New Drop-Off

Rock Islands, Ngemelis, Palau, Palauwall30 m maxadvanced

Conditions & tides

Channel site — tidal current funnels through here and can run fast, changing quickly with the tide. It is usually strongest around mid-tide and eases near the slack windows below. Dive with a local operator who knows the timing.

New Drop-OffNgemelis

Fair · 4/5

conditions visualisation

Fair4/5

Some chop right now — best window today 6 AM–4 PM.

Wind12 kn ENE

Current~0.1 kn ENE · model

Swell

0.7 m · 5s · NE

Water

30 °C

Max depth

30 m

Conditions through the day

5 AM5 PM

Calmest current near slack — 12:00 PM & 12:30 AM local

Sunrise 05:51 AM · Sunset 05:42 PM local

Show details

Tide · local

Outlook — select a day for full conditions

On-face swell 0.0 m — the component of the swell aimed at this site’s exposed face. Strong-current reef: plan a drift and enter near the slack windows above. Current is a regional model value (Copernicus, ~9 km grid) — a guide to the area, not a precise reef measurement. Imagery © Esri · not depth or visibility.

Scored by DiveConnect's site-physics model

Marine forecast via Copernicus Marine. Score is a rule-based guide from swell/wind vs. the site's exposure — always dive your own assessment.

Dived here today? How were conditions vs. what we showed?

About this site

New Drop-Off is a drift dive site in Palau, known for its dramatic reef wall and exceptionally dense fish life — rivalling, and occasionally surpassing, Blue Corner in the sheer number of marine animals present. The reef descends from around 15 m to 30 m and beyond, with visibility regularly reaching 20–50 m.

The dive is conducted as a drift, with divers using reef hooks to hold position in the current while marine life moves past. Currents range from moderate to strong, and the site is best dived at slack water or on an incoming tide — the mass movement of Bigeye trevally on the incoming tide alone is considered a highlight. Advanced Open Water certification is the minimum recommended level, and Nitrox is advised. Divers should watch their no-decompression time, follow guide instructions for reef hook use, respect dive etiquette, and avoid crossing other teams.

Schools of jacks, parrotfish, barracuda, trevally, grey reef sharks, eagle rays, and Napoleon wrasse are regularly encountered here. Sea turtles are also present. In late fall, rare sightings of whale sharks and hammerheads become possible.

AI-written site guide

Marine life here

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

Jack / amberjackJack / amberjackReported here · unconfirmed
Whale sharkWhale sharkReported here · unconfirmed
Harlequin SweetlipsPlectorhinchus chaetodonoidesReported here · unconfirmed
Clown TriggerfishBalistoides conspicillumReported here · unconfirmed
Redtooth TriggerfishOdonus nigerReported here · unconfirmed
Pink Skunk AnemonefishAmphiprion perideraionReported here · unconfirmed
Orangefin AnemonefishAmphiprion chrysopterusReported here · unconfirmed
Whale SharkRhincodon typusReported here · unconfirmed
Hammerhead sharkHammerhead sharkReported here · unconfirmed
TrevallyTrevallyConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
FusilierFusilierReported here · unconfirmed
Napoleon WrasseCheilinus undulatusReported here · unconfirmed
Whitetip Reef SharkTriaenodon obesusReported here · unconfirmed
Pyramid ButterflyfishHemitaurichthys polylepisReported here · unconfirmed
Midnight SnapperMacolor macularisReported here · unconfirmed
ParrotfishParrotfishConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
Napoleon (humphead) wrasseNapoleon (humphead) wrasseConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
Eagle rayEagle rayConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
BarracudaBarracudaConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
Grey Reef SharkCarcharhinus amblyrhynchosObserved near here · iNaturalist
Hawksbill Sea TurtleEretmochelys imbricataObserved near here · iNaturalist