Loyalty Islands, New Caledonia
    Povilla Forest Reserve

    Waneck

    Best months: May

    Protected Area

    Povilla Forest Reserve

    Why dive here

    With 116+ marine species recorded in the area - including dugongs, eagle rays, great white sharks, manta rays and mobula rays (devil rays) - Waneck offers some of Loyalty Islands's richest diving. Water ranges 24-29°C, warmest January, February, March.

    Best timeMay
    WetsuitA 3mm shorty or thin full wetsuit
    Marine lifeDugongs, Eagle Rays, Great White Sharks, Manta Rays and Mobula Rays (Devil Rays) · 116+ species recorded
    Water24-29°C · warmest January, February, March
    StandoutRich in charismatic marine life

    Waneck is an absolute cracker, a series of pinnacles rising from the seafloor. We love how it feels like a treasure hunt, winding through arches and small tunnels packed with gorgonians. It’s shallow, maxing out at 19m, but don't let that fool you. The sheer density of life here is just ridiculous. You’re constantly scanning, trying to take it all in. One minute you’re admiring an Electric Flame Scallop pulsing its neon light, the next you’re watching a Spinnaker Whiptail dart between corals. We’ve found pygmy seahorses here – the Bargibanti are particularly well-camouflaged – so take your time and look closely. Our favourite moments are often spent just hovering, watching the Dorado cruise by, or spotting a Triton’s Trumpet snail slowly making its way across a brain coral. Visibility averages a comfortable 25m, making it easy to appreciate both the macro and the occasional barracuda or shark that swims past. This spot really suits divers who appreciate a slow, deliberate dive, those who love to find the small wonders but also enjoy the wider reef panorama.

    Today05:3218:0012h 28m daylightGolden hour 17:31

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    Conditions

    Ocean conditions, forecast and tides for Waneck

    Waneck Ocean Conditions

    Monthly averages for Waneck, sourced from Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU) - nearest station: Open-Meteo marine grid (-20.94, 165.47) (8km away)

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    October Averages

    Sea Temperature

    25°C

    77°F · Range: 23.4–27.1°C

    Current Speed

    8.06 cm/s

    Direction: S (187.1°)

    Chlorophyll-a

    0.052 mg/m³

    Very clear (oligotrophic)

    Salinity

    35.08 PSU

    Based on 4 years of monitoring data · Data sources: Open-Meteo marine data + Copernicus Marine (EU)

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