Tufi Wharf Dive Site

Site Overview

Tufi Wharf, within the Tufi (Cape Nelson, Oro Province – Fjords & Reefs) of Papua New Guinea, is one of the region's most rewarding dive sites and a highlight of any Coral Triangle diving itinerary. A shallow muck dive with seahorses, frogfish, ghost pipefish, and bobtail squid, excellent macro photography close to base. Geographically the site features slope and sand and rubble formations built from sand and rubble and coral substrate, dropping from a shallow top of around 2 metres to a maximum depth of about 16 metres, with an average working depth near 8 metres. Visibility is typically excellent, ranging from 8 to 18 metres, while water temperatures hold between 27 and 30 degrees Celsius year-round. The marine life is the headline attraction. Divers routinely encounter Seahorse (Hippocampus sp.), Frogfish (Antennarius sp.), Ghost Pipefish (Solenostomus sp.), Bobtail Squid (Sepiolida), Nudibranch (Nudibranchia), Clownfish (Amphiprion sp.), alongside dense reef fish, invertebrates, and the soft and hard corals that blanket the reef. The mix of nutrient-rich currents and Papua New Guinea's remote, well-protected reefs makes Tufi Wharf one of the most reliable places in the country to see both abundant macro life and large pelagic visitors on a single dive. Tufi Wharf is best enjoyed as part of a boat programme out of Tufi, and it rewards wide-angle photographers, naturalists, and experienced drift divers alike. Papua New Guinea's strong community-based conservation ethos and remoteness help keep the reef pristine, so divers are asked to maintain exemplary buoyancy and respect the fragile marine environment at all times.