Réunion · France · Wall · Sand slope
École
Black sand to scree at 40 m, and a shy grouper at 50 m
Area photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 3.0
École is the deep dive facing the entrance to the Port de la Rivière des Galets, right alongside the Grand Tombant. Divers land on a black sand platier that turns rocky and then breaks into scree at about 40 m before the drop-off, where a shy grouper watches from behind its rock at 50 m. The quoted range is 36 to 45 m, so it is a short, deep dive.
Where it is and how deep
20.9614° S, 55.3209° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
You arrive on a platier of black volcanic sand that becomes rockier as you move out, then turns to scree at around 40 m where the ground tips into the drop-off. The quoted profile is 36 to 45 m, which means the dive is deep from the moment you land and there is no shallow section to fall back on: the plan is one loop out and back, then up.
On the drop-off a shy grouper keeps a rock at 50 m and rarely lets divers close. The rest of the life is worth slowing for: humphead parrotfish over the harder ground, morays in the rock, blue triggerfish, and stonefish, scorpionfish and leaf fish that need looking for and are best not touched. Tuna, jacks and dorado come through off the edge often enough to be worth watching the blue for.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Tuna
- Trevally & jacks
- Macro critters
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair |
Season follows Réunion: May–Oct is the dry season with the calmest water and humpbacks Jul–Oct; Jan–Mar is cyclone season.
Know before you go
- Stonefish and scorpionfish sit camouflaged on the rocky ground — no hands down, and mind your fins on the scree.
- There is no shallow part of this site: the platier starts at 36 m, so gas and no-stop time run out fast.
Sources
- École — Carte de La Réunion
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