Milne Bay Muck Diving

Milne Bay muck diving is the reason many underwater photographers come to Papua New Guinea. At the far eastern tip of the PNG mainland, Milne Bay's dark volcanic sand slopes hide an extraordinary range of small, strange animals, and the area is widely credited as the place where the term "muck diving" was first used. Add coral reefs, offshore pinnacles and remote islands, and you have one of the most varied dive regions in the country.

What muck diving is

Muck diving means diving on sand, silt or rubble rather than coral reef. At first glance the bottom looks empty. Look closer, slowly, and it is full of life: animals that live by camouflage, mimicry or burrowing, many of them found almost nowhere else. A good muck dive is a treasure hunt, and a sharp-eyed local guide is the most valuable piece of kit you can have.

Muck dives are usually shallow, calm and long. That makes them easy on air and good for photography, but they reward patience and excellent buoyancy, because a careless fin kick can wreck the visibility and the habitat.

Critters to look for

• Frogfish in many colours, from tiny juveniles to big painted and hairy frogfish.
• Ghost pipefish, both ornate and robust, hiding beside crinoids and sea grass.
• Nudibranchs in huge variety, plus sea slugs, flatworms and sea hares.
• Scorpionfish relatives, including leaf scorpionfish, devil scorpionfish and, with luck, rhinopias.
• Cephalopods such as mimic and wonderpus octopus, flamboyant cuttlefish and bobtail squid.
• Shrimps and crabs living on sea pens, anemones, sea cucumbers and urchins.

Sightings depend on the season, the site and luck. Your guide will know what has been seen recently.

More than muck

Milne Bay is not only sand. The wider province covers hundreds of islands and reefs, and liveaboard routes reach coral gardens, walls and pinnacles where manta rays, sharks and schooling fish are part of the show. Many trips mix a few days of reef diving with muck dives close to the mainland, which keeps both wide-angle and macro shooters happy.

There are also wrecks in the area, including WWII aircraft and ships. For wreck-focused trips, Rabaul wreck diving and Madang diving offer more choice.

Conditions

Muck sites are usually sheltered and shallow, with mild or no current. Visibility on the sand is often lower than on the reefs, and that is normal: the nutrients that cloud the water also feed the critters. Water is warm all year. Because Milne Bay faces the open sea to the east and south, wind direction matters more here than in some regions; see the best time to dive Papua New Guinea before you pick dates.

How to dive Milne Bay

Land-based diving centres on the Alotau area, the provincial capital, where resorts reach nearby muck and reef sites by day boat. Liveaboards cover far more ground, out to remote islands and reefs that are only practical with a boat you sleep on. Compare routes and trip lengths on our Papua New Guinea liveaboards page.

To get there, fly from Port Moresby to Alotau (Gurney Airport). Liveaboards usually board in Alotau. See Papua New Guinea dive trip planning for flights, visas and packing.

Muck diving tips

• Keep your fins up and off the bottom. Frog kick or a gentle back-finning keeps the silt down.
• Never touch or move animals for a photo. Many are venomous, and all are easily stressed.
• Ask your guide to signal what they have found before you swim in, so you do not land on it.
• A slow dive with three subjects photographed well beats a fast dive with twenty missed.
• Bring a focus light and spare batteries: you will use them on every dive.

Milne Bay muck diving FAQ