Fingers - Sodwana Bay
Fingers sits at a comfortable 16 meters, an easy dive for anyone just starting out or looking for a relaxed afternoon. The reef here forms gentle ridges, like its namesake, offering plenty of nooks and crannies to peer into. We've often seen juvenile sweetlips tucked away, and the occasional moray eel peeking from a crevice. It’s a good spot to build confidence and enjoy a slower pace.
- Location
- Sodwana Bay, South Africa, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- -26.842300, 32.924000
- Type
- reef
- Maximum Depth
- 16m
- Difficulty
- Beginner
Marine Protected Area: Maputaland Marine Reserve
Best Time to Dive in Sodwana Bay
The warmest water temperatures in Sodwana Bay occur in January, averaging 28.1°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.1°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.1°C (air: 25.1°C)
- February: 28.1°C (air: 25.2°C)
- March: 28.1°C (air: 24.5°C)
- April: 28.1°C (air: 22.7°C)
- May: 28.1°C (air: 21.1°C)
- June: 28.1°C (air: 19.1°C)
- July: 28.1°C (air: 18.8°C)
- August: 28.1°C (air: 19.5°C)
- September: 28.1°C (air: 20.6°C)
- October: 28.1°C (air: 21.6°C)
- November: 28.1°C (air: 23.3°C)
- December: 28.1°C (air: 24.6°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Sodwana Bay
- 2 Mile Reef - 5-20m (reef)
- 2 Mile Reef Pinnacles (reef)
- 2 Mile Reef Pinnacles (pinnacle)
- 2 Mile Stringer (reef)
- 2 Mile Stringer (wreck)
- 300 - 48m (wreck)
- 3 Mile Reef Hotspots (reef)
- 3 Mile Reef Hotspots (wreck)
- 7 Mile Reef (reef)
- 7 Miles Reef (reef)
- 7 Miles Reef (reef)
- 9 Mile Coral Tree (reef)
- 9 Mile Coral Tree (reef)
- 9 Mile Reef (reef)
- Adventure Reef - 2 Mile Reef (reef)
Nearest Dive Centres to Fingers
- Coral Divers - ["PADI"]
- Gozo Azul Diving - ["PADI"]
- Malongane Beach Resort - ["PADI"]
- Maputo Dive Center - ["PADI"]
- Mermaids Cove Ei
- Occi Scuba - ["PADI"]
Marine Life in Sodwana Bay
Home to 579 recorded species including 443 reef fish, 49 sharks & rays, 35 hard corals, 12 seagrass & algae, 8 crabs & lobsters, 7 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- Bull Shark (Carcharhinus leucas) - Sharks & Rays
- Soldier (Cheimerius nufar) - Reef Fish
- Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) - Sharks & Rays
- Narrow-barred Spanish mackerel (Scomberomorus commerson) - Reef Fish
- Leatherback Sea Turtle (Dermochelys coriacea)
- Mozambique mouth-breeder (Oreochromis mossambicus) - Reef Fish
- Silver moony (Monodactylus argenteus) - Reef Fish
- Manini (Acanthurus triostegus) - Reef Fish
- African Weakfish (Atractoscion aequidens) - Reef Fish
- Dorado (Coryphaena hippurus) - Reef Fish
- Hound Needlefish (Tylosurus crocodilus) - Reef Fish
- Jack (Selar crumenophthalmus) - Reef Fish
- Spangled emperor (Lethrinus nebulosus) - Reef Fish
- honeycomb stingray (Himantura uarnak) - Sharks & Rays
- loggerhead turtle (Caretta caretta)
- Crescent Grunter (Terapon jarbua) - Reef Fish
- Blackspot Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigrofuscus) - Reef Fish
- Dusky grouper (Epinephelus marginatus) - Reef Fish
- Coral Blenny (Istiblennius edentulus) - Reef Fish
- Bluefish (Kyphosus vaigiensis) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Fingers
Based on average water temperature of 28.1°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°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