Malta & Gozo · Malta · Wall · Reef
Fungus Rock
Amberjacks, tuna and barracuda along a steep open-sea wall
Photo: Jeffrey Sciberras · CC BY 3.0
Fungus Rock, also called General's Rock, is a boat dive around a rock whose open-sea side falls away steeply into deep water. It draws divers for that outer wall and for the open-water fish that patrol it, including amberjacks, barracuda, tuna and dentex.
Also known as Mushroom Rock, General's Rock, Il-Gebla tal-General.
Where it is and how deep
36.0458° N, 14.1908° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive starts from the bay on the inside of the rock, in about 5 m of water and sheltered from the open sea. On the far side the bottom drops steeply to beyond 60 m, and along this outer wall grouper, bream and goldies mix with open-water fish such as amberjacks, barracuda, tuna and dentex.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Barracuda
- Trevally & jacks
- Tuna
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows Malta & Gozo: Jun–Sep is the main season, with the sea averaging 21–26 °C; it never drops below 14 °C, so diving carries on through the winter.
Know before you go
- Along the outer wall the water can be choppy, with surge and slight currents; the inside of the rock stays sheltered.
Questions divers ask
What certification does Fungus Rock need?+
BSAC Sports Diver, PADI Advanced Open Water or equivalent. The outer wall drops steeply past 60 m, so this is a dive for advanced divers.
Sources
- www.calypsosac.org/fungus-rock/ — www.calypsosac.org
- maltadives.com/sites/fungusrock — maltadives.com
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungus_Rock — en.wikipedia.org
Photo credits
- A large limestone rock with a green-topped crown and a small arch at its base stands alone in calm blue sea. by Jeffrey Sciberras, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
More dive sites in Malta & Gozo
Cave & cavern
An air chamber at the back of a vast cave in the cliff
An 80 m rock tunnel and a collapsed sea cave, both entered on foot
Wreck
An upturned wartime fighter with its wings still intact
Wreck
A ditched light bomber sitting upright on sand and small reefs
Swim beneath the surviving span of a collapsed sea cavern
Wall
An old four-pronged grapple anchor lying deep on the reef
A huge cavern in the Dwejra drop-off, walls lined with sponges
A long, well-lit tunnel through the rock of a sheltered lagoon
Similar dives elsewhere
Three finger reefs from 4 m down to 30 m, minutes from shore
Ravines and small caves split a long wall down to 33 m
Tunnels, canyons and walls down to a plateau facing open water
Two dives in one: an easier south side to 35 m, a deep north side past 40 m