Rodrigues · Mauritius · Reef
Camélérou
Named after a grouper that changes colour on the spot
Area photo: Ludovic Lubeigt from Taiwan · CC BY-SA 2.0
A 19 m reef dive in crystal-clear water among giant coral totems and intact coral tables, named after a grouper. The resident Plectropomus laevis changes colour instantly to match whatever substrate it is moving over, and the site itself is built as a run of pillars and tables you are funnelled between.
Where it is and how deep
19.6990° S, 63.5030° EApproximate position — the dashed circle shows where the site lies; your operator's briefing has the mooring.
The dive
The descent goes down through crystal-clear water to about 19 m, and the ground underneath is a run of splendid giant coral totems and intact coral tables with a myriad of multicoloured fish over them. The layout sends you between the structures the way a ball runs a pinball table, which is how the site's own guide describes the experience.
The name belongs to a grouper. Camélérou is a Plectropomus laevis that holds territory here and can shift colour to match the ground it is moving across. The guide that names the site has the fish showing you round its territory, and the shallow profile leaves plenty of bottom time to spend looking for it.
Marine life and season
- Groupers
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Fair |
Season follows Rodrigues: May–Jul and Oct–Nov are the calmest windows; Jan–Mar brings cyclone risk and August can be windy.
Sources
- Les sites de plongée de Rodrigues — Spots d'Évasion
More dive sites in Rodrigues
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Drift
A natural aquarium at 10 m, or a 50-minute tidal drift
Pelagic & blue water
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Pinnacle
An offshore coral seamount with turtles in the tunnels
Cave & cavern
Chimneys through the barrier reef that flood with daylight
Reef
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Coral garden
A sheltered lagoon pool at 7 m for first dives
Reef
Coral drop-offs at 21 m under a ceiling of fusiliers
Similar dives elsewhere
Blacktip and nurse sharks in a gap in the reef
A resident giant Napoleon wrasse that gives the reef its name
Gorgonians, tube sponges and brain corals in a protected islet reef
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Stingrays and morays drawn to a fish-factory outflow