Katsuura & Namegawa · Japan · Reef · Pelagic & blue water
Umanose
Amberjack schools over a winter-only fishing ground
Umanose is an area fishermen use for the rest of the year, so it opens to divers only in winter. Fish gather very thickly over it, and large pelagics are met more often here than at any other point the shop dives. Strong current runs across the site, which makes it an advanced dive for divers with at least 50 logged dives.
Also known as ウマノセ.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Katsuura & Namegawa and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
From the buoy the route heads south and the bottom soon drops away in a drop-off. This is the part of the site where the fish are thickest. Amberjack sometimes sweep past in large schools, the fish the boat captain calls Umanose amberjack.
Marine life and season
- Trevally & jacks
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime |
Season follows Katsuura & Namegawa: Open in winter only; fishermen use the area for the rest of the year.
Know before you go
- Strong current runs across the site, and the bottom falls to 40 m.
Questions divers ask
What does Umanose require of divers?+
Advanced Open Water and at least 50 logged dives. The current is strong and the site reaches 40 m.
Sources
- Umanose (Katsuura Diving Service) — 勝浦ダイビングサービス
More dive sites in Katsuura & Namegawa
Pinnacle
Houndsharks resting in a cave at the tip of the south reef
Reef
A one-minute boat ride to a shallow rocky site
Wall
A maze of ledges where bullhead sharks rest
Similar dives elsewhere
Japanese bullhead sharks resting in the crevices of the shark hole
Reef
Abu Galawa
Yanbu & the Seven Reefs · Saudi Arabia
Hammerheads and silkies in the blue off the southern slope
Soft-coral ridge where mantas pass overhead
Schooling scalloped hammerheads in the Kuroshio