Paul's Rock  (see also Survivor Beach, and Pauls Rock dive site for u/water pix.)
aerial Pauls Rock & Golden Wing This magnificent dive and snorkelling spot (the green/white patch in water in the photo at left) is situated just offshore Paul's Rock and Survivor beaches. Almost before the engines have stopped, hundreds of large surgeon and unicorn fish, and a couple of very big cod, swim up to the boat - they know their lunch is about to be served! We don't feed them every day, as we don't come here every cruise, so they do not become dependent on us.

Corsair Vanuatu

You don't have to get wet if you don't want, just sit on the side of the boat and toss the remains of lunch overboard. Watch that big cod come up and grab a chicken wing in one huge gulp! It's a spectacular sight.

When you see 'fish feeding' offered at resorts or on cruises, it often means tossing a little bread to a cluster of small fish. Make no mistake, this is big fish feeding! It'll make anglers' mouths water - but hands off. An old volcanic plug, Paul's Rock is taboo to fishing. The taboo stems from a 'custom' or traditional story about how the surface of the ocean prevented spear fishermen from surfacing.
This story is likely grounded in fact, for there are several tunnels ranging in depth from 5m (17ft) to 20m (70ft) that snorkellers and divers can swim through. And magnificent tunnels they are! Lined in soft corals and gorgonia sea fans, filled with shrimp and decorator crabs, it is an extraordinary place. On the western tip of the rock (to the right of the picure) is a huge anemone, a veritable city. Sadly, as a result of recent poaching by tropical fish collectors for the aquarium trade, the number of small, ornamental fish has suffered a serious decline. This includes the famous 'Nemo' or clown fish, that have become much in demand as a result of the movie. This was not what the movie makers intended, so please don't purchase these fragile little fish as pets. They vast majority of them die long before reaching pet shops. They are much happier and will live a great deal longer in their own homes.
Golden wing and Hat Island

snorkelling and starfish

Amber snorkelling and fish feeding

For the most part, there is not a lot of live coral growing on the very top of Paul's Rock, just anemones, so it's not a spectacular 'reef' snorkel. The fish life is what makes it so extraordinary. Turtles, huge schools of rainbow fish, small (harmless) reef sharks, and, if you're carrying a bag of food when snorkelling, a trail of friendly residents will make you feel like the veritable Pied Piper.

For non-divers, watching the divers swim around this rock and through the tunnels is quite a treat. The underwater visibility is rarely less than 30m, often as much as 40m.

 

Sailaway Cruises and Dive Vanuatu
PO Box 611 Port Vila, Vanuatu. email: info@sailawayvanuatu.com Phone: (678) 23802

Site Map | Page Top