CLOCKWISE FROM FAR LEFT: Magnificent anemone; Fishing dhow in channel; Chomodoris lochi on lattice coral; Marbled cleaner shrimp: Flatworm; Chromodoris africana nudibranch on sponge The spacious, purpose- I’d started the morning in Dar-es- past the palm trees, down the built dhow slid through the Salaam and caught a Coastal small beach, and onto the wait- Airways Cessna 182 for the ing dhow. On the leisurely cruise calm Indian Ocean. We 20-minute 07:30 flight to Stone out to a reef near Bawe Island, were briefed sitting under Town on the west coast of Unguja, acquaintances were made and the shade area of the more commonly known as the loudmouth been-there-done- deck, then kitted up and Zanzibar, for some low-level sun- it-all-in-25-dives Harvard post-grad rise shots of the outlying reefs. Ten Italian diver was quickly identified went through our buddy minutes in a taxi, and I was kitting and avoided as a buddy. checks before a giant up at One Ocean Divers, a mug The wreck itself was a tad dis- stride took us into the 30°C of coffee steaming next to me. appointing. Although the briefing sea. Looking down, I could One Ocean started 16 years by Amani had covered all the ago, and in 1999, it was taken essentials and had been thorough just make out the dive site, over by Aussie Gary Greig and in terms of safety procedures, no an old British lighter, 27 his South African wife, Gail. From indication of the size of the wreck metres below me. It was one dive shop in Stone Town, had been given. Hence, my initial they now operate from four other thoughts of “With a lifeboat that 9:30 a.m. and the day was resorts around the island. Kit size, it must be a huge wreck” ZanzibarDiving Unguja & Pemba Island going fantastically. was dished out whilst more cof- soon turned to disappointment fee was brewed and then con- when Amani went straight for it. Text and photos sumed, before we were walked It was host to a large school of by Christopher Bartlett 33 X-RAY MAG : 31 : 2009 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel CLOCKWISE: Zanzibar’s west coast; Detail of giant clam; Featherstar; Scorpionfish; Bifurcated flatworm; Healthy table corals; Diver with large gorgonian fancoral; Starfish our best to convince our Italian expert that a Stonefish sting really would spoil his day, it was time to pull on our shorties again. The visibility was around 15 metres, and the site deserved its moniker. Table and plate corals adorned the reef, and we spotted common lionfish, lots of nudis, an undulated moray eel, a hermit crab, huge gorgonian fans, a giant clam, and two blue spotted rays. However, the highlight of the dive was the large remora that took a fancy to Captain Fantastic’s bare leg, his squeals being Aquarium at Murogo Reef (how many Aquariums are striped eel catfish and long strands of whip there around the world?), our coral (that numbered one less after some bellies were grumbling, and the unusual buoyancy “skills” from the Adriatic). crew laid out a spread fit for Omani Following the dive plan, we then finned away Sultans—once rulers of Zanzibar and the following the contours of the sandy bottom up to some most successful slave and spice traders outcrops of reef, home to a bearded scorpionfish, in Africa. and an assortment of triggerfish, butterflyfish, and After samoosas, spring rolls, chapat- coachmen. tis and fresh fruits and a leisurely spot By the time we’d started puttering along to The of digestion during which we tried 34 X-RAY MAG : 31 : 2009 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Zanzibar Stone Town Back on shore in Stone Town, there is a bit of sightseeing to do. Central Stone Town is a labyrinth of narrow streets and alleyways, flanked by crumbling mansions and mosques. The main attrac- tions are the massive Zanzibari wooden doors, Mercury’s restaurant and bar (Freddy of Queen fame is Unguja’s most famous son) by Big Tree, vaguely reminiscent of dolphin the House of Wonders, the chatter as he trashed around Omani Fort, Tippu Tip’s house, trying to avoid its attempted the Hamamni Persian Baths, love bites. Back on the dhow, and the fish market (conser- he was informed that remora vationists beware: you will find like to live on sharks, and that sharks here). The night food one is never very far from the market in Forodhani Gardens other. “I could’ve been killed is alleged, by the same guide- then”, he shrieked. “If only,” book that I used in Dar es the “must-dive” of Unguja. thought I. Salaam, to host the best food With average viz 20 metres or The reefs around Stone Town market in East Africa. If the better, there are a multitude are fairly plentiful and other, guidebook was written for flies, of sites to dive, and its calm larger wrecks exist, too. And this is undoubtedly true. conditions make it suitable whilst any aficionado of Bass for novices and experienced Lake would gawk in amaze- Matemwe & Mnemba divers alike. ment at the coral formations Situated close to Mnemba One Ocean’s centre here and the fish life, the reefs have Atoll, a shallow expanse of was on the premises of the suffered greatly from plagues coral reef with a tiny heart- Beach Village where stand- of crown of thorns, draining shaped island on its western ard rooms are comfortable the coral of any colour. fringe surrounded by some and clean. The Shamba step drop-offs, Matemwe is suites are huge and charm- CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Omani Fort; Mosque minaret and Anglican cathedral towers domi- nate the skyline of Stone Town. The cathedral was built over the old slave market; Typical Stone Town alleyway; Tinga tinga artist displays his work; Breakfast view of Stone Town from Hotel Kiponda; Forodhani Gardens, deserted in daylight, becomes a hive of activity in evenings with the food market; Detail and full view of Stone Town’s famous doors 35 X-RAY MAG : 31 : 2009 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Zanzibar a relaxing atmos- After another dhow-diving phere that even lunch taken anchored over a the open water snorkelling site that had several students were divisions of sergeant majors flit- looking like sea- ting over it, it was time to visit soned veterans. Turtle Reef. The site was not If it was a one unbroken reef, but rather haven of peace coral mounds interspersed with and tranquil- sand, where unusual sightings lity on the boat, included two left-eyed flounder, under it, the a huge octopus in some rocks, ocean was buzz- and a grand total of zero turtles ing. With great between eight divers. However, viz, our first site lionfish fans were delighted; was West Bank. there was an abundance of Starting at six these delicate-looking but metres and then venom-carrying members of the rolling down into scorpionfish family. a 50m drop-off, Having returned along the it was covered same road due to extra-low ingly decorated. Located next in reef fish and eels, hard and tides, instead of in the dhow, to the beautiful infinity pool a soft corals, and large schools of beers were cracked around few paces from the beach, it fusiliers. There were the intriguing the poolside bar and new arriv- also had excellent equipment, juvenile black snapper, dam- als greeted like distant cousins, friendly and efficient service. sels in the staghorn coral, royal before dinner and a relatively After a bumpy 45-minute and emperor angelfish, choco- early night under the sleep- drive to the launch site in a late dips, blue spotted rays, inducing whir of the strategically daladala and transfer to anoth- two-bar clown fish. Thumbing positioned fans. If you want to er purpose-built diving dhow, through the fish book back on treat yourself, the Shamba suites the MV Jessica, the divers car- the dhow, it was a case of “Saw are well worth the extra 50 dol- ried on the banter from the that, saw that, saw that, loads lars, and for a special romantic CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Green turtle with Remora fish; Striped eel catfish (above); Color-changing night before. More flat sea and of them, two of them, few of night for two, the honeymoon Spotfin lionfish; Matemwe Beach Village; Rock lobster octopus attempts to attract a mate baking sunshine make for such those, etc…” suite is even more secluded and 36 X-RAY MAG : 31 : 2009 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY EDUCATION PROFILES PORTFOLIO CLASSIFIED travel Zanzibar garden eels stick their heads out of the sand and start swaying to the tune of an invisible snake-charmer. Kendwa I caught a ride across the top of the island where there are two resorts to choose from. Nungwi was a dusty vil- lage that has rapidly grown into the most frequented and fashionable (read promoted) resort on the island. It has the liveliest nightclubs and the greatest selec- tion of restaurants, but is also overrun by tourists and has poor swimming beaches. For divers, there are a few local sites, but the best dives involve a long dhow trip to Mnemba. CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Kendwa Beach is the longest in the The less-publicised resort of Kendwa north, good for a long walk; Weedy Scorpionfish; Bommie at End has a huge beach of the World dive site; White mouthed moray eel near Kichafi that is ideal for bathing even at low tide, offers a choice of eight places to stay, Porcupinefish swimming slowly ranging from thatched ban- above the table corals, false stone- das at 15 dollars a night, fish hid on the rocks whilst pep- to air-con en-suites, has six pered and white-mouthed morays restaurants, is the location skulked in crevices; paperfish of the only dive centre using swayed gently in rocky recesses, zodiacs (rubber ducks), and rock cod went about their business has some great local reefs.