Tufi Diving

Type

Wharf · Muck · Macro · Night

Depth

2–15 m

Experience

Beginner–Intermediate

Current

Usually mild

Tufi Wharf is the destination’s easiest dive and one of its most productive macro sites. Around the wharf and fjord slope, sand, rubble and artificial debris create habitat for gobies, nudibranchs, crustaceans, pipefish and other small animals.

Mandarinfish can be a highlight around dusk, while night diving reveals a different set of nocturnal subjects. The depth is modest and water is generally sheltered, but fine substrate makes good fin technique important if photographers want to preserve visibility. The site is especially useful on arrival days or after a deeper offshore dive because it requires almost no travel and can still deliver an hour of genuine critter hunting rather than functioning merely as a check dive.

Look for: Wharf macro · Mandarinfish potential · Night dive · Sheltered water

Type

WWII wrecks · Deep fjord

Depth

30–45 m

Experience

Advanced / Deep

Current

Usually mild

The PT Boat wrecks in Tufi Fjord offer a very different historical dive from the shallow wharf. The remains lie significantly deeper, with parts of the site reaching into the 30–45 metre range, so the dive is appropriate only for experienced divers with the certification and gas plan to manage the profile.

Visibility inside the fjord can differ from the outer reefs, but the sheltered location often reduces current and allows divers to concentrate on the wartime structure. Penetration should never be treated as automatic; exterior exploration provides the history without adding unnecessary overhead risk. Because of depth, the operator’s surface-interval and decompression guidance should be followed conservatively.

Look for: WWII wrecks · 30–45 m · Deep-diving skills · Sheltered fjord

Type

Offshore reef · Wall · Coral

Depth

7–40+ m

Experience

Intermediate–Advanced

Current

Variable

Cyclone Reef is one of Tufi’s best-known offshore reef systems and actually supports several distinct dive profiles. Walls begin in the shallows and fall well beyond recreational depth, with hard and soft coral, anemones, gorgonians and schooling fish creating the dependable part of the experience.

Reef sharks and turtles are possible, while the lee side of the reef can provide calmer water and a gentler finish when wind or current increase. The site works best as a multilevel dive, using the deeper wall early and returning to coral-rich shallows for the second half. The exact mooring is not published publicly; the map pin is only an orientation anchor for the Cyclone reef area.

Look for: Offshore wall · Coral diversity · Sharks & turtles possible · Multiple dive profiles

Type

Offshore reef · Coral · Pelagic

Depth

8–35 m

Experience

Intermediate–Advanced

Current

Variable

Stewart Reef is one of the closer offshore reefs from Tufi and offers a broad coral profile rather than a single dramatic landmark. Hard and soft coral support schooling reef fish, while Spanish mackerel, barracuda and trevally are among the larger visitors associated with the area. The reef can also be dived after dark, when the focus shifts from open-water fish to nocturnal reef life.

Depth is flexible enough for intermediate divers, but current and sea state determine which section the operator uses. The strength of Stewart is consistency: even without a pelagic encounter, the coral and fish density make it a worthwhile reef dive. The pin shown is a general reef-area anchor, not a mooring coordinate.

Look for: Offshore coral reef · Barracuda / trevally possible · Night-dive option · Flexible depth

Type

Wall · Current · Pelagic

Depth

10–40+ m

Experience

Advanced

Current

Strong possible

Mulloway Reef is one of the more advanced Tufi profiles, with a wall falling into very deep water and current bringing the possibility of larger pelagics along the edge. Hammerheads, reef sharks and rays are associated with the broader site, but any encounter is opportunistic and should not be promised.

The combination of current and drop-off means divers need strong depth control and should remain close to the guide rather than drifting into open water after a sighting. A conservative profile still delivers the scale of the wall and healthy reef without chasing depth. The exact operator mooring is not public, so the map position should be read only as an orientation point for the Mulloway reef sector.

Look for: Deep wall · Strong current possible · Hammerheads possible · Advanced only

Type

Reef point · Current · Pelagic

Depth

10–35 m

Experience

Advanced

Current

Moderate–Strong

Shark Tip is a current-facing reef point where divers watch both the reef and the blue. Whitetip, blacktip and other reef sharks are possible, with larger pelagic species occasionally using the deeper edge, while colorful coral and nudibranchs keep the dive productive even when sharks remain farther away.

The site is best suited to experienced divers because water movement and open-water exposure can change quickly. A good dive does not chase sharks; the group holds a stable position near the reef and lets animals choose their distance. The map pin is intentionally approximate to the operator reef area because the exact entry and mooring depend on tide, wind and Tufi Resort’s daily site plan.

Look for: Shark potential · Current-facing point · Coral · Advanced profile

Type

Offshore reef · Wall · Coral

Depth

8–40 m

Experience

Advanced

Current

Variable

Veale Reef is an offshore reef system east of the Tufi coast where open-ocean conditions create a more exposed dive than the sheltered fjord sites. Coral and wall sections provide wide-angle scenery, while current can increase fish activity around the outer edge.

The reef’s charted geographic position is public, but that should not be confused with a dive mooring: the operator selects the actual entry based on wind, current and the group’s experience. Depth can extend far beyond recreational limits, so divers should treat the wall as a visual boundary rather than a reason to descend. Veale is best for experienced divers who want the scale and clarity of Tufi’s outer reefs.

Look for: Outer reef · Wall · Current-sensitive · Wide-angle scenery

Type

Aircraft wreck · Deep blue water

Depth

45 m

Experience

Advanced / Deep

Current

Usually mild

Black Jack is one of Papua New Guinea’s most celebrated aircraft wrecks, a B-17 bomber resting at roughly 45 metres. The aircraft is remarkably recognizable, with wings, engines and fuselage creating an extraordinary photographic subject in blue water. The depth makes this an experienced-diver profile with a short working window and the potential for mandatory decompression depending on the plan.

Tufi operators apply conservative procedures, including significant surface intervals, because the wreck is not a casual recreational dive. Penetration is unnecessary to appreciate the aircraft and should never exceed training. For properly qualified divers, Black Jack combines WWII history, preservation and deep-water atmosphere in a way few aircraft wrecks can match.

Look for: B-17 bomber · ~45 m · Advanced/deep planning · WWII history