South Chichijima Wall

The southern coastline of Chichijima drops away in a sheer wall from 8 m to beyond 40 m, studded with black coral trees, large sea fans, and colonies of cup coral that thrive in the nutrient-rich upwelling. This is one of the most accessible advanced dive sites in Ogasawara — reachable by day boat in under 20 minutes from Futami Port. Hawksbill turtles forage on the sponge-encrusted wall face, and schools of yellowfin goatfish and dogtooth tuna frequent the blue water at the wall's edge. In summer, pelagic visitors including oceanic whitetip sharks and occasional sperm whale clicks (audible through the water column) elevate the dives. The wall's sheer profile with frequent overhangs creates micro-habitats for shy species including scorpionfish and moray eels.