Diving in Mozambique/Island Rock

The dive site Island Rock is an inshore rocky reef with coral in the Paindane area near Inhambane in Southern Mozambique.

Understand

Name

The name "Island Rock" refers to the large rock marking the site.

Depth

Maximum depth is about 13m.

Visibility

Visibility can exceed 15 to 20m.

Topography

Small islet/Large rock, probably covered at high tide, more or less crescent shaped with bay facing seaward. Bay full of big outcrops, boulders, overhangs, gullies, arches etc on sand bottom.

Get in

Access to this site is by boat.

See

Rock arch at Island Rock

Soft coral or zooanthids

Encrusting sponges

Geometric moray

Longnose butterfly fish

Nudibranch Halgerda wasinensis

Orange starfish

Reef scene with diver

Sponges and a few small corals

Marine life

Variety of fish and a wider range of seaweeds than most other dive sites in the area. Orange starfish, Olive green starfish, feather stars, Small white and Red/yellow sea fans, Orange ridge sponge, mottled sponge, wall sponge, Feathery hydroids, grey sponge, Goldies, grey moray, Banded and Purple feather duster worms, Yellow zoanthids, small bushy Green, Brown and Red algae, twiggy coralline algae, small tubular white sponges, Chocolate dip, Toby, Freckled hawkfish, 6 stripe soapfish, Parrot fish, Spotted moray, Semicircle angelfish, Pearly butterfly fish, Longnose butterfly fish, Dusky sweepers, nudibranchs.

Routes

No particular route recommended.

Stay safe

Hazards

No site specific hazards known.

Skills

No special skills required.

Equipment

No special equipment recommended.

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