Flagstaff Wall

Flagstaff Wall is a sheer volcanic cliff that drops vertically from the surface to beyond 60 metres along Saint Helena's western coast, its face encrusted in layers of encrusting coralline algae, large barrel sponges, and branching black coral colonies that give it an otherworldly purple-black appearance in the deep blue South Atlantic water. The wall is a permanent residence for large Napoleon wrasse, moray eels, and resident Caribbean-like grouper species, while the open water column beyond the wall edge hosts free-swimming hammerhead sharks and passing pelagic rays during the productive summer months. The site's relative shelter from the southeast trade winds means it offers the longest seasonal window of any of Saint Helena's major dive sites.