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A camouflaged reef stonefish resting on the sandy seabed off Mauritius

Mauritius · Mauritius · Wall · Drift

Swiss Drop

A 14 to 25 m drop-off, and a drift when the current runs

Area photo: Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 4.0

Swiss Drop is a drop-off off Flic en Flac that falls between 14 and 25 metres, with a passage of cavities along the face. When current runs it is described as a very nice drift dive; the site is accessible from Open Water level by staying on top of the plateau above the drop, which is what separates the two versions of it.

Where it is and how deep

Depth profile of Swiss Drop: typical dive 14–25 m (46–82 ft) 18 m · Open Water30 m · Advanced40 m · Recreational limit14 m25 mtypical dive
Depths on a shared scale to 40 m (130 ft); dashed lines mark common certification limits.

20.2790° S, 57.3571° EPublished position for this site.

The dive

You drop onto the plateau and follow it to where the ground falls away. The passage along the face takes in cavities in the rock, and which level you dive is a certification question rather than a fitness one: Open Water divers stay up on the plateau, and deeper certifications go over the lip towards the foot of the drop at 25 metres.

The site changes with the water. In case of current it is described as a very nice drift dive, so the plan becomes a one-way pass along the drop-off; without current, nothing published fixes a route, and the cavities are the feature to spend the time on. Ask before you splash which of the two you are getting, because the current decides where the dive ends.

Marine life and season

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

Month-by-month season rating for Swiss Drop
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

  • Current here is not constant and can turn the dive into a drift: carry an SMB and confirm the pick-up plan with the boat before you get in.

Questions divers ask

Can Open Water divers dive Swiss Drop?+

Yes, by staying on top of the plateau; the drop-off below it falls between 14 and 25 metres and suits deeper certifications.

Sources

  1. Swiss Drop - Scubago — Scubago

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