Liveaboard Diving in Bligh Waters
What to expect on a Bligh Waters Liveaboard
Liveaboards to Bligh Waters visit this area around the Fijian Island of Vatu, which is often referred to as Vatu-I-Ra Passage. However, this name is only partly true because the Vatu-I-Ra Passage is only a part of Bligh Waters, the Vatu-I-Ra Passage actually stretches out further. The Vatu-I-Ra Passage is a marine protected area and therefore you will find an abundance of diverse marine life. The beautiful hard and soft corals attract thousands of scuba divers each year. Bligh Water together with the Koro Sea separate the north of the Fiji from the south.
Bligh Waters is named after the famous sea captain, William Bligh, who commanded the English Royal Navy Cutter the Bounty. In 1789 the ship was overtaken by the crew, which action became wellknown by "Mutiny of the Bounty".
Bligh Waters Underwater
Because there is a lot of water movement in this area, there is a lot of food for smaller organisms who feed the bigger organisms and eventually makes the ecosystem round.
Not all the dive sites in Bligh Waters are suitable for beginners due to the strong currents. The reefs however, that used to be considered as real threats to sailing vessels, are now considered to be real treasures by passionate divers and photographers hence the pristine conditions and uncrowded dive sites.
Dive Sites of Bligh Waters
Fiji liveaboards to Bligh Waters will visit a veriety of dive sites around this area, a selection of a few are outlined below;
Mellow Yellow is a pinnacle dive and named after a large population of yellow soft corals trees covering the current-side of the pinnacle. When the current is on, this is a must-do if you like marine life activity. Big schools of fish blurr the sight of the corals, in between you can also find nudibranchs, small shrimp, scorpion fish and more macro creatures. Also you'll see grey reef sharks, schools of barracuda and many turtles. This site also makes an excellent spot for a night dive during which you can enjoy the sight of lionfish, flatworms and shrimp.
Mount Mutiny is named after captain William Bligh from the Mutiny on the Bounty. The one pinnacle rises up from the depths and offers a diversity of pelagic fish such as schools of jackfish and barracuda. This divesite however is more known for being the best soft coral dive in the world! The area around Mount Mutiny is also called 'Rainbow Reef' because the wall of soft corals's colours have the resembling colours of a rainbow.
If you love swimthroughs then Dream Maker is the dive site to be. Here you'll find large sea fans and coral windows. If you dive at the current side you will be surrounded by fish who are feeding on the nutritients swirrled up by the divers. Looking down you'll see white tips and Napoleon wrasse.
Black Magic Mountain is a classic pinnacle dive. There are many healthy corals, but moreover at Black Magic Mountain the highlight is the huge schools of pelagic fish like big eye jack fish, fusiliers, anthias, pickhandle barri's. You can also encounter different species of sharks and eagle rays.
G6 - Here you can find amazing purple soft corals covering this dive site with many golden scalefin anthias swimming around. Looking into the blue you'll see schools of barracudas and big eyed jack fish. In between the many sea fans you can also find different species of scorpion fish and nudibranchs.
Currents of the Koro Sea wash Koro Island bringing nutrients along to feed the many fish and still keeping visibility excellent. This whole area is covered with the most beautiful coloured soft corals, sponges and hard corals. This attracts angelfish, parrotfish, butterfly fish and fusiliers. Colours everywhere around you.
Top tips for divers
Be careful with swimthroughs. You need to properly assess whether your dive skills together with your body type can make it through the swimmthrough without touching the corals.
Make sure you have perfect buoyancy and you have your SPG or octopus close to your body and not hanging loose.
Getting to Bligh Waters
Visiting the dive sites of Blight Waters is best done by Fijian liveaboard while most of the dive sites are quite far off shore requiring long journeys.
Bligh Waters Diving Reviews
- 9.4 Superb
- 10.0 Exceptional
- BETH W
United States
Wish the weather was better
Diving Bligh Waters in October on the Nai'a
- 10.0 Exceptional
- sun min L
United States
Colorful soft corals. Nice.
Diving Bligh Waters in August on the Nai'a
- 9.2 Superb
- David T
United States
Fantastic, the coral on the sea mounts was so healthy!
Diving Bligh Waters in September on the Nai'a
- 10.0 Exceptional
- Matthew M
United States
Mount Mutiny and E6 are two huge seamounts with an abundance of life and no other divers
Diving Bligh Waters in March on the Nai'a
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