Kadavu & the Great Astrolabe Reef · Fiji · Pinnacle · Wall
Yellow Wall
Half a dozen pinnacles under yellow soft coral, down to 28 m
Photo: Paul and Jill · CC BY 2.0
Yellow Wall, or Mellow Yellow, is a group of half a dozen large rock pinnacles standing together like a miniature mountain range. They start a few metres below the surface and run down to a sandy bottom at around 28 metres, and yellow soft coral is the dominant growth on them, flourishing in the nutrient-rich currents that feed the site.
Also known as Mellow Yellow.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Kadavu & the Great Astrolabe Reef and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
Despite the name, this is not a treacherous piece of reef; it is an easy Kadavu dive site. The pinnacles begin just a few metres below the surface and drop to the sandy bottom at around 28 metres, so the profile is yours to shape: take the bases first if you want the deeper part of the site, then work up the sides and finish over the tops in the shallows with gas to spare.
Yellow soft coral is the predominant growth on the rock, flourishing in the nutrient-rich currents that run past the pinnacles, and it is what gives the site both of its names. The fish are the ordinary reef crowd rather than anything rare: scissortail sergeants, wrasses and titan triggerfish, the last of which is worth giving a wide berth.
Marine life and season
- Pristine corals
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair |
Season follows Kadavu & the Great Astrolabe Reef: Apr–Oct is the dry season with the best visibility; Nov–Mar brings cyclone risk and rain, though the water is warmest then.
Know before you go
- The current can kick up at times, so dives here are timed to avoid high and low tide; check the plan with your guide before you get in.
Photos from Yellow Wall
q phia · CC BY 2.0
Dive videos
Dive 12 – Mellow Yellow, Kadavu Island - Fiji · Nick Uresin Scuba Diaries on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Yellow Wall in Kadavu?+
The pinnacles start a few metres below the surface and run down to sand at around 28 metres, so you can choose your depth. Most of the soft coral interest is on the sides of the rock rather than at the base.
Sources
- Fiji Kadavu dive sites — Dive The World
Photo credits
- Coral reef scene with schooling fish over a hard coral garden in blue water by Paul and Jill, CC BY 2.0, via Openverse
- Close-up of yellow and orange soft coral polyps in Fiji by q phia, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
More dive sites in Kadavu & the Great Astrolabe Reef
Reef
Mantas over a coral-covered reef top at 15 metres
Channel & pass
Potato cod gather here in numbers to breed, inside a 2018 marine reserve
Similar dives elsewhere
Sinularia soft coral bending in the current on one bommie
Four coral pinnacles 30–50 m apart, from 10 m down to 30 m
Sheer rock stacks, crevices and caves on a far island of the bay
.jpg){kind=link}
Drop-offs and channels with a pinnacle rising from 14 m to 8 m