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Scuba Diving at Bomb Rock Dive Site
The Netrani dive site called Bomb Rock is actually the remnants from previous military exercises carried out 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 is the Best Time to Dive Bomb Rock?
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:
- Butterfly fish
Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos (grey reef shark)- Crustaceans
- Dragon moray eel
- Garibaldi damselfish (Hypsypops rubicundus)
- Goatfishes
- Green turtles
- Marine mollusks
- Morays eels
- Ocean sunfish (Mola Mola)
- Parrot fish
- Porcupinefish
- Sand eel
- Schooling bannerfish
- Shrimps
- Tarpon fish
- Wrasses (e.g. Napoleon wrasse)
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 Bomb Rock
A rocky ridge starts around 200 metres from the island and ten (10) metres (32 feet) down from the surface. From there, it drops even further to about forty (40) metres (132 feet) at the deepest point.
The Indian Navy sometimes uses a twin island near Netrani for their shelling practice. Thus, scuba divers may see spent and unexploded projectiles laying in some of the underwater craters.
Pro Tip: Rumours suggest that this notorious rocky ridge was once similar in size and height to that of the heart shaped island.
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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.