Blue Ribbon Namena – Namena Marine Reserve and Lomaiviti Group

Site Overview

Blue Ribbon at Namena is a steep drop-off dive within the Namena Marine Reserve, distinct from the Taveuni site of the same name, offering dramatic wall diving with large pelagic species and occasional hammerhead shark encounters in the open blue water. The wall drops steeply from approximately 8 metres to beyond 35 metres, its face covered in soft corals and gorgonians that create a colourful backdrop for the pelagic action unfolding in the adjacent blue water. The site is positioned on the outer edge of the reserve where oceanic currents bring nutrients and pelagic species from the deep water beyond the reef. Giant trevally patrol the wall face, making powerful strikes at smaller fish along the reef edge. Grey reef sharks cruise the deeper sections with measured purpose, their silhouettes visible against the blue water. Scalloped hammerheads occasionally appear in the blue, typically from June to September, their distinctive head shapes and schooling behaviour creating excitement among the dive group. The wall itself is covered in dense soft coral and gorgonian growth, with the colour and species composition changing with depth as light penetration decreases. The shallower sections support vibrant orange and pink soft corals, while the deeper sections feature larger gorgonians and barrel sponges adapted to lower light levels. The current flows along the wall face, and the drift dive format allows divers to cover a large area while observing both the wall communities and the pelagic species in the adjacent water. Blue Ribbon at Namena provides a complementary deep wall experience to the reef slope diving at Grand Central Station and the pinnacle diving at Chimneys.