Palau · Palau · Wall · Drift · Reef
Blue Corner
Hook into the plateau lip and let the sharks stack up off the edge
Photo: Shinji · CC BY-SA 2.0
Blue Corner is a triangular promontory off the north-west end of Ngemelis, running from about 8 m at its shallowest to around 30 m where the reef falls away. Divers set a reef hook on the lip of the plateau and hang there while grey reef sharks, barracuda and big-eye trevally hold station off the edge. The currents are variable and can change direction, which is both what makes the site work and what makes it demanding.
Where it is and how deep
7.1136° N, 134.2410° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
Boats use one of two entry points: along the main reef wall, or at the eastern end of the reef, where you descend to a cavern at 22 m. Either way the target is the same underwater promontory, a triangular terrace at 15 to 20 m that juts out of the reef. Get down without wasting time and work towards the edge of the plateau, which is where you aim to hook in.
Hooked in on the lip with your hands free, you have the best seat in the house. Resident grey reef and whitetip reef sharks patrol back and forth, big-eye trevally and blue fin tuna cut across the blue, and large schools of snapper and barracuda hang off the corner while napoleon wrasse pass by close enough to look you over. The area is also known for huge spawning aggregations of bohar snapper.
Look out into the deeper water from time to time: hammerheads, bull sharks, tiger sharks and the occasional whale shark all turn up here, though never on a schedule. Unhook when it is time and finish over the reef itself, which comes up as shallow as about 8 m, where hawksbill and green turtles work the coral alongside bumphead parrotfish, mackerel and wahoo, and spotted eagle rays pass through on occasion. Visibility tracks the tide, averaging 16 m on the outgoing and 28 m or more on the incoming.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Napoleon wrasse
- Barracuda
- Trevally & jacks
- Tuna
- Sea turtles
- Eagle rays
- Hammerheads
- Bull sharks
- Tiger sharks
- Whale sharks
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows Palau: Boats run every month; November to April has the best conditions, and June to December is typhoon season.
Know before you go
- Currents are strong and unpredictable and can change direction, horizontally or vertically, at any moment; divers are advised to carry and use a reef hook.
- Visibility drops to around 16 m on the outgoing tide, so keep the group tight and agree the hook-in point before you drop.
Photos from Blue Corner
Luka Peternel · CC BY-SA 4.0
mattk1979 · CC BY-SA 2.0
LuxTonnerre · CC BY 2.0
Dive videos
Blue Corner scuba dive, Palau · DonAnderson51 on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Blue Corner?+
The plateau sits at 15 to 20 m, the reef top runs as shallow as about 8 m, and the edge drops to around 30 m. The dive is worked from the edge of the plateau, where divers hook in rather than fin against the current.
Do you need a reef hook at Blue Corner?+
Yes. The currents are strong and can change direction at any moment, so divers are advised to hook in rather than fin against the flow. Palau is the birthplace of the reef hook.
What certification do you need for Blue Corner?+
It is generally reserved for experienced or advanced qualified divers. Novices can dive it during slack tide, but the site is generally treated as one for experienced divers.
Sources
- Blue Corner Diving, Palau — Dive The World
- Ngemelis Wall (OpenStreetMap) — OpenStreetMap
Photo credits
- A grey reef shark glides close to the camera in open blue water. by Shinji, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- Aerial view of the triangular reef promontory jutting from Palau's barrier reef. by Luka Peternel, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
- A reef shark swims over the coral-covered edge of the plateau. by mattk1979, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Openverse
- A blue and yellow angelfish over the reef at Blue Corner. by LuxTonnerre, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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