Home › Dive Capitals › Asia › India › Netrani Island › T55

Scuba Diving at T-55 Dive Site

It's a curious name for a dive site T55. But it refers to the fact that the island was once used for target practice by the Indian Navy.

This guide contains information about the unique underwater topography and fish life found in the clear water near the coastline of Karnataka.

When's the Best Time to Scuba Dive at T55

Netrani is a heart-shaped coral island. You'll find it situated around ten (10) nautical miles from Murudeshwara.

The location is popular for divers who make the south-westerly journey from the Indian district of Karnataka.

It's also called Pigeon Island by the locals on the mainland - due to the abundant presence of wild grey birds living on the rock.

The dive sites around Netrani Island rank among the best available for scuba divers who travel offshore. Plus, it's within easy reach from Goa, Bangalore, Pune, and the capital city of Mumbai.

In all fairness, access to clear water diving is quite limited in this part of the Arabian Sea. Nonetheless, underwater visibility can be around twenty (20) metres in some sheltered spots.

Generally, the Netrani Island diving season begins in October and runs through to May. Even during these months, you should expect to have water temperatures around 27° Celsius (80° Fahrenheit).

But wait - there's more:

Because of the local hazards, the authorities discourage divers from stepping foot on the rocky island. So, it's best to consider it as being off limits because of the steep cliffs and craggy rocks close to the shoreline.

Netrani Island dive sites have their fair share of coral reefs, rocky pinnacles, and a few shipwrecks. In fact, during the peak season, it's one of the best scuba destinations for beginners to learn how to dive or to become one of the snorkeling bloggers that help to make this area popular.

Being cordiform in shape means the island's fringing coral reef systems create natural habitats in shallow water for all sorts of diverse marine life, including:

Pro Tip: December through to February are the optimum months for diving Netrani. Make sure you get permission before you visit the island by boat. The sea conditions deteriorate from June until October (e.g. for the south-west monsoon season).

Underwater Topography at T55 Dive Site

Divers might come across sightings of a disused torpedo towards the west of the site around twenty (20) metres deep.

Overall, depths range from fourteen (14) to twenty five (25) metres. Even though it's quite sparse in places, the bottom topography is mostly scattered rocks ambushed by trevallies, jacks, and an occasional timid grouper.

Related Information and Help Guides

Pro Tip: The main section contains extra information about the top scuba diving spots in India and why it's becoming a hot-spot for undersea explorers.

Divers also enjoyed reading about...