Sochi & Lazarevskoye · Russia · Reef
Uch-Dere Canyon
A 200 m canyon through rock and sand, a favourite for first dives
Uch-Dere Canyon is a shallow reef dive on the Sochi coast where a long canyon cuts through the rocky seabed close to shore. It is one of the favourite places on the coast for a first dive, and its varied reef fauna draws divers.
Also known as Уч-Дере, каньон в Уч-Дере, Uch-Dere.
Where it is and how deep
43.6572° N, 39.6290° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The canyon runs for 200 m at a depth of 15 m across a rocky bottom broken by patches of sand. Crabs and rays are common on the floor, with horse mackerel, grey mullet and croakers around the rock, and in a calm, clear sea the visibility reaches 10 m.
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 | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Good |
Season follows Sochi & Lazarevskoye: Diving runs all year, broken only by strong storms; shore water is clearest in late autumn and early spring.
Sources
- Дайвинг в Сочи: места и цены — Komsomolskaya Pravda
- Дайвинг в Сочи — Sochi dive operator
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A shallow rock reef in the Uch-Dere waters
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