CABO-DELGADO'S COASTLINE STRETCHES FROM THE LURIO RIVER IN THE SOUTH TO THE
ROVUMA IN THE NORTH.
PATCHES OF REEF ARE FOUND ALL THE WAY UP THE COAST AND THE
SPRING TIDES ALLOW ACCESS TO REEFS THAT ARE NORMALLY TOO FAR TO ACCESS.
TIDE TIMETABLES ARE USUALLY UNAVAILABLE IN PEMBA BUT EASILY BOUGHT FROM THE
PORT AUTHORITIES IN BEIRA OR MAPUTO.
A MUST.
ROAD ACCESS IS LIMITED UNTIL PEMBA ALTHOUGH THERE ARE TRACKS WHICH WILL
SERIOUSLY TEST YOUR SUSPENSION.
FUEL IS ALSO AN IRREGULAR SUPPLY AND THE QUALITY IS TO BE QUESTIONED.
AFTER
PEMBA THE NEXT FUEL DEPOT IS MOCIMBOA WITH NOTHING IN BETWEEN.
FROM MEFUMVU THE COAST IS COVERED WITH MANGROVES AND CORAL REEFS.
TIDES ARE VERY IMPORTANT IF TRAVELLING BY BOAT.
DIVING SHOULD ALSO BE PLANNED ACCORDINGLY AS 3-4meters CAN BE GAINED, AND
CURRENTS CAN BE AVOIDED.
MOST OF THE CHANNELS ARE ONLY NAVIGABLE AT HIGH SPRINGS, AND A GUIDE SHOULD BE
ENLISTED FROM THE LOCALS BEFORE ENTERING THE NUMEROUS AND FACINATING WATERWAYS.
THE ALTERNATIVE IS TO EXPERIMENT BUT COUNT ON SPENDING HOURS DRY IN THE
MANGROVES.
DIVING IN CABO DELGADO MUST BE RANKED AS ONE OF THE WONDERS OF AFRICA, IF
NOT THE WORLD.
THE WALLS OUTSIDE PEMBA AND VAMIZI ARE A DIVER'S DREAM COME TRUE!!
THE MWANI PEOPLE WHO INHABIT THE ISLANDS ARE AMAZING FREE DIVERS AND WERE
FREQUENTLY ENCOUNTERED AT DEPTHS OF OVER 20M.
THEY SAIL OUT TO REEFS THAT CANNOT BE SEEN FROM THE SHORE, AND WILL BE YOUR
BEST SOURCE OF INFORMATION.
+/- 20 TRAINED LOCAL DEEP-DIVERS ARE ADRIFT WITHOUT SCUBA-GEAR SO DON'T BE TOO
SCEPTICAL IF APPROACHED........ THEY KNOW THE AREA .
THE ISLANDS ARE MOSTLY INHABITED BY FISHERMEN WHO COME AND GO WITH THE TIDES,
TRAVELING BY DHOW AND CANOE AS THEY HAVE DONE FOR GENERATIONS.
APART FROM THE OCCASIONAL FREEBOOTER, THE LOCAL MARINE INDUSTRY CONSISTS OF
ARTISANAL FISHERMEN AND DIVERS.
THE ENVIRONMENT REMAINS PRISTINE AND UNSPOILED.
PLEASE KEEP IT THAT WAY.
