Naka no Mama

Volcanic formations extend seaward down a long, gentle slope, so divers have to watch their depth closely. From about 25 m down the sand holds a large colony of the garden eel known in Japan as shinju-anago, a species found only around Hachijo and a few other places. The site is exposed and often swept by current, which brings schooling fish, island trevally and sometimes hammerheads. Divers must raise a buoy when surfacing because fishing boats pass.