The site is only accessible by boat. It is about 7.2km from the launching site at the Mkomazi river mouth.

Position

 * S30°13.618' E030°49.645'

Aliwal Shoal is a rocky bank some 3.5 to 5 km off the south coast of KwaZulu-Natal

This site is in a Marine Protected Area (2009). A permit is required.

Depth
Maximum depth is about 20m.

Visibility
Visibility may exceed 15m

Topography
Mostly low rocky reef with gullies and overhangs, occasional swimthroughs, sand in gaps. Long overhang to the side of a strip of sand.

Marine life
Various reef and pelagic fish and a wide range of invertebrates: Diana's Hogfish, Sea goldies, Spotted ragged tooth sharks, Round ribbontail ray, Marbled electric ray, Honeycomb stingray, Yellow snappers, Dusky sweepers, Variegated lizardfish, Blackspotted blaasop, Emperor angelfish, Raggy or Tasselled scorpionfish, Old woman angelfish, Wildeperd, trumpetfish, Moorish idol, Natal seacatfish. Twotone fingerfin, Cleaner wrasse, Goldbar wrasse, Southern Right whales and Mantas may visit Orange sponges, yellow turret corals, Hermit crab, Lacy yellow bryozoan, brown sea fan, Tiger cowry, Yellow radial sea pen, anemone, Grey volcano sponges, Nudibranchs Chromodoris hamiltoni, Phyllidia varicosa, Zigzag oyster? Brown feather stars, Thistle soft coral.

Suggested Routes
Follow the divemaster and stay with the group.

Hazards
The ragged tooth sharks are not considered a significant hazard if not molested or startled.

Skills
No special skills required. Ability to deploy a DSMB is recommended.

Equipment
No special equipment is required, but a DSMB is recommended in case you get separated from the group.

Back to Diving Aliwal Shoal

title: Diving Aliwal Shoal/North Sands


text:
Diving in Chuuk

This article is intended to provide the already qualified Scuba diver with information which will help to plan dives in the waters of Chuuk in the Federated states of Micronesia, whether as a local resident or a visitor. Information is provided without prejudice, and is not guaranteed accurate or complete. Use it at your own risk.

Understand
Chuuk Lagoon is part of the larger Caroline Islands group.

The area consists of eleven major islands (corresponding to the eleven municipalities of Truk lagoon, which are Tol, Udot, Fala-Beguets, Romanum, and Eot of Faichuk group, and Moen, Fefan, Dublon, Uman, Param, and Tsis of Namoneas group) and forty-six smaller ones within the lagoon, plus forty-one on the fringing coral reef, and is known today as the Chuuk islands, part of the Federated States of Micronesia in the Pacific Ocean

The islands were originally settled more than 2000 years ago, probably from Pohnpei and Kosrae to the east, based on many legend and language similarities.

During World War II, Truk Lagoon, as it was then known, was the Empire of Japan's main base in the South Pacific theatre. A significant portion of the Japanese fleet was based there. Truk was the base for Japanese operations against Allied forces in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands. Due to its heavy fortifications, both natural and manmade, the base at Truk was known to Allied forces as "the Gibraltar of the Pacific".

Operation Hailstone was launched from the Marshall Islands, and the attack on Truk lagoon started in the early morning of February 17, 1944, and culminated in one of the most important naval airstrikes of the war. Twelve Japanese warships, thirty-two merchant ships and 249 aircraft were destroyed making the lagoon the biggest graveyard of ships in the world, although the larger warships had moved to Palau a week earlier.

General topography
Chuuk Lagoon, is a sheltered body of water in the central Pacific. North of New Guinea, it is located mid-ocean at 7 degrees North latitude. The atoll consists of a protective reef, 225 kilometres (140 mi) around, enclosing a natural harbour 79 by 50 kilometres (49 by 30 mi), with an area of 2,130 square kilometres (820 sq mi). It has a land area of 127.4 square kilometres (49.2 sq mi), with a population of 47,871 people. Following Jacques Cousteau's 1971 television documentary about the lagoon and its ghostly remains, the place became a wreck diving destination, drawing wreck diving enthusiasts from around the world to see its numerous, virtually intact sunken ships. The shipwrecks and remains are sometimes referred to as the "Ghost Fleet of Truk Lagoon". Scattered mainly around the Dublon, Eten, Fefan and Uman islands within the Truk group, a number of the shipwrecks lie in crystal clear waters less than fifteen meters below the surface. In waters devoid of normal ocean currents, divers can easily swim across decks littered with gas masks and depth charges and below deck can be found numerous human remains. In the massive ships' holds are row upon row of fighter aircraft, tanks, bulldozers, railroad cars, motorcycles, torpedoes, mines, bombs, boxes of munitions, radios, plus thousands of other weapons, spare parts, and other artifacts.

Of special interest is the wreck of the submarine I-169 Shinohara which was lost when diving to avoid the bombing. The sub had been part of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Marine ecology
The coral encrusted wrecks attract a diverse array of marine life, including manta-rays, turtles, sharks and corals. In 2007, 266 species of reef fish were recorded by an Earthwatch team and in 2006 the rare coral Acropora pichoni was identified.[

Dive sites

 * Chuuk Lagoon — wreck diving, including optional penetration, on a huge number of ship and aircraft wrecks from World War II's Operation Hailstorm.

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Respect
The ships are classified as a Japanese war grave.

Get help
Emergency services

Read
Back to Scuba diving

title: Diving in Chuuk