Anae Island – Other Macro & Training Sites

20m Max

15-35m Vis

boat

Site Overview

Anae Island is a small island off the southwest coast of Guam that offers unique boulder slope diving with excellent macro life and the occasional encounter with resting nurse sharks. The island's rocky coastline creates a distinctive underwater landscape of large boulder formations covered in coral, sponges, and gorgonian fans that provide habitat for a diverse community of marine organisms. Nudibranchs of numerous species thrive on the boulder surfaces, with the complex rock formations creating sheltered microhabitats that support exceptional biodiversity. Large schools of sergeant major fish are a signature feature of the island, forming dense aggregations above the boulder slopes that create dramatic photographic compositions. Lionfish are abundant throughout the boulder formations, perching on ledges and hunting among the crevices. Nurse sharks are occasionally found resting in the deeper crevices and overhangs between the boulders, providing exciting encounters for divers who explore the darker recesses. The island's isolation from the mainland ensures good water quality and a sense of expedition diving that enhances the overall experience. The site is accessed by boat and is often combined with nearby Apra Harbor dives for a productive multi-site diving day. The underwater topography around Anae Island is shaped by thousands of years of geological processes that created the distinctive boulder formations, providing complex three-dimensional habitat that supports biodiversity levels exceeding those found on many of the more accessible reef sites around Guam.

Dive Briefing

"Descend from the dive boat onto the boulder slope at approximately 8 to 12 metres. The large boulders create a complex underwater landscape with numerous crevices, overhangs, and ledges. Work your way along the boulder slope, scanning the rock surfaces for nudibranchs and the crevices for lionfish and moray eels. Schools of sergeant major fish form above the boulders, creating impressive formations visible from a distance. Use your torch to illuminate the darker crevices where nurse sharks may be resting. The boulder formations provide excellent habitat diversity, with each crevice and overhang supporting different species. Maintain good buoyancy throughout to avoid contact with the sharp rock surfaces and to protect the coral and sponge communities growing on the boulders. The moderate surge around the island can affect conditions in the shallower areas. Ascend gradually along the boulder slope, completing a safety stop at 5 metres. The dive typically lasts 45 to 50 minutes."