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Scally Reef

📍 Lombok, Indonesia

Orangeblotch Surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus) — recorded at Scally Reef

Scally Reef is a dive site in Lombok, Indonesia. It lies within the Gili Ayer, Gili Meno, Gili Trawangan Marine Recreation Park. Currents typically run at 2.3 km/h and reach 4 km/h on the strongest days. Water temperatures range from 28°C in August to 30°C in November. The typical daily tidal range is about 1.2 m. Species recorded in the area include Green Sea Turtle, Orangeblotch Surgeonfish, Diploastrea heliopora, Barred Thicklip and Redfin Butterflyfish.

Dive Conditions

💨
Current
2.3 km/h (4.0)
🌡️
Water Temp
28–30 °C

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Typical Current 2.3 km/h (up to 4.0)
Water Temperature 28–30 °C
Tidal Range 1.2 m (typical daily)
GPS -8.3568°, 116.0452°

Data sources: currents and water temperature from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values 2024. Tidal range is the median daily range of modelled sea level from Open-Meteo Marine, hourly values 2024. Protected area boundary from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Species observations from iNaturalist, checked against the World Register of Marine Species.

Conditions at Scally Reef through the year

Sea surface temperature at the site coordinates, averaged per month from hourly model values for 2024. The water is warmest in November at about 30 °C and coolest in August at about 28 °C, a spread of 2.1 degrees across the year.

Monthly sea surface temperature at Scally Reef (°C)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
29.5 29.4 29.7 30.2 29.8 29.0 28.7 28.2 28.5 29.2 30.3 30.0

Ocean current at the site runs at a typical 2.3 km/h. In the strongest tenth of the hours modelled for 2024 it reaches 4.0 km/h, which is when entries are normally timed to slack water at the turn of the tide.

The tide moves the water level by a median 1.2 m over a day, and by up to 1.7 m on the largest days of the month. That range drives how much water is exchanged over the reef and when the current turns.

In the open sea off Scally Reef, the highest wave of the day exceeded 1.5 m on 2.0 % of days between 2015 and 2024. The roughest month was July (5 % of days), the calmest April (0 %). Land within 10 km blocks some of the directions these waves come from (open to about 74 % of them), so conditions at the site are likely calmer than these open-sea values.

Share of days with waves above 1.5 m, open sea near Scally Reef (%, 2015–2024)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
223014541101

Scally Reef lies inside Gili Ayer, Gili Meno, Gili Trawangan Marine Recreation Park. Protected areas can carry their own rules on entry fees, permits, anchoring and fishing; check the current rules with a local operator before you dive.

How Scally Reef compares

These comparisons use only the measured values above, set against the 376 dive sites published on findadive.com. A percentage shows the share of other sites with a lower (or higher) value, so it reads the same way wherever the site is.

Scally Reef compared with all listed sites and with Lombok
MeasureThis siteCompared with all sitesMedian in Lombok
Mean water temperature29.4 °Ccooler than 58 % of the other 375 sites29.4 °C (44 sites)
Water temperature in the coolest month28.2 °Cwarmer than 55 % of the other 375 sites28.2 °C (44 sites)
Typical current2.3 km/hstronger than 72 % of the other 375 sites1.8 km/h (44 sites)
Current in the strongest 10 % of hours4.0 km/hstronger than 68 % of the other 375 sites3.2 km/h (44 sites)
Median daily tidal range1.2 msmaller than 81 % of the other 375 sites1.2 m (44 sites)

Water temperature, current and tide from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values for 2024 at -8.3568°, 116.0452°. Protected area boundary from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Wave statistics from ERA5-Ocean via Open-Meteo Marine (contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2015–2024), daily maximum wave height on a 0.5° grid; land shelter tested against Natural Earth coastlines.

Marine life recorded at this site

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist within about 12 km of these coordinates.

Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas)
Green Sea Turtle Chelonia mydas A large sea turtle with a smooth, heart-shaped carapace, often seen swimming or resting on the seabed.to 1.5 m · surface to 40 m · day and nightseagrass beds, coral reefs, and sandy areasRemain still and avoid sudden movements; the turtle may approach if it feels unthreatened. (c) Jacek Pietruszewski, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Orangeblotch Surgeonfish (Acanthurus olivaceus)
Orangeblotch Surgeonfish Acanthurus olivaceus A surgeonfish with a pale body, a distinctive orange patch behind the eye, and a yellow-edged tail. Juveniles are bright yellow.to 35 cm · 1-40 m · by dayouter reef slopes and channels, often over rubbleLook for the orange patch near the gill cover; adults often graze in small groups on the reef slope. (c) PampaSorro, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Diploastrea heliopora (Diploastrea heliopora)
Diploastrea heliopora Diploastrea heliopora A massive, dome-shaped coral with large, closely packed polygonal corallites, forming boulder-like colonies.colonies to 2 m across · 3-20 m · day and nightlower reef slopes and lagoonsLook for the distinctive honeycomb pattern of its corallites, which is visible even when the polyps are retracted. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Barred Thicklip (Hemigymnus fasciatus)
Barred Thicklip Hemigymnus fasciatus A robust wrasse with a distinct colour change as it matures. Juveniles are black with narrow white bars, adults have a white head and forebody with dark rear half.to 50 cm · 1-30 m · by daysandy and rubble areas near coral reefsOften seen foraging by blowing jets of water into the sand to uncover invertebrates. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Redfin Butterflyfish (Chaetodon lunulatus)
Redfin Butterflyfish Chaetodon lunulatus A butterflyfish with a white body, yellow tail and dorsal fin, and a distinctive black band through the eye. The pelvic and anal fins are bright red-orange.to 15 cm · 1-30 m · by daycoral-rich areas of reef flats, lagoons, and seaward reefsOften seen in pairs; look for the red fins and the black eye band while it feeds on coral polyps. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Crosshatch Butterflyfish (Chaetodon xanthurus)
Crosshatch Butterflyfish Chaetodon xanthurus A butterflyfish with a white body crossed by a dark grid pattern, a yellow tail and a black eye bar.to 15 cm · 5-30 m · by daycoral-rich areas of clear lagoons and seaward reefsOften seen in pairs; look for the distinctive chequered pattern on its flanks. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Bluestreak Goby (Valenciennea strigata)
Bluestreak Goby Valenciennea strigata A slender goby with a pale body and a distinctive electric-blue stripe running from its eye to the tail, often seen sifting mouthfuls of sand.to 15 cm · 1-25 m · by daysandy patches on reef flats and slopesLook for a small, neat mound of excavated sand pellets; the goby will be hovering nearby and darting back to its burrow. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation
Lemon Damsel (Pomacentrus moluccensis)
Lemon Damsel Pomacentrus moluccensis A small, bright yellow damselfish, often seen darting among branching corals.to 10 cm · 1-12 m · by daybranching corals, especially Acropora, on reef crestsLook for a flash of yellow among coral branches; it retreats quickly but usually reappears. no rights reserved · CC0 · observation