Blue Corner

Blue Corner is a promontory of reef sticking out into open water off Ngemelis where the current hits and splits, and the effect is a permanent conveyor of nutrients that pulls in fish on a scale seen almost nowhere else: grey reef sharks, jacks, barracuda, napoleon wrasse and dense schooling fish holding in the flow. Divers hook onto the reef edge and watch it go past.

Background

Blue Corner is part of Palau's barrier reef, south-east of Koror and close to Ngerukewid and German Channel. The reef forms a triangle with steep walls on the sides that face the Pacific Ocean, so it looks like a peninsula under water. At its northern end lies a large underwater cavern known as the Blue Holes. Dives here range from 25 to 100 feet deep. Visibility reaches 90 feet on an incoming tide and 45 to 60 feet on an outgoing one. The variety of corals and marine life has made it a popular recreational dive, described as the most requested dive in Palau.

Source: Wikipedia, "Blue Corner"

The landscape

• The current - the flow that concentrates fish on the promontory.
• The sharks - grey reef sharks patrolling the edge in numbers.
• The schooling fish - jacks and barracuda holding in the current.
• The reef hook - the technique divers use to hold position on the edge.

When to go

November to April is the drier season with the best conditions. Current runs year round and is what makes the site. Visibility varies with the tide.

Practical notes

The current here is strong and this is a dive for experienced divers with reef hooks. Conditions cancel trips at times. A Rock Islands and dive permit are both required.

Nearby

Big Drop-off is nearby, and German Channel is east.

Key facts