Below is a selection of our dive sites, but as you can see on the map (please click to enlarge), there are many more than the few that are described on this page. However, this will give you some idea of the kind of diving Kavieng has to offer. When you click on the name of the dive site, a map will pop up. For some of the dive sites, we even have short movies on youtube, just click the Movie link.
Our good friend Don Silcock has a fantastic website with stunning images taken around the Pacific, including New Ireland. If his writing and pictures don’t whet your appetite, then there is something
wrong with you.
Lissenung Island Reef: Surrounding about 2/3 of the island, this reef is an ideal spot for photographers and for night diving. You may encounter seahorses, six different species of clownfish, cockatoo waspfish, crocodile fish and more. All up, 350 different species of fish call our small house reef their home.
Depth: 2 – 10m/6 – 33ft.
Albatross Passage: At an incoming tide, this narrow passage is like fish soup. Eagle Rays, white tip, black tip and grey reef sharks, big tuna, jacks, barraducas and even sometimes mobula rays can be seen here. And if you’ve had enough of all the big stuff, just turned towards the wall, beautifully over-grown with fan coral, black coral, sponges as well as little creatures such as nudibranchs, leaf scorpionfish and pygmy seahorse. In the right conditions, Albatross Passage is the best dive in the Kavieng area and a must for every visiting diver.
Depth: 12 – 30m/40 – 99ft.
Movie
‘Pete’ Floatplanes: A total of three of these Japanese reconnaissance planes have been found so far. Discovered by local fishermen, they now make for awesome dive sites. The pictures on the right are from the ‘Deep Pete’, near Nusa Island. Little critters as well as schools of batfish, barracudas, jacks, soldier fish and snapper ensure that this slightly shorter dive (due to the depth of 40m/132ft) is one not to be forgotten!
Depth: 18 & 40m/60 & 132ft
Movie
Ral Island: This tiny island in the South Pacific is surrounded by a beautiful coral garden. With no currents, this is a gentle and relaxing dive, and due to its shallow depth (max 15m/50ft), perfect as third dive of the day or following the ‘Deep Pete’. Alternatively, you can dive the sandy slope to the west of the island and search for little critters such as decorator crabs, seahorses, pipefish, nudibranchs & flatworms, frogfish and sometimes even mimic octopus! It’s a great much dive and before you know it, it’s time to ascend.
Depth: 5 – 15m/17 – 50ft
Bermuda Drop: The colourful coral wall slopes from 3m/10ft down to 25m/80ft, then drops off vertical until out of sight. At about 18m/60ft is a big overhang, in about 14m/45ft sits a giant clam, plus there are lots of nudibranchs, flatworms, the odd leaf scorpionfish, crocodilefish, moray eels and flame file shells.
Movie
Baudisson Bay: This is a vertical wall rising from 800m (2400ft) up to the surface and it has lots of swim-throughs and crevices. Grey Reef Sharks and Whitetip Sharks are seen here on almost every dive, but the real attraction at this spot is the big variety of nudibranchs and other small stuff.
Movie
Echuca Patch: This is a large ridge rising from 45m (150ft) to within 12m (40ft) of the surface and is situated in the open ocean just outside Kavieng. A Korean fishing boat, the ‘Der Yang’, lies on its starboard side close to this ridge, in about 31 metres of water. This point is a magnet for Barracudas and Jacks.
Depth: 12 – 31m/40 – 103ft