Tank Rock

Overview

Tank Rock is a dive site in the Fiabacet island chain of southern Misool. Bird's Head Seascape places it at the easternmost and smallest rock of the Fiabacet chain and gives its GPS position as S 02 13.136 E 130 34.063, which is the point used here. La Galigo Liveaboard says the rock above the water resembles a tank, which gives the site its name, and describes a rocky outcrop and sloping reef with a maximum depth of 30 metres.

How the site is dived

La Galigo describes a dive that descends to about 25 metres with the reef on the left and works towards the highlight, three pinnacles rising from the sea floor. Bird's Head Seascape and La Galigo's overview place the pinnacles off the east end of the rock, while La Galigo's dive plan reaches them at the site's westernmost point. Both sources say the north side of the ridge has more colourful bommies than the south side. Bird's Head Seascape says a long coral ridge connects Tank Rock to Nudi Rock and can be dived in one tank, although most operators dive the two sites separately. It also says liveaboards must check in with Misool Eco Resort, which holds the rights to dive and protects the area.

Marine life

La Galigo lists schools of barracuda and giant trevally, frequent grey reef sharks, the chance of an oceanic manta ray, snappers and groupers including giant groupers of 2 to 3 metres in deeper water, occasional turtles, and on the macro side pygmy seahorses and porcelain crabs, with large schools of anthias and damselfish over soft corals.

Conditions and level

La Galigo gives the typical current as moderate to strong and advises carrying a reef hook in case it gets stronger. It also calls the site snorkeller friendly. The sources give no visibility, water temperature, season, difficulty rating, minimum certification or entry type for the site.