Watamu & Malindi · Kenya · Wall · Reef
The Canyon
A sandy channel between two reef walls, with an arch full of glassfish
Area photo: phil from uk · CC BY 2.0
The Canyon is the deep end of the Watamu line-up: a sandy channel running between a pair of reef walls, with overhangs and an arch cut into the coral. The reef top runs at 11-13 m and the drop-off falls away to 26-28 m, deep enough that the deep leg has to be planned first and kept short.
Also known as Canyon Reef, Canyon North, Canyon South.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Watamu & Malindi and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The run out from the dive centre takes about 20-25 minutes depending on which of the Canyon reefs is being dived. The dive starts on the shallower coral, where the operator describes a drift line at 11-13 m and the reef rising again after the trench, before the ground opens into the canyon itself: a sandy floor with coral walls standing on either side, described as a highway for the stream of marine life passing along it.
The walls carry a series of overhangs and an arch filled with glassfish and soft corals, and that arch is where the ribbon eel is pointed out. On the sand below, look for large stingrays settled on the channel floor. Wrasse and leaf fish work the walls, and black- or white-tipped reef sharks turn up occasionally, depending on the season.
The drop-off descends to 26-28 m, and one account puts the deepest ground here at 30 m, so time at the base is short. Visibility is given as roughly 16 m. The sensible order is the deep section first, then back up onto the reef top to finish along the shallower coral and the drift line, where the operator notes there is sometimes a current.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Stingrays
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Good | Off-season | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Watamu & Malindi: Oct–Mar is the season, with whale sharks Nov–Feb; the kusi monsoon and long rains shut most centres from April to June.
Know before you go
- The drop-off runs to 26-28 m and one source gives 30 m, so plan the deep leg first and watch gas and no-decompression time.
- Large stingrays settle on the sandy floor of the channel - stay off the bottom rather than kneeling on the sand.
- The operator notes there is sometimes a current over these reefs, so check the drift with the guide before dropping over the edge.
Questions divers ask
How deep is The Canyon at Watamu?+
The dive covers roughly 10 m on the reef down to a drop-off at 26-28 m, and one account gives 30 m as the deepest ground. The depth puts it past Open Water limits, so it is not a beginner dive.
How do you get to The Canyon?+
By boat from the Watamu dive centres. The local operator lists the Canyon reefs at about 25 minutes from the centre, and the southern section at about 20 minutes.
Sources
- Diving sites — Turtle Dive Watamu
- The Canyon Reef, Watamu Beach — Xtremespots
- Watamu: Diving — AfricanMecca Safaris
- Exploring the Underwater Treasures of Watamu, Kenya — Adventure Expeditions
More dive sites in Watamu & Malindi
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A massive brain coral formation at 15-18 m beside the buoy line
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A grotto of juvenile fish with a resident large moray
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A drop-off named for the dolphins that buoyed it
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A flower-like anemone full of shrimps and pipefish
Wreck
Glassfish and sweepers over a sponge-crusted trawler
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A reef dropping from 10 m to 27 m, with nudibranchs in a range of colours
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Octopus on the northern reef, where turtles are very common
Similar dives elsewhere
A second drop-off at 30 m hung with gorgonians
Two walls joined by a plateau, dived north to south
A vertical face with shallow caverns, 8 m to 26 m
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Undercut overhangs and table-coral sheets on a channel wall