ACCESS: BOAT
EXPERIENCE LEVEL: NOVICE DIVER UPWARDS
MAX DEPTH: 15M
DIVE PROFILE: MULTILEVEL DIVE
HAZARDS: SEA URCHINS, OCCASIONAL SCORPIONFISH
OTHER NOTES: DO NOT PENETRATE THE TUNNEL UNLESS YOU AND YOUR BUDDY ARE TRAINED TO DIVE IN OVERHEAD ENVIRONMENTS
There is a mooring, which has been there for some considerable time and at the time of writing this, is approximately N25 20.466 E56 22.609. The mooring is attached to a large rock at approximately 6M (this will vary with the tide) and the surrounding area is covered with a good selection of mainly hard corals, including some nice table coral.
Visibility however is variable, and frequently can be rather poor, but it is usually around 4-5M, and it makes an excellent second shallow dive after diving on Martini Rock or Inchcape 2.
The actual “hole” is a short 7-8 meter tunnel, which is situated about half way between the larger piece of rock above water and the shoreline, with a partial open fissure on the northern side where the opening is at 4M depth leading through to 5M depth at the opposite opening (south side).
It is a bit of a tight squeeze and one should have good buoyancy control and finning in order to avoid silting up the area for the next diver. If visibility is poor and the exit cannot be seen from the entrance, then I would advise not going through the tunnel, you just never know what might be in there!
Note that this is an overhead environment, and although not a major one, you can usually see the exit when you enter, it should only be attempted if you have had training to dive in an overhead environment.
From the mooring, you can swim using a bearing of 150 degrees, you will come to the hole after about approximately 30M. Alternatively if the dive boat can drop you off at approximately N25 20.417 E56 22.674, you should more or less be right above one of the entrances.
At the bottom of the mooring is (approximately 6M depth), the surrounding area is covered with a good selection of mainly hard corals, including some nice table corals, as well as a selection of different anemones and a few soft corals. the bottom slopes off to the east down to 10/12M
Lots of small fish can be found here, and you will find plenty to keep yourself occupied if you are on a fish identification dive, shoaling fusiliers are usually present and of course this attracts a few predators such as Jack.
Check out the anemones not just for the anemone fish, but also for smaller creatures such as shrimp. Cuttlefish are frequently found around here also, and these creatures can be highly entertaining as they change colour, especially when photographing them.
This is a good multilevel dive and even the worst air hogs should manage 60 minutes at this site.
Gordon T. Smith
8th December 2012
All photos copyright Gordon T. Smith 2004-12
