Small Rock - Mafia Island
Toyapakeh Wall is one of those sites we always come back to when we’re in the area. It sits right at the mouth of the Ceningan Channel, and that channel flow brings in plenty of nutrients. We love dropping in on the northern side, letting the current carry us gently along the wall. The hard coral here is phenomenal – huge fields of staghorn reaching out, big table corals that look like they've been there forever, and the occasional fluted clam tucked into a crevice. The current can be a bit frisky, especially around new or full moons, so it's best for divers who are comfortable with drift dives. We've seen pink anemonefish darting through their homes, and once spotted a freckled anglerfish pretending to be a sponge, which was a real treat. Keep an eye out into the blue too; we’ve had barracuda schools cruise past, and the odd reef shark makes an appearance. For a relaxed drift with some truly impressive coral formations, Toyapakeh is our pick.
- Location
- Mafia Island, Tanzania, Indian Ocean & East Africa
- Coordinates
- -7.954100, 39.796600
- Type
- wall
Marine Protected Area: Mangrove
Best Time to Dive in Mafia Island
The warmest water temperatures in Mafia Island occur in January, averaging 28.8°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.8°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.8°C (air: 27.8°C)
- February: 28.8°C (air: 28.0°C)
- March: 28.8°C (air: 27.8°C)
- April: 28.8°C (air: 27.0°C)
- May: 28.8°C (air: 26.9°C)
- June: 28.8°C (air: 26.0°C)
- July: 28.8°C (air: 25.2°C)
- August: 28.8°C (air: 25.0°C)
- September: 28.8°C (air: 25.3°C)
- October: 28.8°C (air: 26.1°C)
- November: 28.8°C (air: 27.0°C)
- December: 28.8°C (air: 27.7°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Mafia Island
- Bwejuu Wall (wall)
- Bwejuu Wall (wall)
- Chekechea (reef)
- Chole Reef North (reef)
- Coral Gardens (reef)
- Coral Islands (reef)
- Corinne’s Reef (reef)
- Critters Alley (reef)
- Cryptomania (reef)
- Dindini Wall (wall)
- Hulls Rock (reef)
- Jina Wall (reef)
- Juani North (reef)
- Juani South (wall)
- Kasa (cave)
Nearest Dive Centres to Small Rock
- Action for Oceans Eco Dive - ["PADI"]
- Blue World Diving - ["PADI"]
- Mafia Island Diving ltd - PADI
Marine Life in Mafia Island
Home to 165 recorded species including 94 hard corals, 63 reef fish, 3 sharks & rays, 2 jellyfish, 1 other, 1 whales & dolphins.
Notable Species
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Allison's Tuna (Thunnus albacares) - Reef Fish
- Whale Shark (Rhincodon typus) - Sharks & Rays
- Stripy (Katsuwonus pelamis) - Reef Fish
- Bigeye tuna (Thunnus obesus) - Reef Fish
- Bullet Mackerel (Auxis thazard) - Reef Fish
- Tuna (Thunnus alalunga) - Reef Fish
- Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) - Whales & Dolphins
- Tail-spot Squirrelfish (Sargocentron caudimaculatum) - Reef Fish
- Cauliflower coral (Pocillopora verrucosa) - Hard Corals
- Smooth cauliflower coral (Stylophora pistillata) - Hard Corals
- Stony coral (Porites cylindrica) - Hard Corals
- Stony coral (Porites lutea) - Hard Corals
- Larger star coral (Favites pentagona) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora aspera) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora listeri) - Hard Corals
- Birdsnest coral (Seriatopora caliendrum) - Hard Corals
- Thin birdsnest coral (Seriatopora hystrix) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora polystoma) - Hard Corals
- Closed brain coral (Leptoria phrygia) - Hard Corals
Recommended Packing List for Small Rock
Based on average water temperature of 28.8°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 29°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