Friwen Wall

Overview

La Galigo Liveaboard describes Friwen Wall as a wall dive in the north-eastern Dampier Strait and says it takes its name from the two islands where it lies, Pulau Friwin and Pulau Friwinbonda. La Galigo Liveaboard calls it the only wall dive in the central area of Raja Ampat, and Raja Ampat Biodiversity Nature Resort, which spells it Firwen Wall, calls it one of the very few wall dives in the Dampier Strait.

Layout of the dive

According to La Galigo Liveaboard, a narrow channel separates the two small islands, and the dive starts at the northern tip of the smaller island, Pulau Friwinbonda, then runs south-west through the channel. The starting point is a set of limestone cliffs that drop to 25 metres to form the wall, and at the western end the wall turns into a sloping reef with hard corals and some bommies deeper off the slope. La Galigo Liveaboard and Raja Ampat Biodiversity Nature Resort both mention two small caves near the start of the wall; the resort says fish can be seen swimming upside down there. La Galigo Liveaboard describes a backroll entry at the northern tip of Friwinbonda, close to its north face, and a descent to 20 metres to start the dive, with overhangs further along and shallows at the end for the safety stop.

Marine life

La Galigo Liveaboard says the site is best known for high concentrations of macro life, especially nudibranchs, and that a stronger current in the channel can draw in bigger fish and schooling fish. Both operators describe the wall as covered in whip corals, gorgonian fans and sponges; Raja Ampat Biodiversity Nature Resort adds that this growth runs from the bottom of the wall to the surface and that mantas and eagle rays are sometimes seen swimming past. PADI's page for the site, contributed by Meridian Adventure, also describes a colourful wall with reef fish and calls it a good place to look for macro subjects such as nudibranchs.

Conditions and level

La Galigo Liveaboard warns that visibility can be fairly average and light is limited in the shadow of the cliffs, and suggests a macro camera setup with lighting rather than wide-angle gear. La Galigo Liveaboard and PADI's page both give a maximum depth of 25 metres, and Raja Ampat Biodiversity Nature Resort lists 2 to 25 metres. Current descriptions differ: La Galigo Liveaboard gives a typical current of mild to medium, while Raja Ampat Biodiversity Nature Resort lists none to strong. Raja Ampat Biodiversity Nature Resort lists the site for all levels, PADI's page calls it a site for all levels of diving, and both La Galigo Liveaboard and the resort describe it as snorkeller friendly.