Shakotan Peninsula · Japan · Reef
Cape Kamui
Fast, clear water and oversized fish off the peninsula's headland
Photo: 663highland · CC BY 2.5
Cape Kamui is the cape on the western side of the Shakotan Peninsula, and the dive off it is the one local divers dream of. The tide runs fast and the water stays clear, and the fish grow far larger here than at the other points nearby, packed into a ditch on the bottom.
Also known as 神威岬, Kamui Misaki.
Where it is and how deep
43.3301° N, 140.3535° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The boat runs about 30 minutes from Horomui harbour to the cape. The tide flows fast around the point, the water stays clear, and the bottom falls to 32 m, so this is a dive for divers comfortable with moving water at depth.
The fish grow noticeably larger here than at the other sites. A ditch on the bottom holds a dense colony of big greenling and rockfish, as crowded as an aquarium tank, and it is at its best in spring and autumn.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Shakotan Peninsula: Diving runs all year; July to September is the best season for fish and visibility, while the colder months bring the sea lions.
Know before you go
- The current around the cape is strong, and the dive reaches 32 m
Sources
- Aqua Cat Horomui point map — Aqua Cat Horomui Diving Camp
- Cape Kamui — Wikipedia
Photo credits
- Green grass-covered headland of Cape Kamui running out into blue sea under a hazy sky by 663highland, CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons
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