Tufi DiveTufi

The dive operation is organised directly through the resort. Tufi's dive shop is located down by the wharf, a 5 minute walk or drive from the resort. The shop is fully self-contained, there's sufficient dive gear for hire and limited items for purchase available. It is generally recommended to bring your own dive gear and spares. The team at Tufi Dive consists of instructors, dive masters and dive guides. All diving is carried out under the guidance of a PADI open water instructor.

Non divers can snorkel in the fjords or join the scuba divers on their trips to outer reefs. As members of the PNG Divers Association, Tufi supports the Hyperbaric Chamber in Port Moresby. A contribution of 2 Kina per dive helps to maintain the facility. In an emergency, PNG offers excellent medivac facilities. It is mandatory that you have a suitable dive evacuation insurance before you travel to Tufi.

Tufi Dive has three day boats: one a 7m (23ft) Stinger craft with a 55HP outboard motor for inshore diving. The second a 5m (16ft) tri-hulled covered sightseeing vessel for transporting guests around the fjords and day trips to local villagers, and thirdly a 9.5m (32ft) vessel has also been acquired that will cater for all off shore day dives. This vessel is fully equipped with dive platform, camera wash and toilet and shower facilities. It has all of the modern navigation aids such as GPS chart plotter, radar, HF and VHF radio, and depth sounders. It has a cruising speed of 20 knots, which will enable divers to reach their destinations in a very short time. All vessels are well equipped with first aid kits and oxygen therapy equipment.

There are two distinctly different areas for diving at Tufi. The excellent outer reef system and the sheltered fjords around Tufi, ideal for "muck diving" opportunities. In addition, some wrecks can be dived on longer outings (min. 6 divers, additional charges apply). Most of the outer reefs are located up to 1.5 hours away from the the dive shop. In this area there are many reefs to choose from - an underwater landscape of sea mounts, pinnacles and vertical walls. Commercial fishing is rare here so these reefs are in pristine condition. Visibility is usually excellent, and the abundance of marine life is immediately evident with schools of pelagics (jacks, barracuda, tuna, dolphins), various shark species and a huge variety of healthy soft coral species with all the accompanying macro-life you would expect. In particaular, Mullaway Reef & Bev's Bommie are worth a special mention.

In contrast to outer reef sites, a muck dive from the wharf offers the opportunity to encounter plenty of cool creatures - loads of pipe fish, stone-fish, ghost pipe fish, nudibranch's, flat worms and even some resident mandarin fish - plenty to keep the eyes peeled. The best time to dive Tufi is from October to April each year.

There are 2 fantastic wrecks, accessbile from Tufi. One is a fantastic shipwreck. The "S'Jacob", one of the best wrecks in PNG. It is a Dutch cargo vessel which lies in 55-60 metres of water and has been rated by Bob Halstead as the most interesting wreck dive in PNG. It's deep and you can be sure all precautions will be taken to make this decompression dive a safe one with all back-up's needed.

Another great dive is a B17, the Bomber "Black Jack", which is one of the best-preserved B17 planes in PNG waters. It is right at the bottom of a teeming reef wall, which makes the deco stops on the way up a real pleasure. The B17 can be dived only from November to April. Both wreck dives are special charters (min. 6 divers, additional charges apply) and have to be booked in the resort.

Currently no special photo facilities are available. Make sure you bring your own photo gear and spare batteries.