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South Africa Indian OceanAll Divers meet and join there Dive boats from Miller's Point.These boat dives can be booked from any of the dozens of Dive shops in and around Cape Town.To reach Millers point you take the coastal road through Simonstown.The turnoff is signposted to the left.and immediately visible is the large tarred parking area.Here you kit up and proceed down to the slipway.All the dive boats leave from here to get one of the dozen or so frequented boat dive sites.
Outer Castle.This is the boat dive in line with the shore dive Castle Rock hence named outer Castle.
About a 15-20min boat trip form Millers.The dive starts around a large rock a couple of meters below the surface.Average depth about 15-20 meters.You can swim around the Rock or swim off along one of the rock gully's that run off shoreward and seaward.Large Gorgonian sea fans line the ridges and attached them the magnificent Basket stars.Fish follow the divers waiting for a snack,some divers feed them,but remember this is against the law.
The rock is bell shaped and a small air filled cavity exists,just big enough for two heads. Always fun to pop in with a buddy and have a chat.
Note with all dives done around the Peninsula a annual recreatinal scuba diving permit is required
more info about Outer Castle-False Bay-Cape Peninsula including maps, reviews, and ratings...
South Africa Indian OceanPyramid Rocks is situated just before Castle rocks on the road to the Cape Point Nature Reserve.Travelling from Cape town you will pass through Fishhoek and Simons town.After the Millers Point turn off the road dips and then climbs again at the bottom off the dip is a pull off area for about 2 vehicles.This is the Parking
,you kit up here and walk down the path to the right to the dive entry spot
The area around Pyramid Rocks cleans up with a North westerly and South Westerly wind,and on good days the viz is more than 20 meters.The Top of the Pyramid shaped rock can be seen breaking the surface in the distance,this is a long snorkel out to the rocks.
This area has been a marine reserve for years so all the Delights of False bay can all be seen in one dive.There are quite a few different fish species the obvious are the Red Roman,John Brown,the Cape Knife jaw,Zebra's,Streepies and of course the National fish the Galjoen.Three species of shy shark,Pyjama,Gully shark and Soupfin are regularly spotted the juvenile Dusky's put in a rare appearance.
The Attraction of this dive sight are the Seven gill spotted cow sharks,These slow swimming prehistoric looking sharks cruise lazily around the area between the shore and the Pyramid.Broad snouted they can get up to 3 meters in length.they have the unnerving habit of swimming straight at divers .the divers always give way.Potentially dangerous there have been no incidents of attack or aggression at this dive site.
Large orange wall sponges jut out along the walls and thousands of micro organisms create stunning colours along the dive.Gas flame Nudibranchs and the cape dorid are some of the numerous nudibranchs to be seen.
On one occasion we had to stop and wait for a whale to swim passed on our swim out,Also spotted here is the Cape Clawless otter.
more info about Pyramid Rocks -False bay-Cape Peninsula including maps, reviews, and ratings...
South Africa Indian OceanSardin Run Shou
more info about Wild Coast including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United Kingdom AtlanticSheltered Scottish loch - loads of colourful marine life.
Viz can be affected by freshwater runoff.
Typically green water.
more info about Loch Hourn including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Mexico PacificSea of Cortez
more info about La Paz including maps, reviews, and ratings...
French Polynesia PacificSchool of Jacks chasing away a grey reef shark. Check out the love bites on this pregnant beauty!
more info about Bora Bora including maps, reviews, and ratings...
French Polynesia PacificSafety stop ring bubble
more info about French Polynesia including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United Kingdom AtlanticWeather dependent but potential for fantastic green temperate water diving.
Unspoilt and isolated.
more info about Isle of Lewis. including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Pakistan Arabian SeaShores of Karachi
Korangi creek
This is the only beach in the whole Karachi which is safe to use for water sports round the year. Its protected shallow water, the beautiful surrounding mangroves forest makes it look like a paradise.
During the time of British Empire “Dogs and locals” were not allowed. Ironically still even after the so called independence locals are not allowed to go to the beach yet. In early 90’s the Pakistan Air force spent millions of dollars to set up wind surfing club. One of the hangers was converted into storage facilities for wind surfers, Catamarans and rescue boats. Special slip way (ramp) was constructed for convenient of loading and off loading boats and boards. Since the excess was restricted t Karachites. The club with its all glory did not survive more then couple of years.
DHA Encroachment wall.
This wall is artificially created to grab the land from the nature; this swampy land was nesting ground for migratory birds, and the home for fishing communities. Fisherman’s families were living for centuries had been slowly evicted in order to build a colony for soldiers, large inter tidal area and the sandy beaches had been converted in to prize land for obscene profit making schemes with total disregard for ecology, and environment. Consequently, to day Bunder Island is under the threat of sinking, Gizri Creek entrance had been blocked, not far in future mangroves will pay the ultimate price. Some expert said “that over a period of time, The Landhi and Korangi industrial area could come under the threat of flooding by sea water”.
The second largest marina club was design to provide water sports for karachiits. Unfortunately the major investment of building and operating this club was phenomenal cost. along this DHA marina club there were 40 other plots were designs for general public to built there sea front water sports club. But the position of the plots never handed over to the civilians. Ironically this marina club did not have floating marina.
Clifton Beach
Clifton is the safest beach of Karachi city, the gentile slope takes hundreds of meters before it gets four feet deep, even during the monsoon people can play around safely and have fun.
This beach has blackish soft sand; the Oysters rocks consist of three islands use to be a paradise for scuba divers, the rich fauna and flora around the islands was attractive site for safe diving and bottom fishing... In early fifties and sixties we could see a flourishing colony of Sea horses. Over the period the pollution slowly destroyed the habitats of the marine life, the underwater visibility use to be 30 feet has reduced to 5ft. after the disaster of Tasman Sprit it not safe for scuba diving in this area.
The two sources of the pollutions which brings millions of gallons of polluted water to the Clifton beach are, One from the west, the entrance of Keamari harbor with each out going tide every day. The source is Neher-e- Khayam of Boat Basin pouring millions of gallons of raw sewage every day, which mixes up with the industrial pollutant from Layari River ends up on the Clifton beach and the other source is Gizri creek pouring millions of gallons of industrial pollutant from Landhi, Korangi industrial area, and the Bhance colony, through Malir River, and the Korangi creek.
Manora Island
Manora Island and the connecting road to the sand-pit should have been a pride tourist attraction, earning millions of $ for the city, it is off limit to the civilians the old fishing communities has been systematically genocide. The sandy beaches on the south of the island and the connecting belt one side and on Northern side the forest of lash green Mangroves forest. A pool of biodiversity, had been fenced out for the karachiites
Baba-Bhit & Shamsh-Pir
The two famous and historical Islands who were the backbone of the fishing communities are in wretched condition. The resident of those Island are treated like 2nd class citizens in thei...
more info about Shores of Karachi including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Pakistan Arabian SeaKARACHI, Nov 19: The Pakistan government should declare the Astola Island a marine national park and take urgent steps to conserve what is left of this precious natural resource having a great ecological and economical value.
The co-director of Marine Conservation International, Edinburgh, Scotland and DelPHE coordinator Pakistan, Dr Rupert Ormond, made this point at a seminar, Marine biodiversity conservation: a key to the human livelihood, organised by the Centre of Excellence in Marine Biology, Karachi University, in collaboration with the British Council, Karachi, on Monday.
The seminar marked the launch of a DelPHE project, designed to enhance the capacity of participating institutions from Pakistan and Bangladesh to asses, monitor and manage biodiversity for conservation and develop eco-friendly aquaculture and fisheries technology by utilising the UK expertise. The project is funded by the Department for International Development, the UK.
Narrating his account of the hard corals and reef fish assemblage in Pakistan, Dr Ormond said older scientific literature usually showed no existence of coral or coral reefs in Pakistani waters, though these were abundantly found in the adjacent areas like the Gulf of Kutch, Gujarat, India and Oman.
more info about ASTOLA ISLAND including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Pakistan Arabian SeaKarachi Scuba Diving Center (KSDC)
Established in 1989 by Yousuf Ali
Master Instructor from
PADI Ca. KSDC Provides a complete range of instructions through training programs with information, advice and assistance
With an objective of promoting Swimming, lifesaving, Scuba Diving, skin diving and other water sports
• Jiwani
o Exploring the fossilize coral reef on the top of the Plato 200meters above the sea level, a total of 30 different species of the corals were found
o Observed the rehabilitation of the mangroves in the Delta of Dasht River supervised by IUCN Jiwani station.
o The three high cliff turtle’s beaches protected by WWF-Pakistan, last year only they have released. Over 100,000. Baby turtles in to the sea.
o Survey the underwater cost of Jiwani hopping to sea some sort of coral formation but to our surprise, no concentration of corals were found under the sea near (Jiwani harbor, turtle beaches, Turtle watching cliff in the east of Jiwani) but lot of sponges, burgundies, ferns and fans, soft corals some hard corals but small patches grown under the rocks where they were protected by the harsh monsoon weather condition.
• Astola Island
The island is situated in the northern Arabian Sea, approximately 25 kilometers off the mainland coast, 40 kilometers East-Southeast of Pasni Harbor, in Balochistan province.
Geographical coordinates: 25°07'N, 63°52'E
Length approximately 6 kilometers
Width approximately 500 meters
Altitude: (average and/or max. & min.) 0 - 200 m
The island is subject to strong wave attack during the southwest monsoons, when wave height exceeds 3.5 meters. The coastline therefore suffers from severe erosion and most of the littoral material is lost to the sea.
The island supports some rare and vulnerable species of animals such as endanger species Green turtle (Chelonia mydas) and quite possibly critically endanger species Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbracata)
The site is of special value for maintaining the genetic and ecological diversity of the area. The beauty of Astola is that several different ecosystems can be seen on the island. The ecosystems and the plants and animals found there are no longer common elsewhere in Pakistan.
The gorgeous under water world is amazing different forms of cnidarians, Molluscs, Worms, Fishes, Echinoderms, Crustaceans, and other Vertebrates and invertebrates were found in abundance.
Coral reefs are a vital natural resource found in tropical waters throughout the world (Spalding et al. 2001). They are important not only to adjacent coastal communities, where they are often a source of livelihood, but also to national and international communities, where they contribute in various ways to oceanic production and deliver other significant benefits related to their role in tourism, recreation and coastal protection, and as indicators for climate change and waste treatment,. As more research findings indicate that the species richness and biodiversity contained in reef ecosystems may not regenerate once destroyed, the conservation of coral reefs has become a major concern, people dependent on coral reefs are some of the most vulnerable groups in many coastal and island communities, because reef and reef-based resources are often their primary means of food production, source of income and livelihood
KSDC’S LIBRARY The Plant and Animals of Karachi Coast
Molluscs
Snails
Bivalves
Clams
Oysters
Squids
Cuttlefish
Octopuses
Slugs and Snails without Shell
Sear hares
Nudibranchs
Worms
Flatworm
Bristleworm
Tubeworm
Fan worm
Peanut worm
Acorn worm
Fishes
Plants
Echinoderms
Sea Stars
Sea Cucumbers
Sand Dollars
Sea Urchins
Brittle Star
Other Invertebrates
Horseshoe crab
Crab
Spiders
Sponges
Ascidians
Bryozoans
Cnidarians
Anemones
Sea Pens
Corals
Crustaceans
Crabs
Hermit crab
Shrimps
Lobster
Mantis shrimp
Sea slaters
Barnacles
Vertebrates
Snakes
Tsunami 2004
As ...
more info about CHERNA ISLAND including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Myanmar (Burma) Andaman SeaBlack rock is a barren piece of rock about 80m long by 7m wide, isolated in the middle of the Mergui Archipelago about 60miles from the mainland. The site draws in some big fish like the Whale shark, Manta ray, Bull sharks, Jenkins ray's, Bloteched fantail ray's, as well as they usual Indian Ocean tropical reef fish. Black rock is also a great spot for macro and you can find Seahorses, Harlequin shrimp, Ornate Ghost pipefish, many types of Nudibranch, not found in neighbouring Thailand, the list goes on. On the East side you have a gentle sploing reef slope down to 30m and the sand. A little further from the reef you can find scattered boulder at depths 40-60+m and is often the playground for the sharks and ray's. On the west side you have a wall that descends down to 35m and then the rocks, boulders and sand slope off to 40-60+m.
For me this site is the Burma equivalent of Thailand's Richelieu rock. I have seen more big stuff here than all my years of diving at Richelieu rock. A place thats best dived between Jan-Apr.
more info about Black Rock, Mergui Archipelago including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Egypt Red Seagood dive side in Marsa Alam
more info about Front laguna resort including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Mexico Caribbean SeaGreat coral pillars towering upward and sandy bottom sloping down into the depths. Image of a Hawksbill Turtle under a ledge at the end of a dive off the wall.
more info about Columbia Deep including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United States Caribbean SeaGreat local Dive site, plenty of snapper and grouper to see. During whale season you might get lucky and have a Humpback Whale swim over you.
more info about Mc Donalds Arches including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United States PacificVery easy entrance in the early morning. Even at mid-day it is good surf, viz, and surge. Laguna Beach, California, United States of America.
more info about Shaw's Cove, Laguna Beach, California including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Brunei Darussalam South China SeaManta Boulevard
more info about Sangalaky's Island including maps, reviews, and ratings...
United States PacificGreat area to dive. Lots of reef fish, moray eels, mantas, and dolphins, macro & wide angle subjects. There are numerous dive operators to take you boat diving as well as lots of shore dives to do. The most popular shore dive is at "The Place of Refuse". The dive site is called "Two Step", named for the two lava steps leading into the water. Ask any dive shop how to get there. Diving in Kona would not be complete without doing the night manta dive. This is a Boat dive and well worth it.
more info about Kona, Hawaii including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Oman Indian OceanVery rich site one of the best in the area
more info about Limah Rock, Musandam/Oman including maps, reviews, and ratings...
Oman Arabian SeaGood dive side
more info about Daymaniyat including maps, reviews, and ratings...