Mozambique’s own Zambezi: meet Anantara Bazaruto’s dive instructor

Posted by Anita Froneman on 28 July 2022

Life can be tough for young children who live on Mozambique’s Anantara Bazaruto Island, walking many kilometres in the morning and afternoon to school. One of these young boys was Zambezi, now a dive instructor at Anantara Bazaruto. His dream as a young boy was to work at the resort, a dream which came true 12 years ago when he was appointed as a dive assistant. This was a natural fit for him. Growing up he and his friends spent their days free diving at the bottom of the sea, catching beautiful starfish, crabs, and octopus.

During a visit to Anantara Bazaruto Island Resort, guests are met by warm turquoise waters, a variety of sea life and unspoilt coral reef.

Influenced by his cousin Antonio who was a skipper in the activities department, he studied and acquired a formal Dive Master qualification. That equipped him with the necessary skills and knowledge about diving and communicating underwater. With the support of the resort, Zambezi went on to obtain his Dive Instructor certificate and now leads the resort’s diving department.

The crystal clear waters in this part of the Indian Ocean are alive with dazzling soft coral ridges and thousands of tropical fish species, providing ideal conditions for investigating this enthralling underwater world. Water temperatures range from 26 to 27 degrees, with 20 meters of visibility, and conditions cater for first-time and seasoned divers.

Always challenging himself to discover new dive spots in this beautiful part of the world, Zambezi and his team are leading guests in exploring one of Mozambique’s best-kept secrets, the Bazaruto Marine National Park, one of the world’s premier snorkelling and diving destinations.

As a dive instructor Zambezi doesn’t merely take his guests on diving excursions, his role also ensures that his divers are in good physical condition to go on the dive and takes them through the theory and practical aspects to ensure that guests experience a memorable dive. He is passionate about helping divers create a balance between humanity and the ocean and believes that diving can change the way people see and interact with the world, both above and below the surface.

Zambezi believes that Bazaruto sets itself apart from other diving destinations because of its geographical location, spotless beaches, coral reefs, and elusive marine life such as the largest dugong population on the African east coast. The Bazaruto Archipelago is also the first marine reserve to fall under African Parks’ management and has a strong conservation policy to ensure sustainability.

Zambezi’s top dive spots are:

-Manta Reef, the reef is vast and flat, boasting kaleidoscope gardens of sea anemones and coral that attract large numbers of bright clownfish, as well as green turtles and populations of graceful manta rays, and requires two dives to complete.

-Zenguelemo Reef is home to Reef fish, Crocodile Fish, Scorpion Fish and more. The depth reaches about 21 metres and the site is suitable for advanced divers and up.

-Two-Mile Reef is a flat-topped barrier reef renowned for its fantastic snorkelling at sites such as the Aquarium as well as exciting dive sites on the outer edge. The dives vary from 6 to 21 metres in depth. Highlights include a variety of hard and soft corals and many schools of reef and pelagic fish passing through. The reef caters for various skill levels.

-Bazaruto Northern Tip Reef is a beautiful reef on the north side of Bazaruto Island, where you can dive with thousands of different fish and reef sharks. The depth is approximately 25-35 meters.

Visit: anantara.com/en/bazaruto-island

Picture: Supplied

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