Hello! Diving in Tanzania advice needed

[Kate in Africa]

Hello everyone,

I completed my PADI open water course last month at White Sands, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. My boyfriend and I decided that since we are based here for 6 months, we should make the most of being able to dive at the weekends. I had a few problems on the course (I got seasick, I panicked when I had to take my mask off and breathed in loads of water etc etc!) So I had a few reservations about diving.

Then this weekend, we went to Mafia Island. We did 2 dives and they were both incredible! We dived Milimani and Kinasi wall/coral garden. The viz was minimum 20m, there were no currents, and the variety of fish was breathtaking! We saw everything from lion and leaf fish, to electric ray, moray eels, huge grouper, napoleon wrasse, box fish and lobster. I had an absolutely fantastic day and didn't want the dives to end.

Now I have a dilemma - my best friend and her boyfriend are coming to visit in November. She is a PADI advanced diver and he is keen to finish his advanced course while on holiday here. We have time in their itinerary to visit one island - either Pemba or Mafia, for diving. They are keen to visit Pemba as they have heard how good the diving is. However, having spoken to a lot of people in Mafia this weekend, they were all pretty sure that Mafia has the edge over Pemba. I want to make sure that we go to wherever is best, as they are only here once, whereas I can go any time.

So I wondered if anyone had any opinions on this? The bonus with Mafia is that in November, we might have a good chance of seeing the whalesharks too, but obviously if on Pemba, the diving is superior, then I want them to go there! How do Mafia and Pemba compare? Are they on a par or is one particularly good? Also if there are any particular sites that are must-dives, then I would like to know those. I've been told that Kinasi pass and Juani reef are the best on Mafia, but I don't know anything about Pemba.

Anyway, I would be grateful if someone could tell me if one island is much better than the other, or if they are on a par? I know I loved Mafia, but then I have nothing to really compare it to!

Thanks!

 

[ShoalDiverSA]

Hi Kate,

Welcome to Scubaboard from the Southern Tip of Africa.

I can't help you with your question, but if you need help getting your bearings around here, feel free to send me a Private Message.

Cheers,

Andrew

 

[Christian]

A tricky one, but Pemba and Mafia are very different. Pemba Island is seperated from the mainland by the deep Pemba channel and sits in deep water. In broad general terms, the diving caracheristics of Pemba are steep walls tumbeling down to great depths, swept by strong currents.
Mafia island, like Zanzibar Island, sits on the continental shelf in relatively shallow water with less water movement/currents. This affects the conditions of diving and naturally the development of coral and other marine life as well.
In short, Pemba offers more advanced diving and - perhaps - more dramatic, whilst Mafia and Zanzibar, generally, offer calmer and more relaxed diving. What's best depends on what you prefer. For most new divers, I think Mafia or Zanzibar sounds more correct and enjoyable. But this has very much to do with individual skills and what challenges you feel comfortable with.

Hope I didn't confuse you more

good luck

christian

 

[DandyDon]

Howdy from and welcome to SB!

If you haven't yet, click Forums above and start going thru the list - looking for those of interest to you, especially your local dive club. Click the link in my Sig below to PM me if I can help you around here..

don

 

[Kate in Africa]

A tricky one, but Pemba and Mafia are very different. Pemba Island is seperated from the mainland by the deep Pemba channel and sits in deep water. In broad general terms, the diving caracheristics of Pemba are steep walls tumbeling down to great depths, swept by strong currents.
Mafia island, like Zanzibar Island, sits on the continental shelf in relatively shallow water with less water movement/currents. This affects the conditions of diving and naturally the development of coral and other marine life as well.
In short, Pemba offers more advanced diving and - perhaps - more dramatic, whilst Mafia and Zanzibar, generally, offer calmer and more relaxed diving. What's best depends on what you prefer. For most new divers, I think Mafia or Zanzibar sounds more correct and enjoyable. But this has very much to do with individual skills and what challenges you feel comfortable with.

Hope I didn't confuse you more

good luck

christian

Christian

Thanks so much for your reply. Unfortunately, that is what I more or less suspected. The problem with it is that I know that my partnew and I, being new divers, would prefer Mafia to Pemba. But because my friends are that much more advanced than we are, I imagine they would find Pemba more exhilarating.

I know it depends on their priorities: i.e. if they prefer to see a huge variety of marine life and coral on Mafia or have a rush from diving a fast, deep dive on Pemba. But in your personal opinion, do you think that divers with experience of 20-30 dives would find Mafia satisfying or a bit slow and unchallenging? And do you think if my boyfriend and I dived on Pemba now, we would be OK with it despite our inexperience, or would it be too tough?

Thanks so much - I really don't know what to decide now!

Kate

 

[Christian]

I'm sorry, but it's impossible for me to answer your questions.

I suggest you talk to your instructor in Dar and ask him/her for advice. Even 'inexperienced' divers can have good ability. If you go to Pemba I reccomend One Earth Diving who are stationed on the north part of the island, at Manta Reef Lodge. A very safety-oriented and well run dive center by a South African (Elton) and a Tanzanian guy (Banta). I think they charge USD30 per dive. Reccomed dives is Njao Gap South Wall, Manta Reef in the Fundo Gap and then Victorias Secret/Slip Stream on the north of the island.

If your instructor think you should get some more experience before venturing out to Pemba, I think your friends will understand. She doesn't want you to get in trouble, does she? And it's easy to put the blaim on your instructor

good luck

/christian

 

[Kate in Africa]

Thanks Christian,

You are right. I will talk to my friends and also to my instructor in Dar. I'm sure whatever we do, it will be great fun!

Thanks for all your help.

K

 

[sbloomer]

Kate

We were on Pemba in January last year and the diving was amazing. We went to Manta Reef Lodge on the northern tip of Pemba. It was an excellent resort. As mentioned before, the conditions tend to be a bit more advanced than elsewhere (deep, strong currents, variable visibility), but the staff are excellent and will look after you well, even if you are inexperienced. Elton and Banda are highly experienced divers and will not let you get in over your head.

The reefs for the inexperienced would probably be Swiss Reefs (N & S, Victoria's Secret and Mandela Wall) I can't see them letting you dive Fundu Gap and Njao Gap, as the best times is just at the start of an incoming tide, and it's pretty deep (20 to 50m) and the currents get pretty strong.

The one thing that is a bit disappointing with Pemba though is that there is quite a lot of badly damaged coral. The Tanzianian military that are based on the island, until fairly recently, used explosives for fishing :shakehead

You can fly in or sail in on the MV Jambo which is owned by the same crowd and sails regularly between Mombasa and Manta Reef.

I have a few pictures here if you want to take a look.