Black Rock

Boracay, Visayas, Philippinesreef100 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.

Black RockBoracay

Good · 5/5

conditions visualisation

Good5/5

Calm and diveable right now — best window today 8 AM–6 PM.

Wind13 kn NE

Current~0.1 kn SW · model

Swell

0.2 m · 4s · N

Water

30 °C

Max depth

100 m

Conditions through the day

7 AM7 PM

Calmest current near slack — 16:00 & 05:15 local

Sunrise 05:46 · Sunset 17:25 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

Black Rock is a submerged pinnacle at Tubbataha Reef, rising from deep water to a shallowest point of around 10 metres and dropping beyond 40 metres. The structure generates upwellings that concentrate nutrients, making it one of the most productive pelagic sites in the area. It is rated Advanced and, given the depths involved, demands conservative depth management throughout the dive.

The pinnacle's topography and position on an exposed outer reef produce powerful currents that can exceed 2 knots, challenging even experienced drift divers. These strong tidal flows are the defining condition at the site, and a surface marker buoy is essential for every dive here. A reef hook is useful for holding position when current surges.

Pelagic life is the main draw at Black Rock. Large dogtooth tuna and giant trevally hunt in the mid-water, while grey reef sharks circle continuously around the pinnacle. Scalloped hammerheads appear occasionally, particularly during early morning dives from April through June. Reef mantas pass through during plankton-rich conditions, with activity peaking in April and May.

Read the full guide

Access is by liveaboard, as Tubbataha is a remote offshore park. Advanced Open Water certification with a minimum of 50 logged dives is the standard requirement for a site of this difficulty. The nearest hyperbaric chamber is in Puerto Princesa, 10–12 hours away by boat, so dive insurance with emergency evacuation cover is essential.

AI-written site guide