Andaman Islands · India · Pinnacle · Reef
Dixon's Pinnacle
Three soft-coral pinnacles that work as a cleaning station
Area photo: Ritiks · CC BY-SA 3.0
Dixon's Pinnacle is three large underwater pinnacles off Havelock (Swaraj Dweep), covered in soft coral and working as a cleaning station for large animals. Manta rays, mobula rays, turtles and napoleon wrasse come in to be cleaned, with the occasional whale shark. The site runs to 35 m, deep enough that PADI puts Deep Diver alongside Advanced Open Water on its recommended list.
Where it is and how deep
11.9278° N, 93.0982° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive is on three gigantic underwater pinnacles, worked from the boat off Havelock. Soft corals cover the rock, and the pinnacles themselves are the structure of the dive: you follow them rather than a reef line. The maximum on the site is 35 m, which is what puts Deep Diver on PADI's recommended training list alongside Advanced Open Water, and it keeps bottom time short at the deep end.
What draws divers is the cleaning station. Manta rays and mobula rays come in over the pinnacles, along with turtles and napoleon wrasse, and whale sharks turn up occasionally. Grouper hold on the structure itself. PADI also lists the site for underwater photography, crediting the pinnacles themselves and marine life that runs from tiny subjects up to pelagics passing by in the blue.
Marine life and season
- Manta rays
- Mobula rays
- Whale sharks
- Sea turtles
- Napoleon wrasse
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows Andaman Islands: SW monsoon (Jun-Sep) brings rough seas and heavy rain that close most operators; the Dec-Apr dry season gives the best visibility and calmest boat rides.
Dive videos
Scuba Diving in India, Andamans, Havelock Dixon's Pinnacle v1 · MAAVALAN TRAVELS on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Dixon's Pinnacle?+
The site's maximum depth is 35 m. That depth is why PADI's recommended training for the site is Advanced Open Water Diver and Deep Diver rather than Open Water alone.
What can you see at Dixon's Pinnacle?+
The pinnacles act as a cleaning station for large animals: manta rays, mobula rays, turtles and napoleon wrasse come in to be cleaned, with the occasional whale shark. Grouper hold on the structure, and soft corals cover the rock.
Sources
- Dixon's Pinnacle dive site — PADI
- Havelock Island — Wikipedia
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