Les Mamelles Reef

Stretching beneath the volcanic twin hills of Les Mamelles just off Dakar's coastline, this Atlantic reef system surprises divers with dense schools of barracuda that spiral overhead in silver tornados. Broad sandy plateaus give way to reef ledges where Atlantic grouper hold court alongside stingrays gliding over the rubble, and resident nurse sharks rest motionless in the shadows of overhangs. The strong upwelling from deeper Atlantic water brings exceptional nutrient loads, fuelling dense baitfish clouds and the predators that follow them.