Moalboal · Philippines · Wall · Reef
Magic Island House Reef / Turtle Point
A coral wall running from a 5 m shallow top down to 55 m
Area photo: Ken Suarez · CC0
A steep wall about 1.5 km along the coast from the Panagsama strip, catalogued as Magic Island House Reef and also listed under the name Sampaguita Reef. The face carries hard and soft corals, anemones and sea fans, and runs from a shallow top at 5 m down to 55 m, with visibility usually between 15 and 25 m.
Also known as Sampaguita Reef.
Where it is and how deep
9.9328° N, 123.3787° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The dive begins at the shallow top of the wall, 5 m down, so the descent is unhurried and there is gas left for a long finish later. From there the ground simply stops. The wall falls away in one steep face that continues to 55 m, well past anything a recreational plan will use, so the first decision of the dive is which band of that face you intend to swim and where you will turn.
Hard and soft corals cover the wall, anemones sit in the face itself, and sea fans stand out into open water. With 15 to 25 m of visibility you can hold off the wall and take in a long stretch of it at once, which is what makes this a wide-angle dive rather than a macro one. Work the face in one direction for the first half of your gas, then turn and come back along it a little shallower.
Finish shallow rather than in blue water. Coming up the wall puts you back at its 5 m top, where the corals and the light make an easy place to spend the last of the dive and run the safety stop without watching a line. The site is catalogued as a house reef and is dived from a boat as well, so the exit is straightforward either way.
Marine life and season
- Pristine corals
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows Moalboal: Diveable year-round; the sardine school is present nearly every day regardless of season.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Magic Island House Reef?+
The wall's shallow top is at 5 m and the face drops to 55 m. The site is dived at whatever depth you choose on that face; the deep end is well beyond recreational limits, so the profile is yours to set.
What is the visibility at Sampaguita Reef?+
Published visibility for the site is 15 to 25 m, which is enough to hold off the wall and see a long stretch of the face at once.
Sources
- Magic Island House Reef / Turtle Point — Scubago
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