The Arch Of Ofalanga

The coral arch of Ofalanga actually lies under the west coast of the adjacent Island of Mounga'one. The dive site was christened erroneously when it was discovered in an attempt to conceal its true location, such a prize was not to be shared it seems. Some people planned to rename the dive but I doubt it will ever happen and hope as much! A great piece of history that will stick, with the name, I'm sure. At the start of the dive the descent drops quickly to 20 meters before rounding the point and approaching the Arch itself. I enjoy moving out away from the structure and descending to 30m before coming back up in front of it to gain a better appreciation of its enormity. Sculpted by the hand of Poseidon himself the arch must be at least 20 meters long, 15 meters high and 2 meters wide in places. It is covered in encrusting life made up of delicate hard and soft corals, sea fans, whip corals, sponges and bivalves. It is also home to some very beautiful Flabellina Nudibranchs. Behind the Arch itself, at a depth of 27 meters and bearing an unsettling similarity in shape to that of a shark's mouth, lies the tunnel entrance to the cave system. Often guarded by a large Square Tail Grouper but the approach of divers and their illuminating torch light is usually sufficient enough to convince him to yield. The entrance is wide but narrow from top to bottom and bears off to the right and into a tunnel shaft, this tunnel and the caves ahead are home to literally hundreds on Lobsters and Shrimps, you have to brush past their antennae as you move deeper into the cave. There are Tiger Cowrie shells clinging precariously to the ceiling, their shells looking as if polished for inspection. A slight surge can often be experienced in the tunnel and pushed on by it you emerge into the main cave chamber that rises all 27 meters to the surface where a shaft of light breaches the ceiling above and bathes the cave in a soothing, blue light. White tip shark use this cave as their daylight refuge and slowly circle when disturbed by divers bubbles, big eye soldiers and saber squirrelfish look out from every crevice as glassy sweepers weave and dart to evade the torchlight. Turning and ascending to 16 meters, over the tunnel below you may entered the second passage permeating the cave, as in the first, the walls were thick with massive lobsters, clawing their way back into the walls as the beams of torchlight announce your approach. This second passage penetrates 15 meters or so before making a 90 degree turn straight down and closing into a tight crack that it is possible to squeeze through exiting back into the first tunnel below. The walls of the narrow crack are covered in beautiful red shrimps and theirs eyes glow red in the lights like hundreds of rubies hanging in the dark. It is a tight squeeze and not for everyone but you can just about turn and track back into the main chamber before ascending up again to the exit, the myriad blues of the pacific almost blinding as your eyes race to adjust from the dark below. The crevices in the rock surrounding the exit are home to banded cleaner shrimps, white spotted surgeonfish and black drummers dance in the surf zone above. Towards the end of the dive there is a vent in the rock, warm water, heated on the rocks above pours out of the island here and the vision becomes distorted by the thermocline it creates. An amazing dive that grants plenty of smiles; the Arch of Ofalanga never fails to impress.