Keruo Channel

Overview

Keruo Channel is a wall dive in the Penemu group of the Fam Islands in western Raja Ampat. La Galigo Liveaboard says the site is also sometimes called Fam Wall and lies on the east side of Keruo Island, in the channel that runs between Keruo and Keruwo islands in the Penemu area. Bird's Head Seascape lists Keruo Channel on its Fam-Penemu dive map with the GPS position S 00 35.331 E 130 17.759, which is the point used here.

How the site is dived

La Galigo describes one long wall broken up by some steep slopes, dived as a drift in either direction depending on the current on the day: on a falling tide the dive starts at the north end with the reef on the right, and on a rising tide at the south end with the reef on the left. It gives the topography as sloping reef and walls and the maximum depth as 25 metres, and says the shallows at either end of the reef suit natural-light photography and a safety stop at 5 metres.

Marine life

La Galigo lists the marine life it often sees here as pygmy seahorses, barracuda, blacktip sharks, midnight snappers, angelfish, spadefish, hawkfish, jackfish, soldierfish, manta rays, giant trevally, octopus, the nudibranch Phyllidia carlsonhoffi, green turtles, moray eels and wrasse. Bird's Head Seascape marks the site for both wide-angle and macro photography.

Conditions and level

La Galigo gives the typical current as strong, describes visibility as moderate at around 15 metres most of the time, and recommends the site for intermediate to experienced divers because of the sometimes-strong currents through the channel. These are one operator's statements, not measurements. The sources give no water temperature, season, minimum certification or entry type for the site.