Ross Island (North Andaman) – Dive Site

20m Max

12-30m Vis

boat

Site Overview

Ross Island in North Andaman is a rewarding intermediate dive site offering healthy coral reef slopes and reliable encounters with larger reef species including napoleon wrasse and giant groupers in the clear tropical waters of the less-explored northern Andaman Sea region. The reef slope descends from 5 meters along the shallow reef crest to a maximum depth of 20 meters across a series of coral bommies, rocky outcrops, and sandy channels that create diverse habitats supporting abundant marine life throughout the island reef system. Napoleon wrasse cruise the shallower reef slopes investigating the coral formations while giant groupers emerge from rocky overhangs to investigate passing divers. Hawksbill turtles forage on the reef slope and giant moray eels occupy every available crevice in the coral bommies creating reliable marine encounters on every dive. Schools of barracuda patrol the deeper reef perimeter while the reef crest between 5 and 10 meters supports dense coral gardens with anthias, butterflyfish, and surgeonfish in spectacular numbers. The northern Andaman location receives significantly fewer divers than the popular southern islands creating pristine reef conditions with minimal human impact on the coral ecosystems and more natural marine behavior. The combination of healthy coral ecosystems, reliable encounters with larger reef species, and more accessible conditions than the remote offshore sites makes Ross Island an excellent intermediate dive site for divers visiting the Diglipur and North Andaman region.

Dive Briefing

"A typical dive at Ross Island begins with entry from the dive boat at the shallowest reef crest at approximately 5 meters allowing divers to orient themselves and assess the current direction before beginning the descent along the island reef slope. Once established on the reef divers should swim along the slope at 10 to 18 meters depth where the highest concentration of marine life is found among the coral bommies and rocky outcrops while maintaining excellent buoyancy control to protect the coral formations. The most productive depth zone is between 12 and 18 meters where napoleon wrasse, giant groupers, and hawksbill turtles are most commonly encountered foraging and patrolling the reef formations. Navigate along the slope watching for napoleon wrasse investigating the coral bommies, giant groupers emerging from rocky overhangs, and hawksbill turtles on the bommie tops. Check the bommie overhangs carefully for sheltering moray eels, juvenile fish, and other reef species that hide in the shadowed sections during the day. The current typically flows along the slope creating gentle drift diving conditions that bring nutrients and allow effortless exploration of multiple reef sections during a single dive. Conclude the dive on the shallower reef crest enjoying the abundant coral gardens before completing a safety stop at 5 meters deploying your DSMB before surfacing near the dive boat."