Name: Crystal Rock
Meaning of the name: The name derives from the site’s typically crystal clear visibility and the pinnacle, whose tip is exposed at low tide, that comprises this dive site.
Maximum Depth: We dive this site with advanced divers around 22 or 23 m and with open water divers at 18m.
Temperature: 23 to 28 Celsius
Current: This site is known for its strong currents, with most dives beginning in the split. , However, we only dive this site when the currents are manageable for our current guests. However, when the timing is perfect, this site is also wonderful at slack when there are no prevailing currents.
Famous for: The exciting currents and the big marine life they attract.
Why do we love diving in Komodo so much? One reason is the currents and all the marine life they attract. Today’s featured dive site is one of the best examples of this. Crystal Rock is often subject to massively strong currents that make it possible to spot Grey Reef sharks, White Tip Reef sharks and Giant trevallies. It is, without a doubt, one of the best dive sites in Komodo National Park, located on the northern tip of Komodo Island. So, if you’re ready to begin diving in currents, grab your reef hook, latch on and ‘wait and see’. If you’re not crazy about currents yet, dive Crystal Rock on the protected side and find shelter in the lee of the rock.
Let’s start with the highlights of this site. The name Crystal Rock comes from the crystal clear water meaning that during the season we dive the North, the visibility is great! It allows you to spot sharks and other passing pelagics in the blue. The dive site’s rock and walls are covered with an array of colourful soft corals and large fans. Divers can spot small creatures like interesting nudibranchs, but also yellow-ribbon sweetlips, trevallies, snapper, fusiliers, butterflyfish, angelfish, grouper, damselfish, parrotfish, triggerfish, pufferfish, moray eels, surgeonfish and even pygmy seahorses. Sometimes we even spot dolphins in Crystal Rock, so keep your eyes open! One reason why we love this dive site is because it is the perfect combination of diving with action and spotting macro in the protected area.
But we haven’t even talked about what the topography is like! Crystal Rock is a pinnacle (essentially a seamount which is just an underwater mountain) in open water that just breaks the surface at high tide. Because of this location in the open ocean, the currents passing through can get quite intense. Guides choose the way we explore the site based on the direction and strength of these currents.
On the north-west side of the pinnacle is a submerged seamount that rises to 14 meters with a 20 meter deep saddle in the middle. Because of the currents, it’s best to make a quick and nice descent to reach the area in time. This is the place where you can spot big schooling of fish and sharks. In no current condition, it’s best to start the dive at 22-24m on the saddle connecting the main rock to a big pinnacle covered by fan corals. From there you can dive down, depending on your certification level, to look for macro life like seahorses on the fan corals. After exploring around a smaller pinnacle we normally head to the main rock on the western side. From here we go up, by reaching the main rock eastern side.
