Miyakejima · Japan · Drift · Reef
Sanbondake
Full drift past big schools of migratory fish
Sanbondake is an offshore rock reef, also called Onohara Island, about 9 km west-south-west of Ako harbour and reached by boat. The current runs hard, so the dive is a full drift, and it is the place on the island to look for large migratory fish and big schools. Only experienced advanced divers are taken.
Also known as 三本岳, Onohara Island.
Where it is and how deep
34.0481° N, 139.3839° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The dive is a complete drift. The current is very fast, so divers move with it instead of holding position, and only experienced advanced divers are taken. The bottom reaches 40 m.
This is the place on the island to see large migratory fish and big schools, and it counts as the most dynamic point on Miyakejima. The drift moves fast, so the dive suits only divers who already know how to handle it.
Marine life and season
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
Season follows Miyakejima: June to October brings the warmest water, visibility up to 30 m and the two Megane-iwa openings; diving runs all year.
Know before you go
- The current is very fast and the dive is a complete drift.
Sources
- PADI Japan vacation spotlight: Miyakejima — PADI Japan
- ScubaGo: Sanbondake — SSI ScubaGo
- 大野原島 – Wikipedia — Wikipedia
More dive sites in Miyakejima
Reef
Lava arch on the south coast, entered from the beach
Coral garden
Famous table coral colonies above a drop-off 100 m out
Reef
Harbour-sheltered dive with red frogfish and juvenile butterflyfish
Wall
Gorgonian wall with frequent frogfish and turtle sightings
Reef
Miyakejima's largest beach, with seahorses and frogfish
Coral garden
Dense table corals and two arches on the Kuroshio side
Similar dives elsewhere
Black coral on the deeper reef, dived as a drift
Barracuda, reef sharks and giant trevally on the promontory
A drifted wall under a 200-year-old Spanish watchtower
A drift along a coral slope where the current can turn mid-dive