Marine life profile
Sea anemone
Recorded at 7 dive sitesWhere divers encounter it
Explore Sea anemone around the world
Sea anemones ( ə-NEM-ə-nee) are a group of predatory marine invertebrate animals constituting the order Actiniaria. Its movements may be subtle, but feeding, filtering and defensive responses are constantly reshaping the reef at close range.
Meet the species
What to look for
How to Recognize It
Slow down and look for distinctive texture, symmetry and color rather than a familiar fish-like silhouette.
How It Behaves
Its movements may be subtle, but feeding, filtering and defensive responses are constantly reshaping the reef at close range.
Special Ability
Specialized tissues, stinging cells, regeneration or chemical defenses solve survival without speed or heavy armor.
Dive responsibly
Share the water well
How to Approach
Perfect your buoyancy and observe from above without touching the animal or the surface supporting it.
Safety
Many invertebrates are fragile, venomous or irritating to skin. Keep hands, fins and equipment clear.
Worth knowing
The detail you remember
Interesting Facts
Because of their colourful appearance, they are named after the Anemone, a terrestrial flowering plant.
Where to Find
Look closely on reef walls, coral heads, sand, seagrass, jetties and shaded overhangs.
Known countries
Sightings map
Sea anemone locations
Plan a dive
Dive sites with reported encounters
Cliff
Caribbean Netherlands
Entry at second gate Hamlet Oasis. Easy rocky entrance and you will find a pipe on your right (navigation marker) running down the reef. The reef starts straight from the shore. Follow the reef to the South, after about 10 minutes the reef becomes a huge vertical wall covered with beautiful plate corals and whip corals. Lots of creatures hiding in and on the wall. if you continue following the wall at around 18-meter depth you will come across some big elephant ear sponges. Keep an eye out for jacks and tarpons in the deeper part. When good on air you can continue to the little wreck of "La Machaca" which you will found at around 15-meter depth 30 to 35 minutes into the dive. This makes a good return point, head back in the shallower parts where you will find an abundance of life. Once you find back the pipe, that's you exit point. Perfect for the advanced course, with skills such as deep, navigation, fish ID, etc. Great for a night dive.
Gabr el Bint
Egypt
Gabr el Bint ranks among one of the most attractive sites of North Sinai. With the access by boat, 4x4 or by camel, it is less frequently dived than the other dive sites in Dahab which has left this site in pristine condition. Gabr el Bint means 'The Grave of the Girl' in Arabic. There are two dives possible here. The ledge is riddled with exquisite coral heads that attract numerous reef species, including swarms of anthias, scorpionfish, parrotfish, crocodilefish, surgeonfish, triggerfish, trumpetfish, stingrays and very often a turtle. At the end of the ledge usually is home to a shoal of black and white snappers and twinspot snappers hang here between 5m and 10m. One of the truly breathtaking dives in Dahab.
Mike's Maze
Sint Maarten
Part of the Man of War Shoal Marine Protected Area. It starts at approximately 40 feet (12 m) and boasts healthy coral formations and numerous maze-like swim throughs, passageways wind around coral heads, through arches and over bridges. This location is where the Nature Foundation conducted one of its coral reef restoration projects. Common critters: Many of the 60 TWA fish species! French Angelfish, schooling Chubs, Spiny Lobster, & Foureye Butterflyfish, Elkhorn Coral formations, Special guests: Spotted Eagle Rays, Squid, Caribbean Reef Sharks, Nurse Sharks, Sexy Shrimp in anemones, staghorn coral formations
Stonehenge
Thailand
Stonehenge is a superlative dive site and must be considered one of the top scuba spots in Thailand. Stonehenge is located only 5-10 minutes from Koh Lipe by boat and is full of Soft Leafy Coral making it a beautiful and vibrant reef. Generally you will see schools of Barracudas, Trevally & Yellow Snappers. Smaller creatures include Seahorses, Shrimps, Crabs, Nudibranchs, Seamoths, Stonefish & Frogfish. As this site is very exposed, strong currents can be expected, meaning diving here around Full or Black moon is not usually possible.
White Rock
Thailand
The range of life found here is huge and there is something to please every diver. Turtles come here to munch away on soft corals, casting a lazy, half-interested eye at divers. Koh Tao's infamous Titan Triggerfish prowl this dive site too, and some of the largest specimens hang out here. White Rock attracts many hunters: Great Barracuda and Trevally excite the fish making them dart for cover in the plentiful hard corals; Banded Sea Snakes wind their way through the corals searching for their prey. Blue-Ringed and Six-Banded Angelfish swim around in their buddy teams passing Beaked Coralfish, Bannerfish and Pig-Faced Butterflyfish. Look under ledges and outcroppings and you are bound to find a White-Eyed Moray Eel or a Blue-Spotted Ray awaiting nightfall. Under the South buoyline, a large shoal of Yellowtail Barracuda spend their days following divers. Even though White Rock is close to Koh Tao, in season Whalesharks are regularly seen here.
Ao Kruad
Thailand
A favorite dive site on the northeast of Koh Talu. Suitable for snorkeler, free diver and scuba diver. Depth is 2-7 meter. Diver can take 30-60 mins bottom time. Since it is very shallow site.
South of Koh Ngam Yai, 8-16 meters deep, the ground is a flat sandy area. Suitable for use as a place to check dives. It’s the first dive of the trip. Around the turning point, there may be some currents.