Reefwander
A dive boat loaded with scuba gear heads toward rocky islets in bright turquoise water off Tokashiki — Kerama Islands.

Kerama Islands · Japan · Wall · Cave & cavern

Zamami Lighthouse

Sunlit crevasses and caves in a rock wall from 3 to 22 m

Area photo: DavideGorla · CC BY 2.0

Zamami Lighthouse, listed by the shops as Under the Lighthouse, lies off the northeast corner of Zamami Island in a cove sheltered enough to be rated beginner ground. Rock walls carry the dive, cut with crevasses and caves that take the light from above, and the profile runs between 3 m and 22 m.

Also known as Under the Lighthouse.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Zamami Lighthouse: typical dive 3–22 m (10–72 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit3 m22 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

26.2237° N, 127.3345° EPublished position for this site.

The dive

The cove sits on the northeast side of Zamami Island and what is published about it is short: calm water, suited to beginners. The structure is rock rather than reef flat — walls broken by crevasses and caves that take direct sun from above, so the dive is a slow traverse with time spent looking into the gaps rather than a route covering distance.

Depth on the site runs from 3 m to 22 m, which gives a group room to work the base of the rock first and spend the back half of the dive in the shallow end of the cove. Snappers hold on the wall through the year, with isobana coral on the rock; summer adds larger snapper schools and the predatory fish that work them. No mooring, entry point or fixed route is published, so the shop sets the plan on the day.

Marine life and season

  • Reef fish swarms
Month-by-month season rating for Zamami Lighthouse
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairGoodPrimePrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGoodGoodFair

Season follows Kerama Islands: Calmest seas and best clarity run April-September; winter brings choppier northeast winds and cooler water.

Questions divers ask

How deep is Zamami Lighthouse?+

Published depths run from 3 m to 22 m. The shallow end of the cove sits well inside open water limits, and the deeper rock at the base of the wall is the part that asks for more experience.

Is Zamami Lighthouse suitable for beginners?+

The site is described as a calm cove that suits beginners, and the 3 m shallows make an easy first half to the dive. Current is not reported as an issue, though the 22 m maximum means the deep end of the profile is not open water territory.

Sources

  1. Zamami Lighthouse dive site — Scubago / SSI MyDiveGuide

In The Logbook

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