Reefwander
A large grey pufferfish covered in dark spots rests on a rounded coral head, with small fish in the blue-green water behind — Maumere Bay

Maumere Bay · Indonesia · Reef · Wall

The Crack (Pulau Babi)

An earthquake fissure split into the reef off Pulau Babi

Area photo: Rachel Crane · CC BY 4.0

The Crack is a drop-off on the north side of Pulau Babi in Maumere Bay, named for the scar that the 1992 earthquake left in the reef. The fissure is about 70 cm wide and runs perhaps thirty metres back into the coral, and the corals growing across the opening are gradually sealing it.

Also known as The Crack, The Crack at Pulau Babi.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of The Crack (Pulau Babi): typical dive 5–30 m (15–100 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit5 m30 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

8.4211° S, 122.4958° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.

The dive

The reef runs from 5 m to 30 m, a drop-off covered with corals, gorgonians and small crevices sheltering a rich diversity. Nobody goes inside the fissure: divers hang above it and look down into the internal structure of the reef. Out in the blue, sharks, turtles and giant trevallies pass by.

Marine life and season

  • Sea turtles
  • Trevally & jacks
Month-by-month season rating for The Crack (Pulau Babi)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairFairPrimePrimePrimePrimePrimePrimePrimeGoodGood

Season follows Maumere Bay: April to October is the calmest and clearest window; January to March brings rougher crossings, though the sheltered inner bay still dives.

Sources

  1. Maumere diving guide — Neptune Liveaboards
  2. Diving - Santai Divers Maumere — Santai Divers
  3. The Crack at Pulau Babi — ScubaGo

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