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Waves crash against a rocky headland near Watamu as small fishing boats ride the swell offshore

Watamu & Malindi · Kenya · Reef

Moray Reef

A reef dropping from 10 m to 27 m, with nudibranchs in a range of colours

Area photo: phil from uk · CC BY 2.0

Moray Reef is one of the deeper reefs on the Watamu operator's list, dropping from 10 m to about 27 m. Fusiliers, flutefish and barracuda work the reef, and nudibranchs in a range of colours are what the operator singles out, which is what makes this one worth diving slowly.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Moray Reef: typical dive 10–27 m (33–90 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit10 m27 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

No published position for this site — the map shows Watamu & Malindi and its other sites; operators know the mooring.

The dive

The reef drops from 10 m to about 27 m, so the dive follows the usual outer-reef order: down onto the deeper ground first, then back up the slope as the tank goes down. The deeper section is the part that has to be done early, because of the depth rather than because of anything the reef itself does.

Fusiliers, flutefish and barracuda are the fish the operator names here, and nudibranchs are what it singles out, in a range of colours - so this is a reef to work slowly with a torch rather than one to cover ground on. Little else is published about the route, so which stretch you dive comes down to the guide and the conditions on the day.

Marine life and season

  • Nudibranchs
  • Barracuda
  • Reef fish swarms
Month-by-month season rating for Moray Reef
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PrimePrimeGoodOff-seasonOff-seasonOff-seasonFairGoodGoodGoodPrimePrime

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 bottom sits at 27 m, past Open Water limits - keep the deep leg short and come shallow well before gas gets low.

Questions divers ask

How deep is Moray Reef in Watamu?+

The Watamu operator gives the reef as a drop from 10 m to about 27 m. The 27 m end puts it past Open Water depth limits, so the deep part of the dive needs a deeper certification.

Sources

  1. Diving sites — Turtle Dive Watamu

In The Logbook

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