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DIVING: Left
untouched during the civil war which ended in
1992, the reefs are pristine. Diving is a relatively new sport in Mozambique
and the marine life seems to have none of the fear of the diver shown in
other areas where diving is more developed.
Just over the South African border,
Ponta Mamoli's quiet bay is removed from the
hustle and bustle of the busier Ponta do Ouro. The reefs are a continuation
of South Africa's Sodwana/Maputaland system and boast plenty of tropical
fish species, as well as having important turtle egg-laying beaches,
seasonal Whale sharks, Mantas and Ragged-tooth sharks.
The reefs of
Inhambane have a volcanic rock base with small delicate corals but
they are pristine and just as colourful as the more northerly reefs. Their big draws are the
resident Mantas, Devil rays and Whale sharks. Great shoals of Big-eyes, fusiliers
and Moorish idols cover the reefs like a shower of confetti; gobies, morays
and shrimps peer out from every hole; look out for rare Harlequin Shrimps
and Porcelain crabs, boxing Mantis shrimps, Durban dancing shrimps and
varieties of nudribranchs in the nooks and crannies. Don't forget to look up
and around you: something big may be passing overhead...
Pomene is a remote area approximately
150kms north from Inhambane (only half an hour transfer by light aircraft). The reefs here are stunning and the first
signs of true tropical reefs are found: large colonies of hard corals. As with Inhambane,
the marine life is abundant with many species of reef fish as well as
turtles, White tips, huge bass (grouper), Eagle rays and game fish.
Vilanculos and Bazaruto
Archipelagohave healthy coral cover and the
gamut of Indian Ocean reef fish. Turtles and dolphins are also frequent
visitors. Of particular note is the rare dugong; find it if you can.
Pemba and the Quirimbas Archipelago are
found in the far north of Mozambique and due to their remoteness are largely
untouched. The Quirimbas Archipelago is made up of a number of coral atolls,
similar to the Maldives only less-developed. The Quirimbas National Park was the first
reserve to be created in Mozambique since independence and encompasses
approximately 7,500km2; 6,000km on the mainland and 1,500km made
up of ocean, inter-tidal and island habitats. The marine habitat boasts an
abundance of larger marine species such as turtles, dugongs, visiting Humpback whales..
CLIMATE: This
large country has over 1200kms of coastline and a tropical climate with
hot and humid conditions during summer (Dec-Feb) and pleasantly warm
during the winter days with cool evenings. This is a malarial country.
Rain tends to fall between November and March with the chance of
cyclones in February. Day temperature ranges from 24oC to 34oC+.
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