When you think of Kenya, perhaps your first thought is of the premium coffee, tea, and fresh flowers the nation exports, or perhaps you think of the magnificent land mammals that live there - elephants, giraffes, lions, and more. While Kenya is the setting for all these wonders, Wartime’s equatorial position on the Indian Ocean showcases white sand and blue water that join with coral reefs to create the perfect setting for diving. Much of this area is protected by the Wartime Marine National Park, ensuring marine life remains healthy and vibrant.
Puma Caves
Located at the foot of a series of towering shoreline cliffs, the Puma Caves are entered via large holes at a depth of 18 to 20 meters. Once inside, you'll make your way through a series of tunnels that eventually lead to chimneys that exit at the reef top at depths between 7 and 10 meters. Inside the caves, you'll find yourself surrounded by shoaling snapper and gatherings, and you'll come face to face with large rock cod as well. Outside, watch for reef sharks, whale, sharks, and manta rays, and enjoy the many napoleon wrasse and other reef fish that add even more color and motion to the site.
Brain Coral
Located on the edge of a sandy channel where a congregation of eels wave a welcome to large manta rays, Brain Coral is named in honor of a massive coral formation that sits next to the buoy line at a depth of 15 to 18 meters. The adjoining reef shelters turtles and juvenile reef sharks among its many coral grottoes, ledges, and overhangs, and you'll find plenty of stone fish and lion fish here as well. Up in the shallows, colorful schools of blue lined snapper and clouds of glass fish are just a couple of the many species you'll encounter.
Canyon
A sandy channel separates a pair of reef walls that begin at a depth of 10 to 12 meters and drop away to depths between 22 and 24 meters. The channel that makes up the Canyon dive site acts as a highway for an endless stream of marine life; here, you'll encounter lots of fusiliers and napoleon wrasse, along with spadefish, trevallies, and napoleons, along with manta rays and stingrays. If you're lucky, you'll even spot white tip reef sharks lounging on the bottom of the canyon.
Dolphin Point
Named in honor of the school of dolphins that surrounded the divers who first buoyed the site, Dolphin Point is located near a drop off that provides an astonishing view of massive schools of fish. Here, you'll find bigeyes, gaterins and glassfish, and if you look closely along the wall, you'll find scorpion fish, leaf fish, and even the occasional frogfish. Watch for white tip reef sharks and manta rays, along with whale sharks and of course, dolphins.
Mida Wreck
Named for its location at the mouth of Mida Creek, the Mida wreck is a 60 foot prawn trawler that lies on the sandy bottom at a depth of just 14 meters. Completely encrusted with a colorful mantle of sponges and corals, it is home to some huge groupers, and bat fish, juvenile barracuda, sweepers, and glass fish swirl about the decks in an endless parade.
These are just a few of the many fantastic dive sites you'll find at Watamu; there are several areas which are ideal for snorkeling as well. Whether you're traveling to Kenya for a safari or if your primary intent is to dive, you will be astonished by the wonders that await just beneath the surface here.