Watamu & Malindi · Kenya · Wall · Channel & pass · Reef
Dolphin Corner
A drop-off named for the dolphins that buoyed it
Area photo: phil from uk · CC BY 2.0
A drop-off on the middle reef about 20 minutes from Watamu, named after the school of dolphins that surrounded the divers who first buoyed it. The dive crosses a channel beside the drop-off, where massed schooling fish sit off the edge and the wall itself hides scorpionfish, leaf fish and the occasional frogfish. Depths run 10 to 28 m.
Also known as Dolphin Point.
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 site is dived across a channel that runs beside the drop-off, with the reef starting at about 10 m and the bottom at roughly 28 m. The open side is where the numbers are: massive schools of fish stack up against the edge, and it is worth a few minutes hanging off the reef and looking out into the blue before turning back onto the structure.
On the wall itself the dive slows down. Bigeyes, gaterins and glassfish hold in the shade, and a close look along the rock turns up scorpionfish, leaf fish and now and then a frogfish, all of which are easier to swim past than to find. Whitetip reef sharks, manta rays and whale sharks are all on the list of what to watch for off the edge.
The dolphins are the reason for the name rather than a promise attached to the dive. A school surrounded the divers who first buoyed the site, and the channel crossing is still made with a bit of luck in mind, so the dive is finished with an eye up into the water as well as down on the reef. The schooling fish along the drop-off are reason enough to be there on the days the dolphins do not show.
Marine life and season
- Dolphins
- Reef sharks
- Manta rays
- Whale sharks
- Reef fish swarms
- Frogfish
- Macro critters
| 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.
Questions divers ask
Why is it called Dolphin Corner?+
It was named in honour of the school of dolphins that surrounded the divers who first buoyed the site, and the channel crossing is still dived in the hope of meeting them.
How deep is Dolphin Corner?+
The reef here runs from about 10 m down to roughly 28 m, with the drop-off on the seaward side.
Sources
- Dive Sites - Turtle Dive Watamu — Turtle Dive Watamu
- Diving Watamu: From The Vuma Caves To The Mida Wreck — Just Gotta Dive
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Similar dives elsewhere
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