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IMPORTANT: On all ships and plane wrecks
in Palau waters, live ammunition can be
found. A word of caution: DO NOT PICK
UP ANY AMMUNITION!!!!! Due to the age
of the bullets, bombs and mortars, etc.
these pieces of history are very unstable
and can explode. |
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Special features |
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The Reef Hook is a truly a Palauan
invention. The "hook" was designed to keep
your hands free and to prevent damage to
the reef, while facing strong currents.
On one end of the "hook" is a large metal
hook; on the other end is a safety clip
that attaches to your BCD, with a 2 meters
(6 ft) length of cord. If you are a photographer
a reef hook is a must! It is highly recommended
you use the reef hook any time you want
to stop and the current is blowing you off
your focus. Reef hooks are available at
all dive shops in Palau.
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SOME FAMOUS SITES |
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Blue Holes |
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Depths: 43 meters (140 ft) |
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Current conditions: Moderate
to strong |
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Visibility: 20 to 50 meters (60 to 150 ft) |
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Access: 60 to75 minutes by speedboat |
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Required Experience: Novice
to Intermediate |
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The
reef is a vertical wall that runs from north
to south and merges with Ngemelis Wall at
Blue Corner. There are four holes on top of
the shallow reef at 1 to 2 meters (3-6 feet)
deep that mark the entrance to a very large
cavern. There are two 2 exits from the cavern
on the face of the reef. One is a small window
and the other is a huge opening. The bottom
of the cavern is at 43 meters (140 feet).
In the north end of the cavern, at 27 meters
(85 feet), there is a narrow entrance that
leads to another cave. This cave is appropriately
named The Temple of Doom. Several people have
perished in this cave, it is not for unexperienced
divers. Only divers with a Cave Diver rating
and special gear should enter this area. |
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Diving |
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The Blue Holes are probably the next
most popular site in Palau, after Blue Corner.
The dive at the Blue Holes usually starts
by swimming over the shallow reef and descending
through one of the four holes on top of
the reef. Occasionally if the tide is very
low or the swell is high the dive will commence
down along the wall in through the small
window into the cavern. The cavern is large
and is usually flooded with rays of light….
a spectacular sight. Each hole on the ceiling
appears as if it was painted light blue
and the very large opening to the west is
a deep dark blue. Spend some time in the
cave and enjoy the sight of it before swimming
out toward Blue Corner. Do not attempt to
enter Temple of Doom unless you are prepared
for cave diving and accompanied by a guide.
On your way out of the cavern, keep the
wall to your left; you will pass beautiful
canyons and crevices full of color and rich
with marine life. At the corner hook yourself
on to the reef and watch the sharks playing
in the current.
Black coral grows sporadically, especially
near the exit below. These coral don't need
the direct sunlight that other corals need.
This dive is very deep, with the first exit
at 20 meters (66 ft). The bottoms have very
heavy blue waters that go deeper and darker
to the open sea. The bottom is sandy. The
diver can let go and watch sharks, sea turtles
during the trajectory. |
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Marine life |
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Inside of the cavern you can find many
soft corals and Tubastraea decorating the
walls. Many species of nudibranchs and shells
can be found along the sandy bottom. Large
schools of barracuda, tuna and snapper patrol
the cavern opening. The reef wall is vertical
and offers just about every type of tropical
fish and species of coral that you can imagine!
The 20-25 minute swim along the reef to
Blue Corner will reward the observant diver.
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Blue Corner |
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Depths: 12-40
meters (and up to 300) (40-130 ft and
up to 990 ft) |
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Visibility: 30
to 40+ meters (100 to 130 ft) |
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Required Experience: Novice
to Experienced according to current
conditions |
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Access: 50 to 70 minutes by speedboat |
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This
is one of those mind blowing dives! Located
near Ngenelis island, the only access is by
boat with a local guide. It is highly recommended
to have experience diving with currents. Currents
can be very strong and unpredictable .
This part of the reef is a large area that
drops down dramatically to 300 meters (1000
ft) On top of the reef there are numerous
canyons and tunnels.
Huge sharks, sea turtles and schools of barracuda
are seen in this area on 90% of the dives.
Sea snakes are spotted frequently. The abundant
sea life is due to the strong currents that
bring nutrients to the bottom part of the
chain, which attracts members of the middle
and top end of the chain.
Divers should be aware of the effects of the
strong surge, not to damage the reef.
Due to its infinite opportunities, the Blue
Corner is a must for photographers and experienced
divers from all over the world.
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Reef Formation |
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A vertical
reef wall that runs south to north parallel
to Ngemelis Island. The reef then turns toward
the open sea and stretches out from East to
West, creating a plateau at 15 to 20 meters
(45 to 60 feet) Past Blue Corner the reef
wall curves again and runs south to north.
The wall drops from 10 to 330 meters (30 to
1000 feet) or more and is covered with large
variety of giant Gorgonian sea fans, hard
corals and soft corals. The Eastern part of
the plateau consists of large patches of sand.
Massive coral heads and rocks are scattered
throughout the sandy patches. The flat coral
plateau on the west drops gently from 15 to
20 meters (45 to 60 feet) with colonies of
cabbage corals as well as many varieties of
hard and soft corals. |
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Marine Life |
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Blue Corner is home to some of the largest
schools of fish in the world, here you can
see just about every kind of fish found
in the tropical ocean. Sharks, Wahoo, Tuna,
Hawkes Bill and Green turtles, Eagle Rays,
Giant Groupers, and Barracuda, to name but
a few species. These denizens come in very
close, in fact, closer than you can imagine.
You will experience encounters here that
you will provide plenty of thrills and excitement
as well as great stories to tell friends.
Blue Corner is said to offer the utmost
photo opportunities in the world. Occasionally
divers spot Great Hammerheads, Whale Sharks,
Mantas, Marlin, Sailfish and whales. |
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Diving |
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Eastern buoy:
The dive guides usually refer to this as the
"In Coming" dive. The dive starts
at the canyon. Look for sleeping White Tip
sharks on the sandy bottom of the eastern
cut. Swim along the lush soft coral wall for
approximately 100 meters (300 feet), you will
come to a cavern with giant Gorgonian sea
fans, look up, you will most likely see many
gray reef sharks patrolling the reef wall
along with big schools of Black Snappers and
horse eye jacks. On the plateau you will find
more swirling schools of barracuda, snappers,
wrasses, triggerfish, etc.
Western buoy:
A dive that begins here is called the "Out-Going"
dive. The wall starts at the Blue Hole and
curves around south to the Blue Corner.
The formation of the reef wall on this side
is steeper and plunges beyond a diving depth
into the sea. Keep a watch on your depth
gauge, it is easy to drift down as you are
caught up in the spectacle of action along
the reef and out to sea. Look for large
schools of yellow and white Pyramid Butterflyfish,
Moorish Idols and Redtooth Triggerfish.
The top of the reef is 3 to 5 meters (10
to15 feet) As you get closer to the Blue
Corner the reef wall begins to gradually
slope outward to form the edge of the Corner.
By the end of this dive, it's possible to
'Hook on' (check the Reef Hook)
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Fascinating Facts |
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Most people believe Blue Corner acquired
its name from the deep beautiful blue open
ocean as seen at the Corner. The truth is,
however, more interesting. Years ago the
dive guides, though very familiar with the
dive site at the Blue Holes, would exit
the holes and continue the dive off to the
right. One day Francis Toribiong (Known
as Mr. Dive Palau and founder of Fish 'n
Fins the pioneer dive shop in Palau) decided
to go along the reef to the left. He couldn't
believe his eyes, hundreds, maybe even thousands
of fish of every color, size, and description!
Blue Corner, one of the world's best dive
sites, was discovered purely by chance.
In describing how to get to the dive site,
Francis told the other dive guides, "Go
to the Blue Holes, and then go to the left
until you come to the corner". That is how
this unique and beautiful dive site became
known as the Blue Corner. |
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Blue
Corner Napoleon Wrasse - Photographer:
P. Lange |
Blue
Corner action - Photographer: Avi
Klapfer |
Blue
holes to Blue corner - Photographer:
Munzinger |
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Saies Tunnel |
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Depths: Top
of the reef to the main cavern entrance:
0.3 to 35 meters (1 to 100 feet)
Bottom of the cavern: 45-60 m (140-200
feet) |
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Current conditions: none
in the tunnel. Moderate along the
wall |
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Visibility: 20
to 40 m (60 to 120 feet) |
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Required Experience: Intermediate due to entry and exit |
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Access: 30-40 minutes by speedboat |
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This dive borders on the 'safe-limits'
of recreational diving, but Saies Tunnel is
definitely one of the most exhilarating dives
that you can do on Palau. This dive is NOT
for novice or inexperienced divers.
Saies Tunnel is an enormous underwater cavern
with three openings into the chamber from
the side of the reef wall. The entrance to
the cavern starts at approximately 33 meters
(100 feet) and the bottom is over 43 meters
(140 feet) The sheer wall, that starts at
the surface, drops down to 65 meters (200
feet) and beyond to the open ocean. |
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Diving |
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The
dive starts by dropping straight down the
vertical wall until you see the opening to
the main entrance. The mouth of the cavern
is not visible until you reach about 20 meters
(60 feet) Enter the cavern as you descend
below the top of the entrance at about 35
meters (110 feet) Schools of horse eye jacks
and snappers will greet you at the entrance
along with Gray Reef Sharks. Even though the
cavern is more than adequately lit by natural
sunlight, dive lights will enhance the colors
of the corals and the surroundings. The bottom
slopes up toward two large windows that allow
light to penetrate the cavern and provide
exit points to the reef wall. |
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Marine Life |
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Pyramid butterfly fish and brightly colored
Anthias gather in large numbers along the
outer reef wall. White Tip Reef Sharks and
stingrays are often seen resting on the
bottom. The top of the cavern is covered
with bushes of black coral. The cavern "windows"
are surrounded with magnificent sea fans
and soft coral providing a great backdrop
for photo and/or video opportunities. Several
seldom seen angelfish fish inhabit the cavern;
they are Centropyge multicolor and Centropyge
colini. Look for the infrequently sighted
deep-water angelfish Chaetodon burgessi
hiding among the crevices at the top of
the cave. Gobies and their alpheid shrimp
can be found, in their shared burrows, all
along the sandy bottom. |
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Fascinating Facts |
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The
floor of Saies Tunnel was, at one time, at
sea level. Many of Palau's reefs, caves, crevices
and underwater canyons show evidence of a
ledge between 30 and 40 meters (90 and 120
feet) This ledge is where the ocean, during
the last Ice Age, used to strike the shallow
reef. |
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Big Drop Off (Ngemelis
Wall) |
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Depths: 1
to 40 meters (3 to 120 feet) |
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Current conditions: Moderate
to none |
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Required Experience: Novice |
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Access: Speedboat (50-70 min. from Koror) |
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Big
Drop Off is a popular lunch and snorkel location.
It is 50 to 70 minutes by speedboat from Koror.
With a visibility of 15 to 33 meters (50 a
33 ft), Big drop off is a sheer vertical wall,
which runs along the whole length of Ngemelis
Island. At extreme low tide, the entire top
of the reef will be exposed. The edge of the
reef drops straight down to 300 meters! (1000
ft). |
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Diving |
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The
dive will start from one of two buoys depending
on which direction the current is flowing.
This beautiful wall should be seen from both
directions. Drop down in the clear water to
about 13 to 20 meters (40 to 60 feet) and
drift with the current. Sea fans of all sizes
jut out from the wall and make excellent background
for spectacular photos. Soft corals whose
colors range from deep violet to hot pink
are everywhere. Schools of Pyramid Butterfly
fish and Square Anthias forage for plankton
just a few feet from the wall. Leather corals
are very abundant. If you have a good eye
for details you may be able to spot Leaf fish,
Stonefish and the venomous Lionfish, so ornately
camouflaged that they seem to melt into the
rocks. White Tip and Nurse Sharks sleep on
the sandy bottom. Leopard sharks also can
be found As you do your 15 meter (5-foot)
safety stop, drift along the top edge of the
reef and marvel at all the colorful reef fish
that dart in and out of the coral heads. |
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Marine Life |
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Pyramid Butterflyfish, Square Anthias,
Moorish Idols, Sargent Major's, Yellowtail
Fusiliers are among the myriad of fish found
all along the edge and top of the reef.
Blue Face, Regal, and Emperor Angelfish
are easily spotted. Dwarf angelfish, such
as Coral Beauty, Keyhole, and Gray's dart
in and around the coral heads at the top
of the reef. Clarki, and Blue Stripped Clownfish
with their host anemones are also scattered
along the reef. Hawksbill Turtles like to
feed and rest at the top of the reef. Turtles
can be approach if you move slowly.
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Fascinating Facts |
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Big
Drop Off, just what the name implies is "really
big". About 10 meters (30 feet) from
the mooring buoy to the east at 12 meters
(35 feet) a large chain connected to a 2 meter
(6 foot) steel sphere can be seen. This chain
and ball was used during WWII to prevent the
Japanese from entering the waterway leading
to German Channel. Lieutenant Barnum from
the US Navy conducted the Operation. The chain
and ball on Big Drop Off was a mystery for
40 years until newly appointed Admiral Barnum
returned to Palau in 1986 and told his story.
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| Sieas
Tunnel - Photo: Fish 'n Fins Palau |
Big
Drop Off Crab in Coral - Photo: Fish
'n Fins Palau |
View
through one of the windows at
Sieas Tunnel - Photo: Munzinger |
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Helmet Wreck |
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Depths: 15-35
meters (50 - 115 ft) |
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Current conditions: None |
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Required Experience: Intermediate with
Wreck Diver certificate preferred |
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Access: Speedboat (2-3 min. from Koror) |
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General Information |
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Length: 57.6 meters (189 feet)
Beam: 9.5 meters (31.3 feet)
Tonnage: Unknown (estimated to be less
than 1,000 tons).
The first sight, that will immediately attract
the most attention, is a round aft gun platform.
The gun barrel is pointing to port amid the
mangled steel of the collapsed gun mount.
There are two depth charge release boxes located
on each side of the platform; their lethal
charges are still inside. At this point, you
may wish to look at the propeller. The prop
is almost completely covered by bottom silt.
The rectangular rudder reveals the fact that
no damage occurred to this part of the wreck.
Decades of underwater marine growth cover
the hull and the deck with thick layers of
corals. On the aft starboard side of the ship
a massive explosion tore open the hull revealing
the ribs of the ship and scattering drum-like
depth charges onto the sea floor. The exposed
main cargo hold reveals stacks of depth charges
neatly arranged on port side and, due to a
massive explosion, scattered around on the
starboard side. Under the port upper deck,
stacks of helmets, now cemented together by
decades of underwater corrosion, can be seen.
Between piles of rifles and ammunition, gas
masks stare out at divers from the sediment.
The amidships superstructure is a box like.
Along the port side you will come to the engine
room's skylights and a pair of engine room
ventilators that tower upward. The ship's
main stack, now sitting on the bottom on the
starboard side, left a gaping hole in the
middle of the deck. There is an inner passageway,
leading to several small rooms and a catwalk
above the engine room. The wooden roof to
the bridge is gone allowing easy access to
the wheelhouse. The forward holds are penetrable
through two large hatches on both sides of
the forward light mast. No partition between
the two holds exists so you can swim right
through. The forward hold is half full of
silt, but among the web of electrical wires,
electronic equipment and ceramic jars are
three, clearly visible, huge radial aircraft
engines.
On the raised bow you can find a two-headed
anchor winch (very unusual) with anchor chains
extending into the chain holds and to the
anchors. Inside the forecastle you can find
brass lanterns and an old taffrail log (a
speed-measuring device). There are excellent
photo opportunities on all areas of this wreck.
Behind the stern are rich coral formations
of Stag Horn corals, Brain corals and Lettuce
corals. |
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Night Diving |
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It is an excellent and rewarding night
dive. |
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Fascinating Facts |
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The true name of this ship is unknown;
she was not documented in any of the navy
archives. Probably the ship was confiscated
in Southeast Asia during the war.
Wreck hunter Dan E. Bailey discovered the
ship, on January 18, 1990. Today the ship
is called "Helmet Wreck", "The Depth Charge
Wreck" Or "X Wreck". |
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Ulong Channel |
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Location: West of Ulong Island |
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Depths: 3
to 13 meters (10 to 40 feet) |
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Visibility: 15
to 30 meters (45 to 90 feet) |
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Current conditions: Can
be strong and unpredictable. |
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Required Experience: Advanced |
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Access: 30-40 minutes by speedboat |
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This channel is also referred to as Ngerumekaol
Pass. Close to it is the Ulong Island: a
great place for a picnic because of its
beautiful beaches and its historical significance.
Ancient Palauans painted a series of petroglyphs
on the high cliffs of the island. Be sure
to have your Dive Guide point out the petroglyphs
as you pass the western side of Ulong Island.
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Reef Information |
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The
sandy bottom of the channel is 3 to 13 meters
(10 to 40 feet) deep and is decorated with
numerous coral heads and coral formations.
The sides of the channel start just below
the surface and gradually slope toward the
sandy bottom. |
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Diving |
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The
dive usually starts along the reef at the
northern side of the channel by dropping down
to 20 m (60 feet) Keep the reef on your left
side. About 10 minutes into the dive you will
approach a sandy run-off, this is the entrance
to the channel. Grey Reef and White Tip Sharks
are always on patrol here and the current
is usually strong. Hook on to one of the rocks
and watch the action. Once you leave this
area be prepared for one of the most exciting
drift dives in Palau. Let the current carry
you into the channel. One of the most impressive
sights the diver will see is an enormous section
of lettuce coral that has grown from the bottom
of the channel to a height of 5 to 7 m (15-20
feet) The eastern end of the channel is deeper
and the bottom is mostly sand. |
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Marine Life |
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Gray Reef Sharks, sting rays, schools
of jacks, snappers, barracuda, and batfish
are frequently seen at the entrance. When
the moon is full, during the months of April,
May, June and July, thousands of groupers
gather here to spawn. Groupers are usually
a solitary fish, but during this time they
have been seen to school.
Titan Triggerfish also use this area to nest.
When Titan Triggerfish are nesting they become
extremely territorial and protective of their
nest sites. Titan Triggerfish will dig out
large depressions in the sandy bottom to lay
their eggs. |
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Fascinating Facts |
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Titan Triggerfish nests may have as many
as 430,000 eggs clustered together in a
fist-sized ball. When Triggerfish are nesting
they can become quite nasty. Keep your distance!!!!
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-LLT All Copyright and Trademarks Reserved
"Disclaimer and Link Policy".