Extreme Blue Water Diving
Exclusive Live Aboard Diving in East Africa
The Quirimbas Archipelago - Northern Mozambique
The Quirimbas Archipelago lies in the northern seabord of Mozambique. It consists of a system of 32 islands and offshore reefs that lie up to 20 nautical miles off the Mozambican coast. Some 50 nautical miles east of the island of Medjumbe and rising from approximately 2,000 m of water, lies the archipelago's outermost reef system, legendary St. Lazarus Bank.
Few of the islands were settled by fishing communities until the Arabs arrived around the 8th century and established trading posts. The Portuguese arrived around the 10th century when the islands trade thrived and were named known as Les Ilhas de San Lazaro. The Portugues established the island of Ibo as the main centre of trade for the archipelago. The country remained under Portuguese rule until independence in 1975.
The Quirimbas are known for the spectacular diving. Deep canyons located between the islands are lined by some of the most pristine coral formations in East Africa, most likely because the deep water upwelling from the canyons has historically provided stable conditions for corals to thrive. Fishing in the Quirimbas still remains mostly subsistence fishing done by artisan fishers in dugout canoes, and is done along shallower reefs located between the islands and the mainland.
Therefore, the outer slopes and drop-off's of the islands are home to healthy populations of all kinds of fish species, from reef dwellers to
large pelagic fish and sharks. Diving in the Quirimbas is best done from a live aboard yacht, as the only other alternative is to stay in one of the few operating resorts located on the islands. Due to the deep water that surrounds the reefs, visibility is often very clear and temperatures remain stable between 25 - 30 degress Celsius year round.
The only problem with diving the Quirimbas is where to start! That's a nice problem to have, and with our experienced crew we will take you to the best spots the archipelago has to offer, including Vamizi Island and the Metundo Canyon, Medjumbe and Quisiva Islands, and the little known and rarely dived gem of the Quirimbas, St. Lazarus Bank, an amazing reef system rising from approximately 2,000 m of water to it's shallowest point at 13 m. Trips to the Quirimbas would also include some culture with journey back in time to the enchanting island of Ibo.
At the moment, we are the only company in East Africa that is dedicated to offering live aboard diving to the Quirimbas Archipelago. Contact us for more information on live aboard scuba diving trips to the Quirimbas Archipelago.
