Scuba Diving Ils de Pins, New Caledonia – Faille de Noupa, Ils de Pins, New Caledonia

Dive Site: Faille de Noupa
Location: Ils de Pins, New Caledonia
Description: Reef
Depth: 11 – 45 metres (36 – 148 feet)
Visibility: 30 metres + (100 feet)

Faille de Noupa dive site is a 15 minute boat ride from the Kunie Scuba Centre at Vao. The local Melanesian inhabitants still refer to the island as Kunie, the local name of the Ils de Pins (Isle of Pines). The short journey to the site was made on an 11 metre ridged inflatable before being dropped over a large reef plateau of around 11 metres depth. At the edge of the plateau the wall drops down to a maximum depth of 45 metres where there is a sand sea floor with large coral heads. On the reef wall itself there are large red gorgonian fan corals and the viz is excellent at a good 30 metres or more. Tuna and trevally hang in the open water and dense groups of small chromis and damselfish swim all over the upper reef slopes. At the ascent over the plateau where there are layer upon layer of stunning blue acropora and stony corals; oranges, blues, pinks and yellows glisten in the sun which easily penetrated to 10 metres.

After many of the morning dives from Ils de Pins divers can head for a surface interval in the ‘blue lagoon’, the worlds largest natural lagoon. The light blue water is almost blinding and the sheer size astounding. Whilst here, it is possible to wade from the boat to the small sandy beaches which surround the lagoon.

Scuba Diving in Cuba, Caribbean – Jardin de las Gorgonias (Gorgonian Garden), Maria la Gorda, Cuba

Dive Site: Jardin de las Gorgonias (Gorgonian Garden)
Location: Maria la Gorda, Cuba
Description: Reef / gorgonian garden
Depth: 15 metres (50 feet)
Visibility: 30 metres (100 feet)

A shallow garden with an abundance of gorgonians. There is also a proliferation of other sponges and coral as well as the gorgonians. Marine fish consist of yellow tailed snapper, very large green moray and nurse shark. In the sandy patches white fish dart into their burrows and also huge Nassau groupers, balloonfish, and boxfish can be found.

Scuba Diving in Cuba, Caribbean – El Ancla del Pirata, Maria La Gorda, Cuba

Dive Site: El Ancla del Pirata (the Pirate’s Anchor)
Location: Maria la Gorda, Cuba
Description: Wall with wide sandy channels
Depth: 18 metres + (60 feet)
Visibility: 25 metres (80 feet)

The dive starts with a cruise along the wall close to the top, passing by the swim-throughs. A few barracuda were swimming can be seen nearby and there are also groupers close by. One also comes across stonefish. On the reef are some healthy coral and spectacular gorgonians. The wall itself is not as sheer as at the other wall sites and the channels are more widely interspersed with rocky outcrops breaking them up. As divers cross the sand at the top of the wall to the reef they can pass over a couple of sand eel gardens before hitting the shallow reef that is home to all the usual reef fish as well as an abundance of barrel sponges.

Scuba Diving in Cuba, Caribbean – Yemaya, tunnel and wall, Maria La Gorda, Cuba

Dive Site: Yemaya
Location: Maria la Gorda, Cuba
Description: Wall and tunnel
Depth: 30 metres + (100 feet)
Visibility: 30 metres (100 feet)

In the Santeria religion, an African religion practised in Cuba, Yemaya is the Goddess of the sea. The dive starts on a near vertical wall and finishes on the shallow reef that tops the wall at about 12 metres. The boat waits for divers to surface in the shallows where the reef becomes patchier. Within the wall there are deep gouges that make good tunnels for divers to explore. All sorts of obscure sponges line the tunnels and the wall including elephant’s ear, barrel and many other encrusting or bulbous forms. The coral growth is equally diverse with beautiful sea fans, staghorn, black, whip and elkhorn varieties on display. Pelagics can be seen on the wall where there are also tuna and a jacks as well. Leaving the final tunnel there are purple vase sponges with colourful shrimps in them. Away from the wall there are barracuda. Other marine life in the reef include creole wrasse, blennies, gobies, squirrelfish sheltered among the rocks also there are triggerfish and grey angelfish.

Scuba Diving in the Red Sea – Shadwan Island (Shaker Island) – north wall, reef, N. Hurghada

Dive Site: Shadwan Island (Shaker Island) – north wall
Location:North Hurghada
Description: Reef / drift
Depth: 6 metres (20 feet) to very deep!
Visibility: 30 metres (100 feet)

Shadwân, or Shaker Island as it’s sometimes referred to, was pretty much never dived and certainly never featured as a recognised set of dive sites in the mid 1990’s.
The eastern reef protrudes a large distance from the island shore itself and according to admiralty charts drops away on a reasonably shallow slope at first before plunging into the depths. It seems, of late, that restrictions have relaxed significantly so one can get a chance to dive some of the reefs around the north east side of Shadwân.

One may come across a group of grey pilot whales or a pod of dolphins. The upper reef is literally teeming with life in places – snappers, antheas and sweepers jostle for a place on the reef and large shoals of blue lunar fusiliers. Huge gorgonian fan corals, some of the largest grow from the wall in large numbers. Also hawk mouthed turtle can be encountered.

Scuba Diving in the Red Sea – Sha’ab Umm Usk, Reef

Dive Site: Sha’ab Umm Usk

Location: 27°35.130N; 33°52.270E

Description: Reef / night dive

Depth: 9 metres (30 feet)

Visibility: 30 metres (100 feet)

A popular night mooring spot with the safari boats. It is a horseshoe shaped reef with the open ends of the horseshoe pointing south.

It is advisable to keep night dives in the Red Sea small. This site is unlikely to be affected by current. Spanish dancers can be seen here on many night dives, and shoals of lunar fusiliers around dusk come in close to the reef for shelter. The normal clearfin lionfish should be out hunting and there is also a healthy population of featherstars.

The day dive can be quite good moving along the sand bed, peppered with coral heads, with the wall on the left. Usually the boat is moored in the lagoon entrance and the depth under the boat can be around 25m. On day dives you quite often see several large Napoleon wrasse and large clams are dotted around. As dolphins quite often play in the lagoon these are sometimes encountered as well.

During the day the best return to the boat is shallow at around 6-8m, so the swim hits the corner. Here a profusion of soft teddy bear corals are draped over the walls. This wall comes alive at night. The night dive starts from the lagoon, across old coral on the sand until the wall is encountered. Usually the dive starts on the corner which is turned and the reef is on the right, return is reciprocal. It is advisable not to venture too far along the wall as current can be encountered going out.

The coral heads off the wall are fantastic at night with a dense mass of deep red teddy bear corals. Look closely for the white ghost crabs. Shrimps eyes can be seen everywhere, and many small crabs. Many blennies, sleeping parrotfish, hermit and anemone crabs abound. Numerous scorpionfish are about, as are lionfish in places. The sand areas around hold stonefish. On return, going back to the corals at 6-8m, these present a wonderous sight with polyps full out feeding. Yellow anthozoa are out feeding their tentacles very delicate. The profusion, richness and colours of the teddy corals is stunning, with lilac, oranges, reds, and pinks. Also gorgonian fan corals can be viewed here.