Derawan & Sangalaki · Indonesia · Wall · Wreck
Ujung Nunukan
Reef sharks on the wall, a sunk house-reef boat at 16-21 m
Area photo: Fahrian44 · CC BY-SA 4.0
A steep wall southwest off the Nunukan Islands, 30 minutes from the Nabucco Islands, standing on a sandy plateau at 30 m. Gray reef and whitetip reef sharks work the drop, and a dive centre's former house-reef boat lies in 16 to 21 m between here and neighbouring Pandoga Point.
Where it is and how deep
2.1109° N, 118.7391° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The site is southwest off the Nunukan Islands, 30 minutes out from the Nabucco Islands, where a steep wall stands on a sandy plateau at 30 m. Whip corals grow on the face, and the sharks are why most divers are there: gray reef sharks and whitetip reef sharks both work the wall, with large stingrays, pipefish and turtles on and around it.
The other half of the site is a wreck. The local dive centre sank its former house-reef boat between Ujung Nunukan and Pandoga Point, and it lies in 16 to 21 m — shallow enough to add on to the wall rather than plan a dive around. Moray eels and scorpionfish have taken it over, so it is a slow, close-up stop, and the depth leaves plenty of gas for the shallow end of the dive.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Former house-reef boat of the local dive centre
- Type
- Dive centre house-reef boat
- Cause
- Deliberately sunk by the dive centre that formerly operated it
- Lies
- Between Ujung Nunukan and Pandoga Point, in 16 to 21 m
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Stingrays
- Sea turtles
- Macro critters
| 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
- Ujung Nunukan — Scubago
In The Logbook
- Where to see reef sharks on your first divesBig animals · 14 min read
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