Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls · Maldives · Reef · Drift
Broken Rock
A canyon cut diagonally through the middle of a channel reef
Area photo: John Hepburn · CC BY 4.0
Broken Rock is a reef in the middle of Dhigurahshu Kandu, the wide channel between Dhigurah and Dhangethi on South Ari's south-east edge. A large diagonal split runs down the middle of the rock and gives the site its name, and divers come for the canyon, the channel current and the fish that crowd the reef.
Where it is and how deep
3.5562° N, 72.9369° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Divers drop a short distance off the reef, often with a negative entry so the descent does not drift too far, and the current usually carries them to the rock. The top of the reef sits at around 12 m and its base at 25 m, where the early part of the dive tends to run, before most guides lead the group into the split itself.
Inside the canyon, clouds of anthias colour the reef, morays look out from almost every crevice, and triggerfish, jacks and oriental sweetlips circle above. Napoleon wrasse and whitetip reef sharks also appear around the rock, which ranges between 12 and 30 m.
Marine life and season
- Reef fish swarms
- Trevally & jacks
- Napoleon wrasse
- Reef sharks
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime |
Season follows Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls: The seas are calmest from December to May, but manta numbers peak from August to November.
Know before you go
- The channel is known for exhilarating currents, which can carry divers past the reef on the descent.
Dive videos
Broken Rock - Centara Grand Island Resort Maldives · Best Dives Maldives on YouTube
Questions divers ask
Does Broken Rock need a negative entry?+
Often. The reef sits in the middle of a channel known for exhilarating currents, so a negative entry keeps divers from drifting too far off the rock before reaching its base at 25 m.
Sources
- Ari Atoll diving — Dive The World
- Diving in the Maldives — Wikivoyage
- South Ari Atoll: Best dive sites — ZuBlu
- Broken Rock, Ari Atoll — OpenStreetMap
More dive sites in Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls
Pinnacle
Ocean-facing pinnacle at the mouth of Bathala channel
Mantas at a cleaning station from December till April
Pinnacle
South-side overhangs with gorgonian fans and black corals
Glassfish packed into the wheelhouse of a sunken trawler
Pinnacle
An estimated sixteen resident grey reef sharks
Pinnacle
A pinnacle eroded into five separate pieces, 12 m to 40 m
Grey reef sharks hunting in the blue around a tiny volcano-shaped top
Wreck
Upright cargo wreck, deck at 21 m and sand at 28 m
Similar dives elsewhere
Manta cleaning stations at 10–15 m, with 8–9 mantas at once on a good day
Groups of eagle rays and barracuda on the incoming current
Grey reef sharks and silvertips resting on the slope at 15–25 m
A gentle drift along a reef with big reef fish