Derawan & Sangalaki · Indonesia · Reef · Sand slope
Jack Point
Feather stars and sponges on a slope to 40 m
Area photo: Fahrian44 · CC BY-SA 4.0
A steeply sloping reef near the Nabucco Islands that runs down to 40 m before it gives way to sand, broken along the way by narrow bays of sand and rubble. Healthy corals, sponges and feather stars are the cover, with eagle rays off the reef and a leopard shark as the occasional pass.
Where it is and how deep
2.2743° N, 118.6106° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The reef slopes steeply from the shallows down to about 40 m, where it turns into a sandy slope, and the dive runs along it with the right shoulder to the reef. The face is not uniform: narrow bays of sand and rubble cut into it at intervals, and those breaks are where the small subjects sit, so the dive works as a series of stops rather than a straight swim along a wall.
The corals are healthy and the sponges and feather stars are the cover the site is known for, which is reason enough to slow down over the upper slope. Eagle rays pass off the reef, and leopard shark is on the site's list of sightings as well. Depth is the thing to watch, because the reef keeps going to 40 m, so the usual plan is a look deep early and then the rest of the dive spent working back up.
Marine life and season
- Eagle rays
- Macro critters
- Pristine corals
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair |
Season follows Derawan & Sangalaki: April–October dry season gives the clearest water and most reliable manta encounters at Sangalaki.
Sources
- Jack Point — Scubago
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