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Pemba
has some of the most spectacular diving
in the world. The Pemba channel itself,
separates Shimoni in Kenya from Pemba
Island. The channel runs deep until
it approaches the Pemba coastline
and then begins a dramatic rise creating
a sheer wall off the coast. Diving
is conducted on the western side and
is characterised by crystal clear,
blue water drop-offs along with pristine
shallow reefs. Hard and soft coral
gardens abound with schools of coral
fish, pelagic marine life, mantas
and turtles. |
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Max
Depth: 30m
The average visibility on this reef
is 30m and derives its name from the
green coral covering the reef. It is
located on the Southern most point of
Pemba and subject to strong currents.
There is a gentle slope from 7 - 30m
where many large brown marbled grouper
are found. Most varieties of fish life
are found between 20 – 25m. A
large school of giant barracuda frequent
the area. On occasion hammerhead sharks
have been seen. |
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Max
Depth: 14m Wreck
A shallow dive on an old 100m long Greek
freighter called the Paraportiani which
sunk in 1969 lying on an inside passage
between the outer and inner reefs. Can
only dive on a slack low or a slack
high. A great variety of fish, with
hundreds of glassfish, a resident juvenile
napoleon wrasse, abundant unicorn fish
of different types, lionfish and trevally.
Also full of diverse marine life such
as crabs, nudibranchs, sponges and corals. |
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Max
Depth: 20m
A large flat reef on the edge of the
Pemba Channel, 20 m+ depth. Best for
experienced divers as strong currents
are common. Scattered unspoilt corals
richly inhabited by diverse marine life.
Look out for lobster, octopus and moray
eels hiding amongst the bommies surrounded
by large schools of trevally, surgeon
fish and fusiliers. |
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Max
Depth: 40m
Experienced divers only!! Drop into
the blue and get swept along Misali's
Southern Channel. You need eyes in the
back of your head for this dive as the
possibility of reef sharks, barracuda
and giant rays is high. |
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Max
Depth: 30m+
An interesting undulating reef set on
a sandy slope on Misali's South-western
edge. A series of coral hillocks extend
from the top of the reef at 8 - 10 m
depth to the bottom at more than 30
m. The corals are home to torpedo rays,
moray eels and lobsters along with many
reef fish while the sandy valleys are
home to schools of surgeon and unicorn
fish, roaming napoleon wrasse and large
spotted eagle rays. This area is in
dolphin territory and you can often
hear a pod of friendly spinners nearby. |
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Max
Depth: 45m
The coral garden runs North - South
mainly conducted as a drift dive. Consists
of a multitude of different corals all
in extremely good condition. At its
Southernmost point the corals might
not be at their best but turtles can
be sighted here. The whole site has
at lest three resident Napoleon Fish
varying in size. Excellent fish life
all around this reef. |
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Max
Depth: 45m+
Rose coral dominates this beautiful
mountainous site to which are attracted
some unusual fish such as the leaf fish.
Octopus and lobsters can be seen here
and manta rays have been spotted passing
through the area. Depths reach 80 m.
Many other game fish such as dog tooth
tuna, rainbow runner and trevally hunt
on the mountain and blue striped fusiliers
abound. |
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Max
Depth: 45m+
A wall dive dropping to 45 m with large
gorgonians and fan corals adorning its
sides. This site has also had sightings
of manta rays, big shoals of barracuda
and sharks. Giant triggerfish live here
in large numbers. They are Pemban triggers
and are not aggressive. |
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Max
Depth: 40m
Spectacular sheer wall dropping to over
40 m with breathtaking overhangs and
numerous fish such as moorish idols,
butterfly and angelfish hiding amongst
the black corals commonplace in this
area. Large groupers and napoleon wrasse
can be spotted at depth. Plenty of life
in the shallows with thousands of goldies
playing amongst the large coral bommies. |
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Max
Depth: 40m+
The coral on the North wall is in excellent
condition with large gorgonians and
fan corals surrounded by the thousands
of ever-present goldies. Manta and spotted
eagle rays are known to frequent the
area as well as giant reef rays and
hawksbill and green turtles. Schools
of tuna and barracuda and large napoleon
wrasse have been seen here. |
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Max
Depth: 30m+
A deep wall from 7 m to 100m + covered
in seawhips and gorgonian fans with
a giant overhang hence the name. Look
out for large napoleon wrasse, big mackerel,
jackfish and large numbers of fusiliers. |
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Max
Depth: 40m+
Strong currents can be present and as
on many dives in Pemba only recommended
for experienced divers. The reef lies
from 5 m to 40 m +. Shallow caverns
and sheer wall faces make up the topography
of this wall with superb coral formations
and plentiful fish life. Kingfish, jacks,
barracuda and napoleons are present
with humphead parrotfish and sweetlips
swimming around the yellow fans. |
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Max
Depth: 40m
A coral pinnacle reaching up from 40
m to within 8 m of the surface situated
just outside the mouth of Fundu Gap.
The pinnacle is covered in beautiful
dense corals and drops dramatically
on its Western side. The abundance of
fish on this reef makes it a superb
dive, one of the best. Circling the
pinnacle you can watch the behaviour
of large jack fish, schools of surgeonfish
and fusiliers, the occasional reef shark
and turtle. |
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Max Depth: 15m
The top of Mandela Wall is between
8 to 15 m deep and drops dramatically
to 200 m + in some parts. The vertical
drop is adorned with gorgonian sea
fans and whip corals. Keep eyes peeled
for large pelagics and also for the
beautiful manta ray passing by. |
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Max Depth: 18m
Njao Gap North is a beautiful coral
garden starting at 5 m and sloping
down to 18 m before dropping away
into the deep blue of the wall. Resident
green and hawksbill turtles are a
common sighting and the currents can
be strong and exhilarating. Njao Gap
South is best dived using the Northerly
current to sweep you inside. Drift
dive this reef with large Napoleon
Wrasse and look out for more turtles
in the cabbage corals which abound.
As you enter the gap look out for
Manta Rays as the bottom again drops
away to form a breathtaking immense
vertical wall reaching un-diveable
depths. |
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