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The highlight of our Mozambique holiday was visiting the Quirimbas Archipelago to experience its legendary scuba diving. The remote Quirimbas Islands lie just off the northeast coast of Mozambique and stretch for 100km towards the border with Tanzania. I’d read that these tropical islands possess some of the richest coral reefs in the world and provide habitats for a staggering array of marine life.
On the designated morning, my partner and I arrived at the dive centre beside our lodge, thrilled at the prospect of experiencing the islands’ underwater world. Our dive master, Tessa, pulled out a map of the Quirimbas and explained why diving was so good in the area.
‘This is one of the last pristine reef systems in the whole of East Africa,’ she said. ‘We’ve got about 50 genera of coral, 373 species of reef fish, three dolphin species … you name it. The South Equatorial Current splits right here on our doorstep. The underwater canyons along the Quirimbas put our reefs in close proximity to the deep water of the Mozambique Channel.’
‘There’s also a high resistance to bleaching in our coral because of the water flow and depth. When you dive here, you’re often the first person at a spot. It’s still an underwater wilderness. I’ve seen such incredible stuff: sailfish, huge schools of eagle rays, sharks of every kind. There’s just so much diversity.’
After getting rigged out with wetsuits, tanks and BCDs we were good to go. Our party boarded a ski boat in front of the lodge. The two 90hp Suzuki 4-stroke engines roared to life and we sped across a turquoise sea. Tessa told us a bit about the area as we raced along: ‘Quirimbas diving spots offer shallow sites for the casual diver and dramatic drops for the more serious. What’s more, there are dugongs and turtles: hatching happens around February. And seasonally migrating whales with their calves are here from July to December.
‘For diving, my favourite spots are the vertical drop-offs, some up to 400m deep. These walls
PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK
Why not add an aquatic dimension to your Mozambican holiday? A scuba safari here offers some of the world’s best underwater viewing. There are a number of beautiful, pristine reefs, especially in the Quirimbas Archipelago, that teem with life and are suitable for both novice and advanced divers.
by Justin Fox
THE ULTIMATE
scuba safari