Meemu Atoll · Maldives · Reef · Wall
Turtle Bay
An overhang-lined reef from 5 to 40 m with easy navigation
Area photo: Sutirtha Das wiki · CC BY-SA 4.0
Turtle Bay is the reef Scubago calls the closest, at the entrance to Meemu's inner atoll, a straightforward site where the reef drops from 5 to 40 m with a lot of overhangs along the way. Navigation is described as very easy, so the dive is a matter of choosing a depth on the reef face and following it, with the shallow top serving the stop at the end.
Where it is and how deep
2.9005° N, 73.5687° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The reef starts at 5 m and the descent is straight down the face to whatever depth the group has planned. The reef continues to 40 m, and the overhangs that line it are the feature, so pick a depth and follow the face rather than chasing the bottom. Navigation is very easy, with the reef on one side as a constant reference.
Working along the face, the overhangs are the feature to look into, with the reef rising on one side and open water on the other. The turn is made on gas and time, after which the return leg climbs gradually up the face. The dive ends on the reef top at 5 m, which makes a natural safety stop before the ascent to the boat.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows Meemu Atoll: Calmest seas and clearest water on the north-east monsoon, Nov–Apr. Sources disagree on manta timing at Mantas and More (Dec–May versus May–Dec), so do not plan a trip around it.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Turtle Bay in Meemu Atoll?+
The reef goes from 5 m down to 40 m with a lot of overhangs. Divers choose their own depth on the face, and the full profile needs Advanced training.
Sources
- Turtle Bay — Scubago
More dive sites in Meemu Atoll
Pinnacle
A soft-coral plateau at 10–15 m and caverns down to 30 m on one thila
Wall
Coral walls to 35 m turning into a sheer drop to the blue, cut with overhangs
Reef
Manta cleaning stations at 10–15 m, with 8–9 mantas at once on a good day
Pinnacle
A 4 m coral top, soft coral at 15–25 m and almost no current
Channel & pass
Rays and sharks on the descent to 30 m, then a soft-coral overhang on the drift
Coral garden
Soft, leather and fan corals with sponges at 15–25 m, and no current
Wreck
A 30 m wooden dhoni on the sand at 20–33 m, open enough to enter
Reef
Grey reef sharks and silvertips resting on the slope at 15–25 m
Similar dives elsewhere
A coral flat to 20 m, then a wall from 20 down to 40 m
Reef from 5 m down to a 35 m wall with overhangs
Coral slopes and a vertical wall between 5 m and 30 m
House-reef wall with caves, table corals and a canyon