Nassimo Thila

Accessible to open water certified divers, however to completely explore the dive site it is ideal for advanced divers. A nitrox profile will definitely extend your bottom time to explore the overhangs which encircle 75% of the site and stretch from depths of 25-30 meters of depth on the eastern side of this dive site. The shallowest top reef ranges approximately 15-18 meters in-depth, with the coral outcrops or pinnacles starting from 18 meters and dropping to depths of up to 30 meters at different parts of the dive site.

This dive site was first protected on the 21st October 1999 under directive number 10-C/99/88. The site was given protected status as an attempt to conserve the unique features. The best condition for this dive site is with a medium-strength outgoing current, entries are done in the blue, and divers are advised to quickly descend with buddies or with their instructor on the northeastern side of the site.

On a good descent, divers generally wait near the coral outcrops as Giant travelly aka (GT’s) and Dogtooth Tuna are hunting and gathering the enormous fish ball of fusiliers, a hunt could happen at any moment. When the GTs and Dogtooths charge at a fish ball it is an incredible moment to witness underwater. The sound of hundreds of fish moving through the water will cause divers to pause in this moment and soak up the magical experience. As divers drift closer to the massive coral outcrops, the sheer size of rock formation teeming with soft corals, sponges and the diversity of fish life.

In a distance, the next coral block starts to appear this rock formation looks like a fallen wing it stands upright on aside. It’s a kaleidoscope of soft corals yellow blue pink reds most 5 to 6 inches in length suspended and adrift in the currents. Red snappers and schools of oriental sweetlips are observed in this area and the next block as well.

If you have plenty of air and a good bottom time left with your nitrox profile it would be ideal not to make the turn as mentioned above and continue drifting to reach the overhang section of the reef. Underneath or the ceiling of these overhangs are covered in soft corals and the bottom is a garden of sea whips and Gorgonia ‘s. Schools of bluestripe snapper which I love to call Lutjanus kasmira are abundant on this section of the reef they bring such an amazing vibrant feeling to the reef. Divers usually drift close to the reef and head towards the shallow part of the top reef and your dive time would have reached to 45 to 50mins by now its time to shallow up and go to the top reef if you are lucky enough you would end up with a Green Turtle and drift to your safety stop from here onwards.