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8 Epic Wall Diving Destinations
There is nothing quite like hovering at the edge of a wall when you dive, watching the ocean disappear below you. This exhilarating type of diving offers the chance to explore striking landscapes and immerse yourself alongside walls teeming with life. There are some great places you can go wall diving around the world. Here is our pick of the best:
1. Hawaii
Hawaii is known for night diving with mantas and dramatic underwater landscapes with a generous helping of lava tubes, caverns and craters. The Molokini Crater off Maui is a popular choice for wall dives, with the outer crater plunging to depths over 100 meters. Molokini Back Wall is a great dive for manta and shark encounters. Dive there from December to May and you might hear passing humpback whales. The Au Au Crater at Kona is a steep wall dive where you can spot oceanic whitetips and hammerhead sharks.
2. Egypt’s Red Sea
Egypt’s Elphinstone Reef offers some of the best Red Sea wall diving and is a premier Southern Red Sea dive destination. The almost-vertical walls drop from just below the surface to a plateau at 80 meters, before disappearing into the inky depths. The reef itself is washed with strong currents, making for fun drift dives past vibrant corals. Home to a variety of reef sharks, you can also dive with oceanic whitetips and hammerheads there.
3. Indonesia
The Marine National Park at Bunaken is a conservation success story, offering a staggering diversity of life and some of Indonesia’s best wall dives. You can see 5 sea turtle species, dugong, spinner dolphins, pilot whales and more. This special Indonesia scuba diving destination is even on a migratory path for sperm whales.
Bunaken wall diving is exceptional, with numerous wall dives to choose from and plenty of big pelagic action. Celah Celah is a favourite with photographers, thanks to the wall cracks packed with soft corals, critters and fish. There are brightly-coloured nudibranchs and pygmy seahorses to find, plus passing dogtooth tuna and sea snakes.
4. Palau
Showcasing the best of Micronesia’s varied diving, Palau has it all. Blue Corner, a natural corner in the ocean, has a wall that drops to over 330 meters with a plateau at 12 to 20 meters. This strong current dive demands the use of reef hooks and will reward you with an abundance of marine life, vibrant corals and huge schools of fish. Turtles, eagle rays and sharks are regularly seen there.
5. Fiji
The Somosomo Strait is not to be missed when wall diving Fiji. The vertical walls are covered in soft corals, with large bushes of white, brown, pink and orange corals that come to life in the swift currents. Purple Wall is aptly named and covered in purple soft corals and sea fans. The Great White Wall looks like a giant wall of snow, thanks to being absolutely covered in white soft corals. Both dives are accessible by Somosomo Strait liveaboard diving.
6. Cayman Islands
Known for its wall diving, the Cayman Islands don’t disappoint with sites such as the Bloody Bay Wall and Grand Cayman’s North Wall. The Bloody Bay Wall drops to over 914 meters and is one of the most sought-after, and colourful, Cayman Islands dives. The wall is covered in life, ranging from corals and sea fans to a variety of sponges and abundant critters. Be sure to look away from the wall to spot eagle rays, turtles and Nassau groupers.
The more remote Grand Cayman’s North Wall has a number of dive sites to explore, where you can find sea turtles, hammerhead sharks and plenty of life on the wall itself. The east of the wall has caverns and swim-throughs, whilst the famous Stingray City dive site is in the north.
7. Honduras
The Cayman Trench off the coast of Roatan has dramatic walls and reefs. Famous for whale sharks, dolphins and rare black corals, it is well worth adding to your liveaboard diving wish list. The West End Wall is a series of canyons and channels ideal for divers and snorkelers alike, where you can swim amongst large schools of jacks, barracuda and tarpon. Utila offers sheer walls on the north side, whilst Guanaja, the most remote of the Bay Islands, has wall dives and volcanic landscapes.
8. Belize
Head to Turneffe Atoll in Belize and you can enjoy the rich biodiversity of this reef, plus big wall dives and mangrove islands. The walls are covered in corals and host turtles, moray eels and rays. Lighthouse Reef is popular for wall diving, especially at Half Moon Caye. You can see Caribbean reef sharks and plenty of macro life, whilst enjoying easy-going currents.
This article was written by divers and writers at LiveAboard.com
Marine Life & Conservation Blogs
Creature Feature: Dusky Shark
In this series, the Shark Trust will be sharing amazing facts about different species of sharks and what you can do to help protect them.
This month we’re taking a look at the Dusky Shark, a highly migratory species with a particularly slow growth rate and late age at maturity.
Dusky sharks are one of the largest species within the Carcharhinus genus, generally measuring 3 metres total length but able to reach up to 4.2 metres. They are grey to grey-brown on their dorsal side and their fins usually have dusky margins, with the darkest tips on the caudal fin.
Dusky Sharks can often be confused with other species of the Carcharhinus genus, particularly the Galapagos Shark (Carcharhinus galapagensis). They have very similar external morphology, so it can be easier to ID to species level by taking location into account as the two species occupy very different ecological niches – Galapagos Sharks prefer offshore seamounts and islets, whilst duskies prefer continental margins.
Hybridisation:
A 2019 study found that Dusky Sharks are hybridising with Galapagos Sharks on the Eastern Tropical Pacific (Pazmiño et al., 2019). Hybridisation is when an animal breeds with an individual of another species to produce offspring (a hybrid). Hybrids are often infertile, but this study found that the hybrids were able to produce second generation hybrids!
Long distance swimmers:
Dusky sharks are highly mobile species, undertaking long migrations to stay in warm waters throughout the winter. In the Northern Hemisphere, they head towards the poles in the summer and return southwards towards the equator in winter. The longest distance recorded was 2000 nautical miles!
Very slow to mature and reproduce:
The Dusky Shark are both targeted and caught as bycatch globally. We already know that elasmobranchs are inherently slow reproducers which means that they are heavily impacted by overfishing; it takes them so long to recover that they cannot keep up with the rate at which they are being fished. Dusky Sharks are particularly slow to reproduce – females are only ready to start breeding at roughly 20 years old, their gestation periods can last up to 22 months, and they only give birth every two to three years. This makes duskies one of the most vulnerable of all shark species.
The Dusky Shark is now listed on Appendix II of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species (CMS), but further action is required to protect this important species.
Scientific Name: Carcharhinus obscurus
Family: Carcharhinidae
Maximum Size: 420cm (Total Length)
Diet: Bony fishes, cephalopods, can also eat crustaceans, and small sharks, skates and rays
Distribution: Patchy distribution in tropical and warm temperate seas; Atlantic, Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean.
Habitat: Ranges from inshore waters out to the edge of the continental shelf.
Conservation status: Endangered.
For more great shark information and conservation visit the Shark Trust Website
Images: Andy Murch
Diana A. Pazmiño, Lynne van Herderden, Colin A. Simpfendorfer, Claudia Junge, Stephen C. Donnellan, E. Mauricio Hoyos-Padilla, Clinton A.J. Duffy, Charlie Huveneers, Bronwyn M. Gillanders, Paul A. Butcher, Gregory E. Maes. (2019). Introgressive hybridisation between two widespread sharks in the east Pacific region, Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 136(119-127), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2019.04.013.
Blogs
Join Pharaoh Dive Club for Red Sea Splash Family Summer Camp in August 2024
3rd AUGUST 2024 – 1 or 2 WEEK PROGRAMMES
Daily water programme with Snorkelling & Scuba Diving.
Beginners or qualified, something for all.
Leave the kids with the Splash Team for days of Excitement, Fun & Adventure!
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
There are various options for accommodation with options for 2, 3, 4 or 5 guests.
Eco Huts provide accommodation for families of up to 4. The best option to enhance the adventure and closest to camping with basic facilities. For August we will provide central air cooling for all the Eco Huts.
Deluxe Chalets are only suitable for 2 guests. Fully air conditioned rooms with private bathroom and other facilities.
Boutique Rooms are available for families of up to 5.
Individual bespoke rooms fully air conditioned with private bathroom and other facilities.
Eco Huts: £675 per adult / £425 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
Deluxe Chalet: £830 per adult / £505 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
Boutique Room: £925 per adult / £550 per child / Under 8 FREE of charge
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
This is a truly unique opportunity to have a Family Desert Adventure totally away from it all! You will be based at the remote Roots Red Sea on the coast of the Egyptian Eastern Desert, 140km south of Hurghada city.
Red Sea Splash main focus is Snorkelling & Scuba Diving but that’s not all, we provide a rounded week of activities in support.
Pool& Field Games – Arts & Crafts
Marine Biology Workshops
Cultural Activities – Orienteering Adventures
Roots Red Sea have established strong links with the local communities of Hamerwain & El Quseir affording our guests to have a true taste of the local culture, SPLASH CAMP embraces this opportunity and bring in the local children to join in the fun with our adventure seekers.
During the day, families are welcome to take part in all activities together or the kids can be left with the SPLASH CAMP team while the parents enjoy the facilities or go diving themselves!
At the end of the day, its family time while the SPLASH CAMP team take a break. For those with the energy, there are family evening activities planned a few evenings.
Open Air Movie Night – Desert Star Gazing Walk & Talk
El Quseir Evening City Tour
The second week is very special, we head off on the Big Blue for a liveaboard safari around Fury Shoals.
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
U-8 Splash Club
Sadly we can’t offer Scuba Diving to the Splash Club but we can have lots of fun Snorkelling & Free Diving!
Splash Club includes:
Certified Snorkel Course – Marine ID Games – Intro to Free Diving
Arts & Craft Sessions – Adventure trails – Cultural Playtime – Pool Games
U-12 Explorer Club
In addition to an exciting snorkelling and Free Diving Programme in the Splash Club we can take you under the water on SCUBA to a whole new world of fun and wonder. If you are under 10 your first breath under water will be as a Bubblemaker and continue with daily Seal Team Missions. From 10 we will complete a Discover Scuba Diving experience in the amazing Red Sea. Alternatively we offer a full junior certification programme to become an international qualified Scuba Diver.
U-16 Adventurer Club
For qualified Scuba Divers regardless of age it’s the Adventurer Club and exploration of the local reefs and marine life. There will be 2 dives every day with the Open Ocean marine field station team who will introduce you to Red Sea marine life and workshops on marine research. Alternatively there are opportunities to continue your scuba diving certifications with our instructional team.
Parents are welcome to join the club activities and join the courses.
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
Big Blue might seem like the new kid on the block, but the team behind the highly acclaimed liveaboard is far from that. They have been running Red Sea safaris since the late 1980’s and were in fact part of the early pioneers who ventured out to the unknown on vessels that in today’s world, really shouldn’t have left the harbour! It’s that experience and the years of operating the award-winning Roots Red Sea resort which truly set Big Blue apart from the crowd!
Large lounge area, spacious sun deck and terrace deck.
Airy restaurant with five tables with up to six chairs per table, serving a varied and delicious menu with special dietary requirements catered for.
The spacious cabins have side by side beds and a large walk in wet bathroom.
Ample dive deck for divers & snorkelers.
Safety is everyone’s priority, whether you are relaxing on board, swimming, snorkelling or diving.
On board Big Blue is fitted with smoke alarms, emergency lighting and a fire alarm system. The lower corridor has a full-size door fire exit at the bow and open stairs to the stern. There are evacuation plans in each room along with life jackets, glass breaker tool and a fire extinguisher.
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
Red Sea Splash at Fury Shoals is a very rare opportunity to get involved with marine biology expedition for children and adults. Open Ocean biologists are on board to provide fascinating and entertaining facts about the marine life you will see. The team will provide workshops on marine life identification and survey methods both of which, should you wish, you will have the chance to put into practice during your safari.
The week is open to snorkelers, scuba divers and non divers too!
Fury shoals is perfect for first time mariners as it offers plenty of protection from the weather.
We board at Port Ghaleb on Saturday evening and prepare to set sail early on Sunday morning.
Heading south, our first day will be diving the reefs of Abu Dabbab before sailing overnight to reach our ultimate destination the Fury Shoals.
Here we will spend four days swimming, snorkelling and scuba diving amazing reefs. This includes guaranteed DOLPHIN encounters at Sataya Reef! After the last dive we haul anchor and head back to Abu Dabbab for our final two dives before disembarking our boat BIG BLUE.
Camp Extension Cost*
Adult £650 per adult
Under 16 £350 per child
BOOK NOW: INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM / TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
FURTHER INFORMATION – INFO@PHARAOHDIVECLUB.COM
TEL: +44 7598 329059 or +20 100 6822000
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