New Caledonia · France · Drift
Jardin de Marc
A gentle drift slope from 6 m to 50 m with a diver's memorial
Area photo: Jean Rerêve · CC BY-SA 4.0
A drift on the north side of the Boulari pass, where the ground slopes gently from 6 m down to 50 m and the depth is a choice you make on the way past. A ray-shaped stele was placed underwater here in memory of Marc, a diver who loved the spot, and it is what gives the site its name.
Where it is and how deep
22.4906° S, 166.4322° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The site falls away to the north of the Boulari pass, sloping gently from 6 m down to 50 m, which means the depth is a decision rather than something the site imposes on you. It is dived as a drift: the boat drops the group on the slope, the current does the moving, and the work is holding a chosen contour and staying with the guide while the ground keeps falling away on one side.
Because the slope is gentle, it is easy to follow it deeper than intended without noticing — fix a maximum depth in the briefing and hold it, since 50 m is well past a recreational plan. The stele placed in memory of Marc, cut in the shape of a ray, sits on the site. Finish shallow on the top of the slope and put a marker up before the ascent, because the boat is following bubbles rather than waiting on a mooring.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good |
Season follows New Caledonia: Sep–Dec is warmest and clearest before the wet season; Jan–Mar is cyclone season, and winter water drops to about 21°C.
Know before you go
- The slope runs to 50 m and drops away gradually, so it is easy to creep deeper than planned — fix a maximum depth before the drop.
- It is a drift with no fixed exit: carry and deploy a surface marker and stay as a group for the boat pick-up.
Sources
- Jardin de Marc — SSI/Scubago
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