Nosy Be - This island located on the northwest coast of Madagascar, it is a small paradise for scuba diving. Water at 28 °C, generally with good visibility. The best time to dive there is in the morning, because it will gets wind up early in the afternoon.

Around Nosy Be you can find many dive sites, you can reach there by speed boat on average between 20 to 60 minutes from the mianland.

Nosy be, Madagascar diving Part 1 from Massa Philippe Williams on YouTube.

The first dive to make is absolutely for divers at all levels, it's around Tanikely Island, with its white sandy beaches, bring a sunglasses is recommended.

At Tanikely, there are 2 dive sites : "north" and "south". In there, meeting with nested turtles and green turtles are guaranteed. They are familiar with the divers and they will come to you, if you stay calm under water.

You can also meet with stingrays and Nudibranchs, not to mention groupers in nice size. It was on this site that I met for the first time with the Chinese Grouper, you can distinguishes it from other Groupers by its black and white color. The Chinese Grouper are about 1 meter in size with 30 to 40 kilos, beautiful fish kind.

The corals are well preserved around the island. There is a fantastic dive site called "ZAIDA" (wreck dive site), lies between the island of Nosy Be and Tanikely will give divers great diving experience.

Zaida is a 4 shipwrecks grouping (2 sailboat, a dhow and a trawler) laid on sandy bottoms at a depth of 28/30 meters with times of reduced visibility and strong currents. But once the descent carry the reach the bottom, opens on a submarine beautiful place. If the visibility is good, basically it will be a show underwater guarantee.

Nosy be, Madagascar diving Part 2 from Massa Philippe Williams on YouTube.

Here you can encounter the 200kg Grouper fish, barracudas, jacks fishes, and tons of lion fishes (guardians of wrecks). Not to mention a huge group of sardine bench who have taken up residence around the trawler. A royal site for underwater photographers:

During one dive i did at "Zaida", I was fortunate that "a monster" giant grouper came to me and turned around, stayed with me for a long time. I was taking photos of a leopard moray installed in the propshaft of the trawler. And the giant grouper came curiously and frankly to us when we got on track - a fish of this size with his pilot fish were indeed impressive! I thought the grouper wanted me to also take photos! That's what I did and even more videos.

Not to mention the schools of trevally and barracuda that revolves around wrecks. For me, "Zaida" is one of my best dives in Madagascar.

There is another dive site not far from Zaida - "The Gorgon", diving in the depth of 15/20 meters. Here is the encounter with octopus and huge school of fish yellow fusiliers. Here is also the meeting with "JOJO" the master of the place - A barracuda of 1.80 meters in size and not scared of divers, and makes fun of fishing men in surface. "JOJO" will surely see you when you dive in curiosity toward you. But believe me it is especially impressive fish that tends to approach. You can also find undoubtedly very beautiful sea fans, filled with lionfish and platax fish at this dive site.

The meeting with fish yellow fusiliers is amazing because they are thousands gathered to the point where the sun do not bottom. Not to occasional kingfish coming hunt in the fish yellow fusiliers riflemen.

Nosy be, Madagascar diving Part 3 from Massa Philippe Williams on YouTube.

North of Nosy Be, the site of "Banco Rosso" is a scuba funds of 18 meters. With beautiful coral reef, you can meet with gray sharks that gives chills to diving, beautiful soft coral and if you have a good eye, frog fish also can be found!

Further offshore to the North we will find sites "Banc of entry" and "Manta Point". Here dives are reserved for experienced diver, because it is the beginning of the fall. The funds vary between 18-70 meters, and see there, it is the encounter with the big, very big, gray sharks, bulldog, marlin, swordfish, tuna, dolphins, Manta, etc.

During the periods from August to November. The encounter with humpback whales is virtually guaranteed, and it remains a memorable and grand moment especially when the whale rise out of the water by a majestic leap just before the dive boat, adrenaline is waiting for you.

During the period from September to October. This is the virtually daily meeting with the king of the sea and the great whale shark here in Madagascar they are often large adults over 12 meters.

During one of my dive on the site entered the bank. I swam with a whale shark taking me to the dorsal fin of a large adult male, that for more than 10 minutes. He accepted me as a simple fish swimming calmly. For me it was a great moment in my career divers. There's been no other but this one is one of the top 5.

As for humpback whales they come with their children and they must be left alone. But nothing prevents a beautiful meeting underwater or singing issued under the water by the whale and you shalt little amble deal with this beauty.

On the East coast of Nosy Be. You will find the site "Caves Sakatia". Grosse coral reef full of small caves and beautiful coral. Perfect place to meet with small white tip sharks and fish scorpions around beautiful sponges. Also at some other dive sites such as the "unicorns fish” or the "Bench riflemen".

But beware the currents can be very strong on dive sites around Nosy Be and by the time (September to October), the poor visibility of the ocean current. But the dive is great and beautiful sometimes unexpected meeting that will remain unforgettable.


@ This article is written by Massa Philippe Williams (PADI IDC staff Instructor #928353), please give respect to his copy right!
This article & photos is not to be reproduced or distributed without written permission of Massa Philippe Williams.

Photos

Comments

留下邮箱,就不会错过各种折扣哟 !

Google+ Google+