Big Drop-off

Big Drop-off, also called Ngemelis Wall, runs along the reef off Ngemelis and falls almost vertically from the surface into water hundreds of metres deep, its whole face covered in soft coral, sea fans and sponges in dense growth. Jacques Cousteau is often quoted describing it as among the finest walls anywhere. It is an easier dive than Blue Corner nearby and the colour on the wall is the point. The wall runs for several hundred metres along the reef edge and can be drifted rather than swum against.

What you actually see

• The vertical wall - reef falling from the surface into deep water.
• The soft coral - dense growth covering the whole face.
• The sea fans - the large gorgonians on the wall.
• The easier profile - a gentler dive than the current sites nearby.

When to go

November to April is the drier season with the best conditions. Current is usually mild compared with Blue Corner. Visibility is generally good.

Honest expectations

It is a wall dive with a deep drop and depth discipline matters. Trips are cancelled in poor conditions. Permits and dive fees both apply.

Nearby

Blue Corner is nearby, and German Channel is north.