Réunion · France · Wall · Pelagic & blue water · Sand slope
Grand Tombant de La Possession
A stepped wall dropping in two stages from 40 m to 70 m
Area photo: Unknown author · CC BY-SA 3.0
Off the entrance to the Port de la Rivière des Galets, a V-shaped rock platier at 40 m is bordered on its east side by a stepped wall that drops in two stages to 70 m, and on its west by a sand slope reaching the same depth more gently. The directory calls it a difficult dive for experienced divers, worth it for the pelagics that hunt over the edge.
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
The dive is built around a rock platier at about 40 m shaped like a V. Its eastern edge is a stepped wall that drops quickly, in two levels, to 70 m; its western edge is a sand slope that reaches the same depth more gradually, which is the gentler way to work the ground. The quoted range for the site is 38 to 60 m, so the whole dive sits deep and the plan matters more than the route.
Coral fish are varied across the platier, a potato grouper holds station on it and the directory notes a varied, dense fauna tucked into the crevices of the rock. The real reason divers come is what passes off the edge: dogtooth tuna and sailfish hunt this water regularly, and they show up in the blue rather than on the reef, so it pays to look out as much as down. Watch your depth on the stepped section, where it is easy to follow the wall lower than planned.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
- Tuna
- Marlin & sailfish
| 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
- The directory is blunt that this is a difficult dive reserved for experienced divers; treat the quoted level 2 as a floor, not a qualification.
- The eastern wall steps down to 70 m — set a hard turn depth before descending rather than judging it on the wall.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Grand Tombant de La Possession?+
The platier is at about 40 m and the stepped eastern wall drops in two stages to 70 m. The directory quotes the dive as 38 to 60 m and describes it as difficult.
Sources
- Grand tombant de La Possession — Carte de La Réunion
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