Mauritius, the area around Big Rock

Mauritius · Mauritius · Drift · Reef

Big Rock

A drift run deep to 26 m or shallow to 20 m

Area photo: Christopher Brown · CC0

Big Rock is a drift dive off Flic en Flac that is run at two levels: a deeper pass with a maximum of 26 metres or a shallower one with a maximum of 20. The rock architecture is what both profiles follow, and the current does the work of moving divers along it. It is described as easily accessible for any qualified diver.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Big Rock: typical dive to 26 m (to 85 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit26 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

20.2712° S, 57.3646° EPublished position for this site.

The dive

Entry is from a boat and the dive is planned as a drift, so the group goes in together and lets the water move them along the rock rather than swimming a fixed route. Which of the two profiles you get is settled before you splash. Beyond the architecture and the two depth options, nothing is published about the site — no landmark sequence and no species list — so the briefing carries the detail.

Because it is a drift you finish away from where you dropped, so staying with the group and carrying a surface marker matter more than they would on a mooring dive. It is called easily accessible for any qualified diver, which places it as a step up from the shallow reefs nearby rather than a demanding dive; the deeper of the two profiles still bottoms out at 26 metres.

Marine life and season

The sources we used don't single out particular species here.

Month-by-month season rating for Big Rock
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
FairFairGoodPrimePrimeGoodGoodGoodGoodGoodPrimeGood

Season follows Mauritius: Cyclone season (Jan-Mar) can disrupt trips and cloud visibility; the trade-wind months of Apr-Nov give steadier, clearer conditions.

Know before you go

  • This is a drift: you surface well away from where you dropped, so stay with the group and put up an SMB before ascending.

Questions divers ask

How deep is Big Rock?+

It is dived at two levels: a deeper profile with a 26 metre maximum and a shallower one with a 20 metre maximum.

Sources

  1. Big Rock - Scubago — Scubago
  2. Big Rock - Wannadive.net — Wannadive.net

More dive sites in Mauritius

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A small rock outcrop on sand, 16 m at its deepest

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The shallow part of L'Eveille, 5 to 19 m

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