Fan Forest Pinnacle

Fan Forest Pinnacle is an isolated seamount in the Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar, sitting exactly five nautical miles north of Western Rocky and away from all other islands. The pinnacle rises from beyond 60 metres up to 5 metres below the surface and is shaped like a pyramid. Parts of the rock drop straight down to depth while other sections descend in stages, with sand banks forming stepped ledges at 15, 30, and 45 metres.

The walls are covered in large gorgonian sea fans fed by plankton-rich water, and the sandy steps and ledges are hunting ground for leopard sharks and rays. Mating cuttlefish are a particular highlight at this site.

Entry is by live drop: the boat positions over the pinnacle, divers jump in and swim down, then assess the current before moving into it and working around the site, finishing down-current for a surface pick-up away from the pinnacle. A surface marker buoy is essential. The site is best dived on a rising tide. The pinnacle is large enough that attempting to circumnavigate it in a single dive is possible but demanding, and unnecessary given how densely the entire structure is covered in life.