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Masimbwe Island

Masimbwe Island

North Lake Malawi, Malawi

Depth
Depth Icon

70m

Visibility
Visibility Icon

8m - 23m

Entry
Boat Entry Icon

Boat

Experience Level

Unknown

Masimbwe Island

North Lake Malawi, Malawi

Masimbwe Island
Depth
Depth Icon

70m

Visibility
Visibility Icon

8m - 23m

Entry
Boat Entry Icon

Boat

Experience Level

Unknown


About Masimbwe Island

This site is a favourite of divers who visit Likoma. Situated off the northwest side of Likoma, a bit closer to Mozambique, Masimbwe is a small island which shoals to a shallow depth on its east side, and has deep drop-offs on its west side. We anchor the boat in about 5 metres of water on the south side of the island and do a backroll entry off the boat. The area we begin in often has a mild to stiff current flowing and because of this, the fish life here is abundant, and you’ll often find yourself surrounded by schools of brightly coloured cichlids. We swim towards the drop-off and at a certain point fly down the giant boulder steps that take you down to around 26 metres. As you sink down, giant fissures in the rocks hide large catfish and create interesting swim-throughs. You follow along the rock face as it gradually tapers down to more scattered boulders and after around 15 minutes, turn around and gradually ascend to 15 metres and head back towards the boat. An interesting point on the way is an apparent etching in one of the rocks which looks too linear to be natural…We gradually come up to our safety stop depth of 5 metres where we spend a pleasant 3 minutes once again enjoying the myriad colourful fish. Although this dive is a deeper dive, we can also follow the wall at 18 metres, the maximum depth for Open Water divers, so everyone can enjoy Masimbwe!

Masimbwe Island Dive Info

Terrain & Features

Night, Reef, Drop Off, Rock, Deep

Entry Type

Boat

Max Depth

70m

Visibility Range

8m 23m

Experience Level

Unknown

Best Gas Mix

-1% at 68m / 21%

O2
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Marine Life

  • Catfish
  • Cichlids
  • Fresh Water Sponges
  • Mouthbreeders
  • Otters
Weather Conditions

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Location

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Dive Site Hazards

  • Landmark Misidentification — Familiar sites can become unrecognisable at night.

  • Light-Induced Tunnel Vision — Focused light beams reduce peripheral awareness.

  • Depth Perception Errors — Reduced ambient light increases depth perception mistakes.

  • Hidden Depth Variations — Complex reef topography can conceal depth changes, leading to unintended profile variations.

  • Distraction from Marine Activity — High fish activity can distract divers and delay depth or gas awareness.

  • Rapid Surge Direction Changes — Surge near reef structures can reverse direction quickly, pushing divers sideways into unexpected areas.

  • Edge-Accelerated Currents — Currents often strengthen along drop-off edges.

  • Depth Perception Distortion — Visual contrast can distort perceived depth.

  • Terrain-Induced Descent — Divers may unintentionally follow terrain downward.

  • Bubble Trapping Under Overhangs — Rock overhangs can trap exhaled bubbles, reducing visibility and causing disorientation.

  • Reflected Surge Patterns — Surge reflecting off rock faces can create irregular and unpredictable water movement.

  • Current Funnel Effect — Narrow gaps between rocks can accelerate water flow unexpectedly.

  • Gradual Narcosis Onset — Narcosis may develop slowly, making self-assessment unreliable.

  • Task Fixation at Depth — Cognitive narrowing at depth can reduce awareness of time and ascent rate.

  • Increased Gas Density Breathing Load — Higher gas density at depth increases work of breathing.

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