Diving Bligh Water

Namena Island - North Save a Tack

This is one of the dive sites that places Fiji firmly on the map of the world's best dive destinations. Any country would be proud to call such a rich and varied dive site their own. In times of old, sailors could use the pass here to avoid tacking around the island and reefs of Namena, and it now represents an area of the South Pacific which discerning divers treasure.

Your dive will start as a descent to the top of a wall at about 25 metres. If the current is running then you should drop over the lip of the wall to 30 metres or so to lessen the effect of the Bligh Water movement. You'll make your way along with the wall to your left shoulder and before long you will see in the blue a huge school of jacks followed swiftly by the appearance of an even huger school of yellowtail barracuda. Expect a few grey reef nurse sharks to also put in an appearance at the early part of this dive as they patrol the reef wall.

After 5 to 10 minutes of this excellent action you will turn left to the reef flat on top of the wall, which consists of a sandy floor with patches of coral. If you are in luck a manta ray may put in an appearance here just to complete the large pelagic line up. There may be some black pygmy seahorses living on this reef flat and it takes a keen and patient eye to locate them as they live not on gorgonians, but in among the small sea grass.

Nearby there is a channel between 2 ridges, both covered in benthic life and imploring you to explore them, and it is near this entrance where a school of chevron barracuda may surround you. As you make your way down this channel, a large natural archway appears with abundant growth covering its entirety in the form of bushy black coral, gorgonian fans, and various hues of dendronephthya soft coral including pink, orange and blue.

Look out for the multitude of crinoids here all of which seem to be home to a cling fish, and either a shrimp or squat lobster. There are also several nudibranchs found on this site including those of the flabellina species. Towards the end of this dive you will find yourself studying various nooks and crannies in the reef, the most spectacular of which is the 'Window of Dreams'. This densely covered natural 'O' shape in the rock has a multitude of colour and is a favourite spot for photographers, often being the subject of promotional images for diving in Bligh Water.

You can off gas at the top of a pinnacle which has a wonderful amount of activity going to to keep you entertained. Look out for anemones with their resident anemone fish, both of the pink and Clark's variety, as well as moon wrasses, hunting jacks and unicornfish. A many layered, always fascinating and forever memorable Bligh Water dive site.

North Save a Tack Reef Basics: Wall diving
Depth: 5 - 30m
Visibility: 15 - 40m
Currents: None to quite strong
Surface conditions: Calm but can be choppy
Water temperature: 23 - 29°C
Experience level: Beginner - intermediate
Number of dive sites: 1
Diving season: All year round
Distance: 24 km south west of Savusavu on Vanua Levu
Access: Bligh Waters liveaboards

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