POLAI - Southern Islands
The POLAI wreck sits upright on the seabed off Singapore's Southern Islands, a 56-meter tanker offering a substantial dive. Dropping down to 37 meters, you'll find the hull largely intact, providing plenty of structure to explore. We've often spotted schools of batfish circling the mast, and the sheltered nooks within the wreck itself are home to smaller critters – think nudibranchs and flatworms if you’ve got a keen eye. It’s a decent dive for those with wreck experience looking for something a bit more substantial than the shallower reefs here.
- Location
- Southern Islands, Singapore, Southeast Asia
- Coordinates
- 1.294642, 104.177970
- Type
- wreck
- Maximum Depth
- 37m
Marine Protected Area: Labrador Nature Reserve
Best Time to Dive in Southern Islands
The warmest water temperatures in Southern Islands occur in January, averaging 28.2°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 28.2°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 28.2°C (air: 26.0°C)
- February: 28.2°C (air: 26.6°C)
- March: 28.2°C (air: 27.1°C)
- April: 28.2°C (air: 27.4°C)
- May: 28.2°C (air: 27.9°C)
- June: 28.2°C (air: 27.4°C)
- July: 28.2°C (air: 27.5°C)
- August: 28.2°C (air: 27.2°C)
- September: 28.2°C (air: 27.2°C)
- October: 28.2°C (air: 27.2°C)
- November: 28.2°C (air: 26.5°C)
- December: 28.2°C (air: 26.3°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Southern Islands
- AB9 - 27m (wreck)
- ABU MOOSA - 25m (wreck)
- AH LAM II - 27m (wreck)
- ANGSA 3 - 10m (wreck)
- AOI MARU - 22m (wreck)
- ARROW - 25m (wreck)
- ARWANA - 21m (wreck)
- ASSIMI III - 33m (wreck)
- BANTEN - 37m (wreck)
- BETHLEHEM - 30m (wreck)
- BINTANG MAS - 35m (wreck)
- BLACKMARK - 11m (wreck)
- BLISSFUL REEFER - 24m (wreck)
- BLISSFUL REEFER (POSSIBLY) - 27m (wreck)
- BONNIE - 10m (wreck)
Nearest Dive Centres to POLAI
Marine Life in Southern Islands
Home to 284 recorded species including 179 reef fish, 46 hard corals, 17 seagrass & algae, 13 sharks & rays, 8 sea snails & nudibranchs, 6 other.
Notable Species
- Species code: Ea (Enhalus acoroides) - Seagrass & Algae
- thalassia (Thalassia hemprichii) - Seagrass & Algae
- seagrass (Halophila ovalis) - Seagrass & Algae
- halodule (Halodule uninervis) - Seagrass & Algae
- cymodocea (Cymodocea rotundata) - Seagrass & Algae
- Species code: Si (Syringodium isoetifolium) - Seagrass & Algae
- Brain coral (Platygyra sinensis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora millepora) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora hyacinthus) - Hard Corals
- Fluorescence grass coral (Galaxea fascicularis) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora valida) - Hard Corals
- Honeycomb coral (Favites abdita) - Hard Corals
- Galaxea coral (Galaxea astreata) - Hard Corals
- Species code: Tc (Thalassodendron ciliatum) - Seagrass & Algae
- Bristle-tailed Leatherjacket (Acreichthys tomentosus) - Reef Fish
- Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
- Butterfish (Scatophagus argus) - Reef Fish
- Stony coral (Echinopora lamellosa) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora nasuta) - Hard Corals
- Savigny's Brittle Star (Ophiactis savignyi)
Recommended Packing List for POLAI
Based on average water temperature of 28.2°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