Pemba, Tanzania

With invigorating currents and beautiful reefs, Pemba in Tanzania is an excellent dive destination. What better way to discover it than from a sailing yacht. Debbie Powell reports

So what’s new?
Until recently, Pemba liveaboards have only offered west and south coast itineraries, shying away from the unexplored east coast. However, German-owned sailing liveaboard SY Jambo is now running trips to the largely undived area. The seven-night trip cherry-picks some impressive sites off the west and south coasts, but the highlight of the trip is looping around to the exposed east coast.

And how’s the diving?
The traditional villages of Pemba Island have had little environmental impact on the coral reefs around Pemba, and the reefs are in excellent condition. On both the east and west coasts there are some great wall dives with drop-offs to more than 300m, but the really exciting diving is on the east coast. The currents are faster (up to three knots), the pristine reefs go on for miles, the visibility is better (40m-plus) and there is a good chance of spotting hammerheads and other pelagics.
The boat anchors in calm mangrove-fringed lagoons while the tenders drop-off and pick-up the divers. The tenders follow SMBs during dives, because with currents this strong you can travel between two and three kilometres in a 45-minute dive! On the east coast, Jambo’s crew is still discovering new dive sites. One recent discovery, now named Mtangani Spur, is a dramatic pinnacle descending to the depths. Coral coverage on the pinnacle is dense and there’s a huge diversity and amount of reef fish, with hawksbill turtles and the odd white-tipped reef shark. There surely are more sites, which are as dramatic as this, waiting to be discovered.

The maze of Crusoe-esque islands on the west coast creates sheltered sites for easy diving. Night dives are generally better here, and interesting marine life such as Spanish dancers, decorator crabs and nudibranchs can be found. Currents are also evident on the west coast (although not as strong as the east) and can affect the visibility and marine life. A popular site on the west is Manta Point, which frequently hosts rays when the conditions are right.
The only known wreck, off the southern coast, is the Panza wreck, previously a 150m 1950s steamer ship now in 8–10m of water. It is highly colonised and is home to a family of Napoleon wrasse.

The best time to dive Pemba is from September to March, with a greater chance of seeing manta rays and whale sharks from September to November. The water temperature is 27 to 28ºC degrees year-round.

What’s the boat like?
Built in 1990, Jambo is a stunning, teak-decked 23m-long sailing yacht. When the breeze picks up (and is in the right direction!) her eight sails make for an impressive way to travel around. She has a crew of seven led by Hans, an entertaining German-born captain. Jambo accommodates ten guests in two twin and three double cabins, all air-conditioned. There are three bathrooms each with a toilet, and shower with plenty of hot and cold water. The boat has a good-sized saloon area with books, a music system, TV and video. At the stern there’s an attractively decked-out area for dining, and dive gear is stored on the spacious foredeck. Diving is either from the two tenders or direct from the boat, with pick-ups usually by the two tenders. If there’s a swell, kitting-up can sometimes be a bit of a balancing act, but there’s enough rigging or rails to steady yourself. Plenty of tanks (both steel and aluminium) are available, and most of the compressing is carried out on the foredeck while you are diving. Nitrox and rebreather facilities are also on board.

What do you do when not diving?
The drift diving can take a lot out of you, so most divers on board tend not to do anything more strenuous than reading, eating or sleeping between dives. However, for those with surplus energy, there are deserted islands to explore and remote villages to visit. In the local villages, hundreds of fascinated kids will eagerly escort you to the sweet shop. Back on board the chef prepares a delicious mix of international and local dishes using fresh local produce. Breakfast, lunch, cakes and snacks, and dinner, are provided every day, and soft drinks, juices and water are included, as is wine at dinner. For those with more time, it is possible to arrange safari trips in Kenya for a second week.

Go before everyone else does! This trip is sure to be appreciated by those with a sense of adventure, but it’s not just about excellent diving – it also gives you a taste of the local life. It’s not for the faint-hearted – three-knot currents are common on the east coast and downward currents can occasionally catch you unaware. However, for those up for it, the trip provides exhilarating diving in a beautiful part of the world that has hardly been dived.

A seven-night trip on SY Jambo costs £1,295 including flights with Kenya Airways (transfer at Nairobi), tanks, weights, food, soft drinks and wine at dinner. Visas cost an extra US$100. Flights are from Heathrow. For information, contact Tony Backhurst Scuba Travel.