Alor · Indonesia · Muck & macro · Night · Sand slope
Mucky Mosque
Black sand to 27 metres, at its best after dark
Area photo: Sims8899 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Mucky Mosque is a steep black sand and rubble slope off a village on Kalabahi Bay, running to 27 metres and scattered with man-made debris. Currents in the bay are minimal, so the dive is worked slowly rather than swum, and the site is named among Alor's better after-dark critter hunts.
Where it is and how deep
8.2500° S, 124.5200° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The slope falls steeply from the shallows through black sand and rubble to 27 metres, with man-made debris off the village above scattered across it. There is next to no current, so nothing about the dive is hurried: you pick a depth band, move along the slope at a crawl, and cover ground in metres rather than tens of metres. The debris is worth as much attention as the sand around it.
The site is known for rhinopias, frogfish, bobtail and pygmy squid, stargazers and Spanish dancers. Night dives here are particularly rewarding, and the minimal current in Kalabahi Bay makes it a comfortable place for less experienced divers to make one and for photographers to work a single subject for as long as they want it.
Marine life and season
- Frogfish
- Squid
- Nudibranchs
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows Alor: April–November dry season gives the most reliable liveaboard access and calmer crossings.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Mucky Mosque?+
The black sand and rubble slope runs to a maximum of 27 metres, though most of the critter hunting happens shallower on the way back up the slope.
Is Mucky Mosque a good night dive?+
It is one of the sites specifically flagged for it in Kalabahi Bay. Currents are minimal and the slope is easy to hold position on, which suits slow after-dark searching.
Sources
- Alor Dive Sites — Dive The World
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