have coral-covered caves and tropical fish ranging from enormous Napoleon wrasses to game fish including kingfish, barracuda and Spanish mackerel. Water temperatures remain warm most of the year: up to a cosy 31°C. What more could you want? You're in for such a treat.’
The ski boat cleaved through a viscous sea, bound for a sunken island. Finally, we reached the GPS co-ordinates for our dive. Only for experienced divers, the spot comprised a large pinnacle that jutted out from the sunken island with a 200m, vertical drop on three sides.
‘Between the pinnacle and the island wall lies a 30m canyon with a sandy floor,’ said Tessa. ‘Stick close to me!’
Masks, belts, tanks and fins in place, Tessa gave the okay signal and we tipped backwards in a series of splashes. Suddenly silence, bubbles and a deepening blue. My breathing slowed, a new realm took shape. We quickly descended to the seabed. The water was 28°C and the visibility an incredible 50m.
Tessa led us through the canyon, whose walls sprouted fluorescent bunches of green tree corals, orange gorgonians and enormous fan corals, their filigree webs etched against the blue. It was like a boulevard between towering apartments blocks alive with residents of every shape and kind. There were goldies, Moorish idols and clams whose frilly lips opened and closed anthropomorphically. At times, the parade of humpback snappers formed a seemingly impenetrable, living wall. I finned closer to the coral to look for smaller fry. The ‘jewellery’ on the reef included paper fish, pipefish and colourful nudibranchs.
Tessa pointed out an oriental sweetlips parked above a plate of coral having its parasites and dead skin removed by bluestreak cleaner wrasses. It looked like a marine car wash. Clownfish poked shy faces from the translucent arms of anemones swaying in the current. Unicorn fish, bat fish, banner fish: wherever we looked, an unending feast for the eye.
Passing through the canyon, we floated out into the big blue. The wall drops a further 2km into the Indian Ocean depths thereabouts, so the passing traffic often comprises deep-water pelagics. Soon we spotted the sinister shapes of four, grey reef sharks gliding beneath us while kingfish cruised by at eye level in vast, silent schools. It was utterly spellbinding.
In no time, 60 minutes were up and our little group drifted to the surface. We were elated by the dive, the sightings and quality of the visibility. The engines grumbled to life and we sped back towards the island, a white disk on the horizon. Relaxing at the lodge, we stared out at the sparkling Indian Ocean, savouring a mug of hot chocolate and reminiscing about one of the best dives either of us had ever experienced. Mozambique is wonderful.
PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK
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