Welcome to Short Drop Off, a beautiful dive site located on the eastern reef of the Palau Islands. Situated at the southernmost corner of Uchelbeluu reef, Short Drop Off is just 8 miles (13 kilometers) east of Koror and takes only 20 minutes by speedboat to reach. As a scuba diving expert, I assure you that this dive site is a must-visit for all diving enthusiasts.

Short Drop Off offers an incredible visibility of 90 to 120 feet (30 to 40 meters) during incoming tide and 30 to 90 feet (10 to 30 meters) during outgoing tide. Novice divers can enjoy diving in no current, while intermediate divers can take on moderate current.

The diving depth summary at Short Drop Off ranges from 10 to 25 feet (3 to 8 meters) on the shallow reef with large coral heads, 25 to 90 feet (8 to 30 meters) on the steep slope with crevices and canyons, and 90 to 120 feet (30 to 40 meters) on the wall.

The currents around Short Drop Off flow from north to south during the outgoing tide. The incoming current can be strong, but it does not affect the divers swimming close to the wall. If you want more information regarding the tidal patterns of Palau, check the Blue Corner tide and current section.

The reef runs north to south, then turns toward the open sea and stretches out from west to east forming a deep plateau. Due to the proximity of this reef to Koror, it has become known as Short Drop Off. A Safety Sausage is mandatory equipment for every diver.

Short Drop Off offers a vast variety of soft and hard corals. You can spot white-tip sharks, gray reef sharks, black-tip sharks, and turtles regularly along the edge of the reef. Eagle rays are also a common sight here. From September to November, Short Drop Off becomes a nursery for baby Gray Reef Sharks. Schools of juvenile sharks, 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 centimeters) in length, accompanied by an adult female, patrol the water at 90 to 120 feet (30 to 40 m). On occasion, the school will approach the shallow reef in search of food.

Short Drop Off offers a vast variety of soft and hard corals. You can spot white-tip sharks, gray reef sharks, black-tip sharks, and turtles regularly along the edge of the reef. Eagle rays are also a common sight here. From September to November, Short Drop Off becomes a nursery for baby Gray Reef Sharks. Schools of juvenile sharks, 10 to 12 inches (25 to 30 centimeters) in length, accompanied by an adult female, patrol the water at 90 to 120 feet (30 to 40 m). On occasion, the school will approach the shallow reef in search of food.

As you explore the corals and crevices of the reef, you can spot numerous species of nudibranchs and almost always, an octopus. The Chambered Nautilus is also known to live along this reef. Nautilus live in depths exceeding 600 feet (200 m) and are trapped at night. After you have had an opportunity to photograph them, they are released along the reef wall to return to the deep ocean.

The dive at Short Drop Off usually starts at the northern end of the dive site. The boat will drop you in front of a large pyramid-shaped rock that dominates the shallow reef. Coral heads and deep crevices run along the reef slope from 10 to 100 feet (3 to 33 m). As you descend along the reef, keep the wall to your left and let the current gently carry you toward the corner. At the corner, the drop off will gradually change to a massive plateau 20-50' (6 -17 m) deep.

Lastly, the nautilus is one of the more unusual critters that inhabit tropical waters. Nautiluses are found only near the equator. Even though they are found in tropical waters, nautilus prefer near-freezing water temperatures. Scientists estimate that the nautilus has not changed in over 400 million years of known existence.

In conclusion, Short Drop Off is an excellent dive site that offers divers of all experience levels an unforgettable underwater adventure.