thranx
Registered
This may evolve into a formal magazine article, but for right now I want to give back a little in gratitude for all the useful information I've found on Scubaboard. It will be necessarily brief.
In April-May I was on board the Lindblad/National Geographic Endeavor as it crossed from Easter Island to the Cooks. The ship then proceeded onward as far as PNG, but I was unable to remain on board for the entire trip. The Endeavor now has a completely equipped dive shop; everything from dry suits for Antarctica to snorkeling gear for warmer waters. On the two segments I enjoyed, there was a grand total of five divers, supported by two divemasters. Virtually a private dive trip. Lindblad travellers tend to be older (way older), but include some fascinating folks.
Now, proceeding approximately east to west....
Easter Island - I did not dive, but one diver who did said the diving was decent: fish, some hard corals, but nothing remarkable.
Ducie Island - Terrible near-gale weather, alas, so no diving.
Henderson Island - World Heritage site. Lots of storm rubble off beach, but plenty of nice coral, esp. powder-blue hues. Very curious gray reef sharks. Lack of fear and instant response to water entry reflects infrequent (i.e., virtually nil) contact with divers. Visiblity excellent.
Pitcairn Island - powerful on-shore surge, lots of fish, mostly rock u/w. Did not dive Bounty wreck...nothing left but stone ballast and maybe a few nails. Can snorkel the site in (rare) calm seas...it's barely eight meters off-shore. Island itself fascinating, also islanders. New museum with Bounty relics and history. And the Pitcairners produce great honey.
Mangareva - French Polynesia. Strange place...locals almost sullen. More bad weather...could only dive inside reef, with results as expected. Coral bommies, plenty of fish, but typically lousy inner-reef viz.
Ravahere, F.P. - Uninhabited atoll. Pristine coral down to 100' and beyond...like the old days. Untouched and rarely visited. Unlimited viz. Barracuda, rainbow runners, yellowtail. One of the best night dives of my life...big lemon sharks, gorgeous stenopus shrimp everywhere, fascinating crabs, slipper lobsters, etc.
Raroria atoll - 50 local residents, air service from Tahiti started two weeks before I was there. Nice drift dive through main pass. Mantas, more pristine coral, unlimited viz.
Fakarava atoll - Garaue Pass, biggest in French Polynesia. Gray reef sharks hunting, lots of tuna, big schools of fish...biggest school of banner butterfly fish I've ever seen (hundreds, at least). Nice, well-run local dive shop with fast small boats to reach dive sites. Second biggest atoll in F.P. after Rangirora.
Makatea island - A raised coral island, like Niue and Henderson. A true aquarium dive...pristine coral, tens of thousands of reef fish, water temp. up to 84-85 degrees.
Was mined for phosphates.
Bora Bora - Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. When I lived in F.P. back in 1973, there were two hotels on Bora Bora. Now there are 14, with 4 more a-building. And...quel horror...they allow jet skis in the lagoon. But still some decent diving outside the reef.
Tahiti - Forget it...welcome to Honolulu, F.P. style, only without any zoning laws. Paradise lost.
Atiu island - Cook islands. Another makatea island. Great people, beautiful island, unique bird life. Spectacular viz, but not much to see u/w. Maybe it was an off day, fish-wise.
Manuae island - Uninhabited Cook island, owned by Aitu islanders. Amazing unlimited viz down into the cerulean depths. Lots of small stuff, unreal plate coral utterly undamaged by anchors, divers, etc.
Palmerston island, Cooks - This is what real isolation brings you: lots of turtles, astonishing undamaged corals (brain, plate, staghorn), friendly sharks. Unique community, huge lagoon, untouched beaches.
I know most divers will never get to the majority of these places, and I doubt I'll ever get back myself, but I wanted to share what's there. It's wonderful to know that there are still unspoiled, untouched, and unnamed dive sites out in that big blue pool we call the Pacific....
In April-May I was on board the Lindblad/National Geographic Endeavor as it crossed from Easter Island to the Cooks. The ship then proceeded onward as far as PNG, but I was unable to remain on board for the entire trip. The Endeavor now has a completely equipped dive shop; everything from dry suits for Antarctica to snorkeling gear for warmer waters. On the two segments I enjoyed, there was a grand total of five divers, supported by two divemasters. Virtually a private dive trip. Lindblad travellers tend to be older (way older), but include some fascinating folks.
Now, proceeding approximately east to west....
Easter Island - I did not dive, but one diver who did said the diving was decent: fish, some hard corals, but nothing remarkable.
Ducie Island - Terrible near-gale weather, alas, so no diving.
Henderson Island - World Heritage site. Lots of storm rubble off beach, but plenty of nice coral, esp. powder-blue hues. Very curious gray reef sharks. Lack of fear and instant response to water entry reflects infrequent (i.e., virtually nil) contact with divers. Visiblity excellent.
Pitcairn Island - powerful on-shore surge, lots of fish, mostly rock u/w. Did not dive Bounty wreck...nothing left but stone ballast and maybe a few nails. Can snorkel the site in (rare) calm seas...it's barely eight meters off-shore. Island itself fascinating, also islanders. New museum with Bounty relics and history. And the Pitcairners produce great honey.
Mangareva - French Polynesia. Strange place...locals almost sullen. More bad weather...could only dive inside reef, with results as expected. Coral bommies, plenty of fish, but typically lousy inner-reef viz.
Ravahere, F.P. - Uninhabited atoll. Pristine coral down to 100' and beyond...like the old days. Untouched and rarely visited. Unlimited viz. Barracuda, rainbow runners, yellowtail. One of the best night dives of my life...big lemon sharks, gorgeous stenopus shrimp everywhere, fascinating crabs, slipper lobsters, etc.
Raroria atoll - 50 local residents, air service from Tahiti started two weeks before I was there. Nice drift dive through main pass. Mantas, more pristine coral, unlimited viz.
Fakarava atoll - Garaue Pass, biggest in French Polynesia. Gray reef sharks hunting, lots of tuna, big schools of fish...biggest school of banner butterfly fish I've ever seen (hundreds, at least). Nice, well-run local dive shop with fast small boats to reach dive sites. Second biggest atoll in F.P. after Rangirora.
Makatea island - A raised coral island, like Niue and Henderson. A true aquarium dive...pristine coral, tens of thousands of reef fish, water temp. up to 84-85 degrees.
Was mined for phosphates.
Bora Bora - Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous. When I lived in F.P. back in 1973, there were two hotels on Bora Bora. Now there are 14, with 4 more a-building. And...quel horror...they allow jet skis in the lagoon. But still some decent diving outside the reef.
Tahiti - Forget it...welcome to Honolulu, F.P. style, only without any zoning laws. Paradise lost.
Atiu island - Cook islands. Another makatea island. Great people, beautiful island, unique bird life. Spectacular viz, but not much to see u/w. Maybe it was an off day, fish-wise.
Manuae island - Uninhabited Cook island, owned by Aitu islanders. Amazing unlimited viz down into the cerulean depths. Lots of small stuff, unreal plate coral utterly undamaged by anchors, divers, etc.
Palmerston island, Cooks - This is what real isolation brings you: lots of turtles, astonishing undamaged corals (brain, plate, staghorn), friendly sharks. Unique community, huge lagoon, untouched beaches.
I know most divers will never get to the majority of these places, and I doubt I'll ever get back myself, but I wanted to share what's there. It's wonderful to know that there are still unspoiled, untouched, and unnamed dive sites out in that big blue pool we call the Pacific....
