Kvarner · Croatia · Wall · Reef
Malibu Bay
Overgrown wall from 20 to 40 m, scorpionfish and frequent octopus
Area photo: Nem80 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Malibu Bay is a wall dive on Cres where a plateau runs down to about 20 m and then a steep, heavily overgrown wall drops to a maximum of about 40 m, extending along the first bay towards the lighthouse on its north side. It is a fish and small-animal dive: scorpionfish on the wall, octopus very often, nudibranchs, and a conger eel every now and then.
Where it is and how deep
44.9790° N, 14.4884° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive starts on the plateau, which descends to about 20 m. Take it slowly, because the rock carries many small fish and nudibranchs, and octopus are seen very often on this site, and let it bring you to the edge where the plateau ends and the wall begins. There is no hurry to reach the drop.
From about 20 m the steep wall drops to a maximum of about 40 m, running in the first bay along the north side towards the lighthouse. It is thickly overgrown and busy with fish; scorpionfish sit on the growth, and a conger eel shows itself from time to time. Pick a working depth on the face, follow the wall along, then come back up onto the plateau to finish the dive in the shallows.
Marine life and season
- Nudibranchs
- Octopus & cuttlefish
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Off-season |
Season follows Kvarner: Peak season is May to September and conditions hold into October; from winter into early spring the bora churns the water and brings current, with the sea at 12–14 °C.
Know before you go
- The wall runs to about 40 m; agree a floor before leaving the 20 m plateau.
- Scorpionfish sit on the overgrown wall; look before holding the rock.
Sources
- Malibu Bay — Scubago — Scubago
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