Dive Site: Buntings Bulge

DIVE SITE: BUNTINGS BULGE

Location:

North of Situ Island Lodge: Situated reasonably close in-shore approximately halfway up the eastern (seaward) side of Ilha Quisiva.

GPS Co-ordinates:

S 12 35’ 26.0”

E 040 37’ 56.0”

Travelling Time From Situ Island Lodge:

25 minutes

Depth, Topography and Description:

This is a wall dive which is normally done from south to north. During times of strong current the dive is taken as a drift dive in the direction ofthe current.Divers are dropped on the shallow flat reef on the in-shore side of the wallat a depth of approx 10m and then swimtowards and over the edge of the wall descending down to a maximum depth of 26 m.

At the northern end of the dive site thewall bulges out to form a large peninsula and hence the name BUNTINGS BULGE.

After approx 35 minutes it is best to ascend back up and over the top of the wall to enjoy the shallow flat coral reefs.These flat reefs are a “dive on their own” so this will give you more dive time, provide more colour and in some instances can also double up as a safety stop. Do not underestimate these shallow reefs as they are incredibly beautiful.

In summary this dive site will give you the best of two worlds by combining a fantastic wall dive with acontrasting world of colour on the flat reef above.

Expect To See:

Down the wall and on the bottom: Caves, swim throughs, arches, sea grasses of all types, giant clams, cup sponges and plate coral on the floor, giant sea fans, hawksbill turtles, moray eels, sea goldies, sweetlips, rubber lips, napoleon wrasse, humphead parrot fish, parrot fish,fire fish, trumpet fish, squirrel fish, rock cod (all types), potato bass, brindle bass, moorish idols, fusiliers, snapper, angel fish (all types), butterfly fish (all types), coachman, cleaner wrasse, parrot fish, unicorn fish, surgeon fish, porcupine fish, lyretail, clouds of sweepers, dascyllus, old woman, goldbar wrasse, and if you turn your back to the wall and look out into the blue you may see barracuda, king fish, gt’s, and other game fish.

In the shallows above the wall : a massive carpet of soft and hard corals of all shapes, sizes and colours, giant clams, and in addition to above you will see triggerfish, toby’s, blue spotted rays, porcelain shrimp, harlequin shrimp, cleaner shrimp, crayfish, lizard fish, six strip soap fish, batfish, jumping bean, hawkfish, domino, chocolate dip, clown fish, blue pete, goat fish, humbug, coral beauty, gorgeous gussy, turncoat hog fish, blotch eye soldiers, damsels, fire goby, spotted bristletooth, dusky cherub, etc.

Comment and Suggestion:

Do this dive as a first dive and then follow with a shallower second dive after enjoyinga suitable sit time enjoying sandwiches, snacks and beverages on the beach of one of the nearby islands. The sand spit on the north western point of Ilha Quisiva is ideal for this at mid to low tide or anchor close in at CORAL GARDEN or ARIELS GARDEN for your second dive

DIVE SITE:COLLOSSEUM

Location:

North of Situ Island Lodge: Approx 1km directly north of BUNTINGS BULGE along the same contour: Situated in the “mouth” midway between Ilha Quisiva and Ilha Mefunvo.

GPS Co-ordinates:

S 12 34’ 08.3” E 040 37’ 10.6”

Travelling Time From Situ Island Lodge:

30 minutes

Depth, Topography And Description:

This is a north : south wall dive which can be done in both directions.The current is mainly side on in the direction of the tidal movement.Divers are dropped on the shallow flat reef on the in-shore side of the wall at a depth of approx 10m and then swim towards and over the edge of the wall descending down to a maximum depth of 27 m. On an incoming tide the swim towards the wall can be strenuous but once you go down the wall the current is negligible. Vice versa the current can be quite strong along the top of the wall at the end of the dive when the tide is going out.

The wall is punctuated with a number of caves and needle like structures. Some caves have chimneys that rise up and come out on top of the wall. This is a very similar dive to BUNTINGS BULGE but the caves and needle like structures add character. It is also subject to more current and suspended sand sediment in the water due to its situation in the main tidal stream between two islands.

As for BUNTINGS BULGE, after approx 35 minutes it is best to ascend back up and over the top of the wall to enjoy the shallow flat coral reefs. These flat reefs are a “dive on their own” so this will give you more dive time, provide more colour and in some instances can also double up as a safety stop. Do not underestimate these shallow reefs as they are incredibly beautiful.

In summary this dive site will give you the best of two worlds by combining a fantastic wall dive with a contrasting world of colour on the flat reef above.

Expect To See:

Down the wall and on the bottom: Caves, swim throughs, arches, sea grasses of all types, giant clams, cup sponges and plate coral on the floor, giant sea fans, hawksbill turtles, moray eels, sea goldies, sweetlips, rubber lips, napoleon wrasse, hump head parrot fish, parrot fish, fire fish, trumpet fish, squirrel fish, rock cod (all types), potato bass, brindle bass, moorish idols, fusiliers, snapper, angel fish (all types), butterfly fish (all types), coachman, cleaner wrasse, parrot fish, unicorn fish, surgeon fish, porcupine fish, lyretail, clouds of sweepers, dascyllus, old woman, goldbar wrasse, and if you turn your back to the wall and look out into the blue you may see barracuda, king fish, gt’s, and other game fish.

Comment:

Do this dive as a first dive and then follow with a shallower second dive after enjoying a suitable sit time enjoying sandwiches, snacks and beverages on the beach of one of the nearby islands. The sand spit on the north western point of Ilha Quisiva is ideal for this at mid to low tide.

DIVE SITE:ILHA QUISIVA LAGOON

Location:

North of Situ Island Lodge: Situated in the lagoon area between Ilha Quisiva and Ilha Mefunvo.

GPS Co-ordinates:

S 12 35’ 15.98”

E 040 35’ 51.87”

Note: This is one central point chosen in the lagoon as a reference point to work from.

Travelling Time From Situ Island Lodge:

35 minutes

Depth, Topography And Description:

Given that the tidal shift is 3,50m the depth of the dive can be anywhere between 3m and 6,5m. The lagoon is littered with a number of rocky outcrops called “BOMMIES”. Each bommies is surrounded by an eco system supporting a number of fish and crustaceans. The best is to choose an area that has a number of bommies and follow a route from one to another. This is also an ideal snorkeling route and dive site forstudent scuba divers. It is often used as a second dive and gives one the opportunity for honing photography skills as well as a long dive time.

Expect To See:

Giant clams, moray eels, sea goldies, sweetlips,trumpet fish, moorish idols, angel fish, butterfly fish, coachman, wrasse, parrot fish, porcupine fish, anemone fish, pipe fish and many more. There are also crayfish, harlequin shrimp, and other crustacheans. Due to the number of pipe fish it is believed that there is a possibility that sea horses can be found somewhere in the lagoon, but this is unsubstantiated.

Comment:

This site caters for snorkelers and beginners who are able to view the life around the bommies from the surface. Scuba divers have the advantage of remaining on the bottom and exploring the macro life under and around the base of the bommies. There is a surprising amount of quality macro items to view and an abundance of small tropical fish.

If the tide is high it is ideal to return to Situ Island Lodge around the back of Ilha Quisiva.

This dive is normally done as a second dive after enjoying breakfast on the Ilha Quisiva Sand Spit.

DIVE SITE: ARIELS GARDEN

Note: This is a beautiful dive, second only to CORAL GARDEN.

Location:

North of Situ Island Lodge: Situated close in-shore approximately halfway up the eastern (seaward) side of Ilha Quisiva.

GPS Co-ordinates:

S 12 35’ 44.1”

E 040 37’ 58.9”

Travelling Time From Situ Island Lodge:

20 minutes

Depth, Topography and Description:

This is a shallow dive that does not exceed 10m. The bottom is carpeted with a continuous array of colourful soft and hard corals as well tropical fish. The viz here is normally in excess of 25m and when the sun shines the colour display is spectacular, hence the name given to the reef.

Expect To See:

Massive carpets of soft and hard corals of all shapes, sizes and colours, giant clams, triggerfish, toby’s, blue spotted rays, porcelain crabs, harlequin shrimp, crayfish, lizard fish, six strip soap fish, batfish, jumping bean, hawkfish, domino, chocolate dip, clown fish, blue pete, goat fish, coral rock cod, etc.

Plus, most of the fish you will find at BUNTING SBULGE.

Comment and Suggestion:

Do this dive as a second dive as it will give you more dive time. Also ideal for snorkeling at low tide.

DIVE SITE: CORAL GARDEN

Comment: This is an incredibly beautiful site: untouched perfect examples of corals and sponges that are in such abundance making this a premier dive location.

Location:

North of Situ Island Lodge: Situated close in-shore approximately halfway up the eastern (seaward) side of Ilha Quisiva.

GPS Co-ordinates:

S 12 35’ 18.2”

E 040 37’ 39”

Travelling Time From Situ Island Lodge:

20 minutes

Depth, Topography and Description:

Expect To See:

Massive carpets of soft and hard corals of all shapes, sizes and colours, giant clams, triggerfish, toby’s, blue spotted rays, porcelain crab, harlequin shrimp, crayfish, lizard fish, six strip soap fish, batfish, jumping bean, hawkfish, domino, chocolate dip, clown fish, blue pete, goat fish, coral rock cod, etc.

Black spotted electric ray, plus most of the fish you will find at BUNTING SBULGE.

Comment and Suggestion:

Although this is a shallow dive it should be regarded as your main dive of the day. Photography is a must due to the colour, light and model specimens of coral. Also ideal for snorkeling.

DIVE SITE:SKATING RINK

Location:

South of Situ Island Lodge: Situated approximately halfway between the point of Situ Island and Ponto do Diaboin the direction of Pemba.

GPS Co-ordinates:

Exact location still to be recorded. Somewhere in the vicinity of “GRIMMERS GROVEL”

Travelling Time From Situ Island Lodge:

10 minutes

Depth, Topography And Description:

Situated in the shallow bay area the site does not exceed 10 to 12m. Although the bottom is a flat reef it is characterised by many bommies, outcrops and crevices making it a haven for various types of fish. It is a localized area so the dive group normally splits into buddy pairs who then follow their own routes and patterns before meeting up again to ascend as a group. During the dive you will cross over the same points a number of times from different directions but it will always remain interesting.

Expect To See:

The site was named after the large amount of blue spotted rays that dart across the reasonably flat bottom. Also expect to see moray eels, sweetlips,trumpet fish, squirrel fish, coral rock cod, potato bass, moorish idols, fusiliers, angel fish, butterfly fish, coachman, wrasse, parrot fish, surgeon fish, porcupine fish, colourful starfish.

Occasionally there is a pod of dolphins in the area. During whale season you will clearly hear the whales calling.

Comment:

Due to its close proximity to the Lodge it is an ideal dive to do if you want to go out for a quick excursion. It is also very useful to do as a second dive on the way back to the lodge from a remote site.

DIVE SITE:SPONGE GARDEN

Location:

South of Situ Island Lodge: Situated around Ponto do Diabo in the direction of Pemba.

GPS Co-ordinates:

S 12 45’ 30.25”

E 040 38’ 13.77”

Note: These co-ordinates still to be verified. The skipper must drop you in a depth of approx 20m. The site is directly off a bigger sand “dune” on shore.

Travelling Time From Situ Island Lodge:

20 minutes

Depth, Topography And Description:

This is a very flat reef around 20m deep. The bottom is barren and appears to be sand but it is in fact lightly corrugated rock. Scattered in all directions are small stand alone “clumps” of cup sponges. The sea life around each “clump” is limited to individuals or small groups of fish of a very high quality. The dive group normally splits into buddy pairs who then follow their own routes swimming from “clump” to “clump”.

Expect To See:

Inside each cup sponge is a surprise, be this a porcupine fish, butterfly fish, domino’s, angel fish or a Toby. Also expect to see sweetlips, trumpet fish, moorish idols, fusiliers, angel fish, butterfly fish, coachman, wrasse, and colourful starfish.

This site is also characterised by the number of crayfish and harlequin shrimp that live in and around each “clump” of cup sponges.

Comment:

If you are doing this as a seconddive, make sure you have done adequate sit time as the bottom is a flat continuous reef of 20m deep on average. The reef may seem to be barren but it becomes very interesting when you focus in and spend some time around each “clump” of cup sponges.

DIVE SITE: AQUARIUM

Location:

North of Situ Island Lodge: Situated close in-shore between the Camel Rock and western side of Ilha Quisiva. Just behind where the waves brake. If you draw a line from Camel Rock and the western side of Ilha Quisiva it is at the point where the 2 lines will meet.

GPS Co-ordinates:

S 12 39’ 30.8”

E 040 37’ 48.3”

Travelling Time From Situ Island Lodge:

10 minutes

Depth, Topography and Description:

This is a shallow dive that does not exceed 10m. Better to dive at high tide as there is quite a bit of surge during low tide. Lots of bommies, outcrops and crevices and sand patches in between. The bommies are carpeted with a continuous array of colourful soft and hard corals as a lot of various tropical fish. It feels like you are swimming in an aquarium. The viz here is in excess of 20m.

Expect To See:

Massive carpets of soft and hard corals of all shapes, sizes and colours, triggerfish, toby’s, blue spotted rays, porcelain shrimp, harlequin shrimp, crayfish, lizard fish, six strip soap fish, batfish, jumping bean, hawkfish, domino, chocolate dip, clown fish, blue pete, goat fish, coral rock cod, etc.

Comment and Suggestion:

Do this dive as a second dive as it will give you more dive time. Also ideal for snorkeling at low tide. Also very close to camp and ideal for novices.

DIVE SITE:PLANT GARDEN

Location:

South of Situ Island Lodge: Situated approximately 500m from the point of Situ Island on the way to Punto Diabo in the direction of Pemba. Can see the Managers house from there, the dive site is not yet completely out of the bay. If you look NE from Manager’s house towards camel Rock, it is in line with the manager’s house.

GPS Co-ordinates:

Still to be verified

Travelling Time From Situ Island Lodge:

Less than 5 minutes

Depth, Topography And Description:

Situated in the shallow bay area the site does not exceed 10 m. Characterised by many plants, sea weed, bommies, outcrops and crevices making it a haven for various types of fish. Lots of different fish, from tropical fish to game fish.

Expect To See:

Lot of plants and fish in and around the bommies and outcrops, very different to other dive sites, shallow dive but full of life. Expect to seescorpion fish, king fish, sweetlips, trumpet fish, squirrel fish, coral rock cod, moorish idols, fusiliers, angel fish, butterfly fish, coachman, wrasse, parrot fish, surgeon fish, porcupine fish, Nudibranchs, and many more.

Comment: