Shark Fin Reef – Great Sharks and critters
Situated roughly 1 kilometer south-east of Island 3, Shark Fin Reef is a 900m long slab of granite, the top of which can be seen at low tide in the form of three small pointed rocks which give the divesite it’s name – a very similar look to a gigantic sharkfin!
Running in a south-east to north-west direction the site is usually sheltered from strong currents and consists of enormous granite boulders tumbling from the surface all the way down to 35m on the southern side and 25-30m on the northern side, with smaller rocks and boulders scattered in between over the main slab itself. In the shallow north-west area some of the boulders look almost man-made with near-perfect right-angled faces. If you continue a few hundred meters South Easterly you’ll end up at Boulder City
Shark Fin Reef – Marine Life
Leopard Sharks are often seen in the deeper southern areas, blacktip Reef Shark have also been seen. The Sandy patches along the bottom are home to a plethora of kuhl’s rays, Porcupine rays and a few other rays! Look in the holes and cracks for Giant Moray Eels, heaps of trigger fish (non-aggressive). In the north-western section large adult Cube Boxfish are everywhere and enormous schools of Fusiliers travel in and over the top of the reef to stop and quickly be cleaned by the Striped Cleaner Wrasse which wait at the top of the reef.
This is one of the few sites where you can see one or two huge Humphead Parrotfish. These impressive creatures are both harmless and peculiar. Weighing in at 100 kilos plus, they are pretty big too!
Very unusual nudibranchs litter the shallows, but only for the keen eye. Another good deep site for spotting manta rays.
Diving – Shark Fin Reef
Diving depths range from shallow to 40 meters (0-120 feet) with most diving done in the 15-25 meter (50-75 feet) range.
Visibility tends towards the good side, with average being 20 meters (70 feet).
Shark Fin Reef Dive Hazards
Currents can be strong in the shallows, but the steep slope of the rocks protects you, or works in your favor. Experience level is best reserved for intermediate and beyond. While there are plenty of places to hide from currents, the lack of bottom space in the shallows (cliffs) make this uncomfortable for the beginner.
