About Revisions Big Drop off Palau More Info Max Depth: Over 150ft/46m Average Viz: 51-60ft/16-18m Entry Type: Boat Bottom Composition: Coral Aquatic Life: Plenty To See 4/09/2015 7:11 AM LatitudeAdjustment

Big Drop Off is a popular lunch and snorkel location, take care when surfacing and listen for the sound of speedboats overhead. Use a safety sausage for your protection.

Reef Formation: Big drop off is a sheer vertical wall, which runs along the whole length of Ngemelis Island. At extreme low tide, the entire top of the reef will be exposed. The edge of the reef drops straight down to 900 feet (274 meters)!

Fascinating Facts: Big Drop Off, just what the name implies is “really big”. About 30 feet (10 metPhoto by Peter Langeers) from the mooring buoy to the east at 35 feet (12 meters) a large chain connected to a 6 foot (2 meter) steel sphere can be seen. This chain and ball was used during WWII to prevent the Japanese from entering the waterway leading to German Channel. Lieutenant Barnum from the US Navy conducted the Operation. The chain and ball on Big Drop Off was a mystery for 40 years until newly appointed Admiral Barnum returned to Palau in 1986 and told his story