Ponta do Ouro · Mozambique · Reef · Pinnacle · Pelagic & blue water
Pinnacles
Hammerheads and Zambezi sharks off a reef edge in open water
Area photo: Derek Keats · CC BY 2.0
Pinnacles is the deep reef the shark diving at Ponta do Ouro is built around, a drop into open water with the top of the structure at 28 m and the deepest ground at 42 m. Divers hover above the pinnacles, take in the reef topography and then spend a slow ascent watching the blue. Underwater Explorer runs it as an advanced dive and asks to see an Advanced Diver certification.
Also known as Pinnacles Reef.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Ponta do Ouro and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
Boats launch off the beach in the village, a short walk from the dive centre, and Pinnacles is dived as a deep drop into the ocean. The descent runs to roughly 35 m, with the top of the reef at 28 m and the deepest ground at 42 m, so gas planning buys only a short window down there. You settle above the pinnacles and take in the dramatic topography of the reef rather than covering distance.
The ascent is slow and spent watching the deep blue off the reef, which is where the animals come past. Frequent sightings include bull (Zambezi) sharks, hammerheads, silvertips, duskies, blacktips, leopard sharks and even tiger sharks, a few of the 19 species recorded in the area, while eagle rays, devil rays and manta rays also make an appearance. Game fish work the same water. It is run as one of the one to two dives on the double tank.
Marine life and season
- Hammerheads
- Bull sharks
- Tiger sharks
- Reef sharks
- Manta rays
- Eagle rays
- Mobula rays
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good |
Season follows Ponta do Ouro: Resident dolphins are seen year-round; shark activity at Pinnacles and whale migration peak July-October.
Know before you go
- The site bottoms out at 42 m, so bottom time is short and the ascent has to be planned; the centre runs it as an advanced dive only.
Dive videos
Gozo azul diving - Ponta do Ouro - Tiger Sharks at Pinnacles · Gozo Azul Diving on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Pinnacles at Ponta do Ouro?+
The reef runs from 28 m at the top down to 42 m. The usual profile takes divers to around 35 m before a slow ascent, so bottom time is short.
What certification do you need for Pinnacles?+
Underwater Explorer runs Pinnacles as an advanced dive and requires an Advanced Diver certification. It is reached by boat from the beach launch in the village, usually as one of one to two dives on a double tank.
Sources
- Shark Diving — Underwater Explorer
- Reef Diving — Underwater Explorer
In The Logbook
- Where to dive with tiger, bull and white sharksBig animals · 14 min read
- Why is 1.4 bar the oxygen limit in diving?Body & health · 13 min read
- Gas density: why deep air gets hard to breatheBody & health · 8 min read
- When and where to dive with hammerheadsBig animals · 16 min read
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