Pictures from Rangiroa & Fakarava - Dec 2011

[mcliffy2]

I've seen a lot of people dissuaded from going to French Polynesia in favor of other Pacific destinations, and I can't understand why (other than maybe cost). Rangiroa & Fakarava are simply unbelievable...my personal favorites so far. I have done Palau, and it was great, but I think I liked this trip better. The amazing pass diving, dolphins, mantas, sharks, sharks, and more sharks, truly healthy reefs, amazing top side scenery, amazing food, etc.

I think the pics probably say a bit more than I can say in words (taken with a 7D in aquatic housing, tokina 10-17 and S&S 110a strobes, for those interested)




French_Polynesia_12_2012-1063 by mcliffy2, on Flickr



French_Polynesia_12_2012-596 by mcliffy2, on Flickr



French_Polynesia_12_2012-50_moved_sharks by mcliffy2, on Flickr



French_Polynesia_12_2012-372 by mcliffy2, on Flickr



French_Polynesia_12_2012-804 by mcliffy2, on Flickr



French_Polynesia_12_2012-579 by mcliffy2, on Flickr

[TSandM]

I didn't think much of the rest of French Polynesia, but Rangiroa is in my top three places in the world that I've been lucky enough to dive. Not only big stuff like your photos, but a healthy, vibrant, colorful reef just packed with small reef fish, as well.

[Manuel Sam]

Nice Pix!!

May I ask where the third picture with the schooling Grey Reefs was taken and at what depth?

Also, who did you dive with on that dive?

I have a trip to both Rangiroa and Fakarava next February.

Thanks.

Manuel

[mcliffy2]

TSandM - Rangiroa was great, but Fakarava was undeniably better IMO. The reefs were beyond healthy.

Manuel Sam - the third picture was taken at about 80 ft. in South Pass of Fakarava. There is only one dive center and hotel there because it is very very remote. I highly recommend doing a couple days diving there. In the north of Fakarava, I highly recommend diving with Serge and Karen at Fakarava Diving Center. Make sure to book with them well in advance as they only take 6 divers max (and prefer to only have four).

In Rangiroa, I recommend Six Passengers. In general, I would avoid using Top Dive....from the stories we heard from other divers who went with them, they are a cattle car type operation, limit dive time, and don't have the greatest safety (like letting putting divers with only 10 dives on nitrox (uncertified) and letting them go past 100 ft.).

[Manuel Sam]

Thanks. What threw me off on that nice picture was the blue background - I would have expected the sloping wall on the other side of the channel in the background, but it is what it is. Still a gorgeous shot. That Tokina 10-17mm is something else.

Got all my bookings done about a month ago. Will be doing 5 days of diving in Rangiroa - booked with Raie Manta at the recommendation of Serge. Then 3 dive days at Tetamanu in South Fakarava, and 4 dive days with Serge, with whom I have dived twice before. He's definitely the best there in my opinion, and apparently your opinion as well. The reason for the four days in Northern Fakarava is to maybe do the trip to Toau or maybe do a southern pass day trip with him.

Again, thanks.

Manuel

[TSandM]

Wow, that wasn't our experience with Top Dive in Rangiroa . . . but I wonder about some things. The dive guide we had was a fellow named Serge, and I wonder if it is the same man. If so, he is one of the best guides we have ever had, anywhere. Not only personable and good at finding critters, but sparkling with an enthusiasm for and love of the reefs and animals that just lit up the whole day.

We did not have our dive time limited at all -- we had a pretty experienced boat full of divers, and we used our tanks.

[t-mac]

Fantastic picts! Thanks for sharing. We were in Rangiroa a couple of years ago and dove with Raie Manta Club. It was a very good experience and I would dive with them again. Certainly no dive time limits.

[mcliffy2]

Thanks. What threw me off on that nice picture was the blue background - I would have expected the sloping wall on the other side of the channel in the background, but it is what it is. Still a gorgeous shot. That Tokina 10-17mm is something else.

Got all my bookings done about a month ago. Will be doing 5 days of diving in Rangiroa - booked with Raie Manta at the recommendation of Serge. Then 3 dive days at Tetamanu in South Fakarava, and 4 dive days with Serge, with whom I have dived twice before. He's definitely the best there in my opinion, and apparently your opinion as well. The reason for the four days in Northern Fakarava is to maybe do the trip to Toau or maybe do a southern pass day trip with him.

Again, thanks.

Manuel

That is a very similar itenerary as we did (5 days diving in Rangiroa and 8 in Fakarava). Raie was closed when we were there so we couldn't dive with them, but I've heard good things about them. Serge and Karen are fantastic -- tell them Mike and Stacy from Chicago say hello.

The other side of the channel was there, but the picture was taken looking up, so the surface of the water provides the background. This is one of the ways to get better lighting in UW photos. I always try to shoot up as much as much as possible, but sometimes it is easier said than done.

---------- Post added April 16th, 2012 at 12:41 PM ----------

Wow, that wasn't our experience with Top Dive in Rangiroa . . . but I wonder about some things. The dive guide we had was a fellow named Serge, and I wonder if it is the same man. If so, he is one of the best guides we have ever had, anywhere. Not only personable and good at finding critters, but sparkling with an enthusiasm for and love of the reefs and animals that just lit up the whole day.

We did not have our dive time limited at all -- we had a pretty experienced boat full of divers, and we used our tanks.

That is the same Serge, he has now opened his own shop (Fakarava Diving Center), and based on what we heard from others staying at our resorts/pensions, Top Dive is not the same....40 minute dive time limits, the safety issues I mentioned, requiring a 20 minute surface swim at the end of a dive at south pass, etc.

---------- Post added April 16th, 2012 at 12:42 PM ----------

Fantastic picts! Thanks for sharing. We were in Rangiroa a couple of years ago and dove with Raie Manta Club. It was a very good experience and I would dive with them again. Certainly no dive time limits.

Thanks! We definitely heard great things about Raie, from both Serge and Alain at Pension Bounty. Speaking of Pension Bounty, I should mention that it is a really great value for Rangiroa, and I highly recommend it.

---------- Post added April 16th, 2012 at 01:15 PM ----------

Speaking of Serge here is a pic of him from Ali Baba, and a few more from the trip I got around to editing this weekend:


French_Polynesia_12_2012-648 by mcliffy2, on Flickr


French_Polynesia_12_2012-637 by mcliffy2, on Flickr


French_Polynesia_12_2012-807-2 by mcliffy2, on Flickr




French_Polynesia_12_2012-1003 by mcliffy2, on Flickr

[TSandM]

Thanks for the information! It would have been awful, if I ever got back there again, to arrange diving with Top Dive and find those changes.

[mcliffy2]

French_Polynesia_12_2012-834 by mcliffy2, on Flickr