Passe en S #8 - Mayotte Lagoon
Passe en S #8 gives you a lovely relaxed drift through a quieter part of the Mayotte Lagoon. It's a shallow dive, maxing out at 19 metres, making it ideal for those newer to currents or just wanting an easy cruise. We've seen a surprising amount of smaller reef fish here, particularly groups of sweetlips sheltering under the coral heads and the occasional turtle gliding by. Keep an eye out for nudibranchs on the sandy patches; they're often overlooked when you're just drifting along. It’s a gentle introduction to Mayotte’s drift diving.
- Location
- Mayotte Lagoon, Mayotte, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- -12.873400, 45.278300
- Type
- drift
- Maximum Depth
- 19m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Ilot Mbouzi
Best Time to Dive in Mayotte Lagoon
The warmest water temperatures in Mayotte Lagoon occur in January, averaging 29.9°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 29.9°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 29.9°C (air: 26.6°C)
- February: 29.9°C (air: 26.7°C)
- March: 29.9°C (air: 27.1°C)
- April: 29.9°C (air: 27.1°C)
- May: 29.9°C (air: 26.2°C)
- June: 29.9°C (air: 25.0°C)
- July: 29.9°C (air: 24.2°C)
- August: 29.9°C (air: 24.1°C)
- September: 29.9°C (air: 24.4°C)
- October: 29.9°C (air: 25.4°C)
- November: 29.9°C (air: 26.4°C)
- December: 29.9°C (air: 26.9°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Mayotte Lagoon
- Abalone
- Banc du Geyser (reef)
- Chira Rani - Patate Bleue - 18m
- chira rochi - 21m
- îlot Bambo #1 - 21m
- îlot Bambo #2 - 23m
- Îlot Bandrelé #1 - 15m
- Ilot Bandrelé #2 - 23m
- La Barge Profonde (Wreck) - 27m (wreck)
- L’arche de Bandrelé - 22m (cave)
- La Surprise - 8-25m (reef)
- Le Laminoir - 23m
- N'Gouja Beach Reef - 3-15m (reef)
- Passe Bandrelé - 20m (drift)
- Passe bateau nord - 28m (drift)
Nearest Dive Centres to Passe en S #8
- Happy Divers centre de plongée - FSGT, ANMP, FFESSM, NAUI, PADI, SSI, BSAC, EDA
- Le Lagon Maore
Marine Life in Mayotte Lagoon
Home to 415 recorded species including 260 reef fish, 101 hard corals, 17 whales & dolphins, 10 sea cucumbers, 9 sharks & rays, 6 sea snails & nudibranchs.
Notable Species
- Allison's Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Reef Fish
- Stripy (Katsuwonus pelamis) - Reef Fish
- Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
- Blue-lined Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) - Reef Fish
- Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
- Argus Grouper (Cephalopholis argus) - Reef Fish
- Indian gold-ring bristle-tooth (Ctenochaetus truncatus) - Reef Fish
- Blackspot Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) - Reef Fish
- Whitetail Surgeonfish (Acanthurus thompsoni) - Reef Fish
- Heavybeak Parrotfish (Chlorurus strongylocephalus) - Reef Fish
- Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus) - Reef Fish
- Silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis) - Sharks & Rays
- Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) - Reef Fish
- Salmon (Elagatis bipinnulata) - Reef Fish
- Red-flushed Cod (Aethaloperca rogaa) - Reef Fish
- Doubleband Surgeonfish (Acanthurus tennentii) - Reef Fish
- Two-spot Bristletooth (Ctenochaetus binotatus) - Reef Fish
- Ocean Triggerfish (Canthidermis maculata) - Reef Fish
- Barracuda (Acanthocybium solandri) - Reef Fish
- Bullet Mackerel (Auxis rochei) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Passe en S #8
Based on average water temperature of 29.9°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 30°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories