Black Rock

Overview

Bird's Head Seascape lists Black Rock west of Kawe Island in the far north of Raja Ampat. UW360 calls it Black Rocks, off Waigeo's western neighbour Kawe, and says the site is easily spotted by a group of jagged rocks slicing through the swells. Mermaid Liveaboards and DUNE Liveaboard both name Black Rock among the top sites of Kawe, together with Eagle Rock and Chango.

The dive

Bird's Head Seascape describes an extensive, often very fishy site worth multiple dives. Its route begins at the south point and follows a sloping plateau with the reef on the right, along the west side of the rocks, to the north point, where the slope ends and pinnacles covered in Tubastrea coral begin. It suggests looking for manta rays in the blue. UW360 says sea fans, soft corals and fish all compete for attention when the current is running.

Marine life

Mermaid Liveaboards says Black Rock is well known for its profuse fish life and its fields of ancient black coral bushes.

Location and unknowns

This guide has no map pin. Bird's Head Seascape prints the same GPS position for Black Rock as for Weka's Wow and One Tree Island, two sites it places north-north-east of Kawe Island, while it describes Black Rock as west of Kawe, so that point is not used here. The sources give no depth range, visibility, water temperature, current strength or minimum certification for the site.