Mnemba Atoll · Tanzania · Wall · Reef
Small Wall
A second drop-off at 30 m hung with gorgonians
Area photo: Jorge Láscar · CC BY-SA 2.0
Small Wall is a large coral reef on Mnemba Atoll that starts at the surface and reaches 50 metres, with a second drop-off around 30 metres carrying colourful corals and gorgonians. It is listed as a site for all levels, from newly certified divers on the shallow reef to technical divers on the deeper structure.
Where it is and how deep
5.8318° S, 39.3856° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The reef starts at the surface, so the dive begins as soon as you are in the water. The first few metres are the busiest part of it: pufferfish between the coral heads, bannerfish, and a school of snapper that falls in behind divers and follows them along the reef. Because the top is so shallow, the site takes divers of any level, from newly certified through to technical.
Deeper down the reef reaches 50 metres, and around 30 metres there is a second drop-off where colourful corals and gorgonians grow off the edge. This is the part of the site that experienced and technical divers come for, and going deeper is also how you meet the bigger residents: napoleon wrasse and big groupers are both possible below the shallow reef.
The way back is up the same reef, which means the shallow coral and its snapper school get a second pass on the ascent. Safety stops are made over live reef rather than in open water, and the site's vertical range, from the surface to 50 metres, makes it easy to shape a conservative profile without cutting the dive short.
Marine life and season
- Reef fish swarms
- Napoleon wrasse
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Good | Off-season | Off-season | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime |
Season follows Mnemba Atoll: Jul–Mar is divable, with Dec–Feb calmest and clearest; the long rains in April and May bring poor visibility and rough crossings.
Know before you go
- The reef continues to 50 metres with no natural stopping point, so it is easy to drift deeper than planned along the second drop-off; watch your depth and gas on the way down.
Questions divers ask
Is Small Wall suitable for new divers?+
Yes, on the shallow part. The reef starts at the surface and the first few metres hold pufferfish, bannerfish and a school of snapper, so Open Water divers get a full dive without going near the deeper drop-off.
Sources
- Small Wall, Mnenba Island — Dive Site — Scubago
More dive sites in Mnemba Atoll
Wall
A vertical face from 18 m to 50 m, cut with caves and overhangs
Wall
A cavern at 35 m with jacks schooling off the wall
Reef
A glassfish shelter at 25 m on the atoll's busiest reef
Seamount
A sea mount topping out at 14 m and dropping to 50 in strong current
Plate corals along the north edge of a 20 m bommie slope
Similar dives elsewhere
A drop-off named for the dolphins that buoyed it
Two walls joined by a plateau, dived north to south
A sandy channel between two reef walls, with an arch full of glassfish
A vertical face with shallow caverns, 8 m to 26 m