Is this because of the Canyons and other deep sites?
Diving Tahiti and need help...
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Is this because of the Canyons and other deep sites?
No, but diving in the main pass of Rangiroa is only for advanced divers. The best way to do it is with current coming in. This one is usualy strong to very strong. Plus the "margin" (entrance) to the pass is 130+ feet deep. Centers have had death there, the latest one was a girl from Japan that lost mask or regulator because of the current. I would be VERY surprised to see any organisation that would take the risk to have non advanced divers do the pass in such conditions. One center was closed by the authorities for a few months because of that death. The french regulation of the dive industry is not for fun. If something happen, the head of the center is pretty certain to have to go to court.:depressed:
So they would bring you outside the pass. interesting but less to see. My advise is to do Fakarava North and South if you are not advanced divers, or rescue divers with 100+ dives, some of them with current.
So they would bring you outside the pass. interesting but less to see. My advise is to do Fakarava North and South if you are not advanced divers, or rescue divers with 100+ dives, some of them with current.
victorzamora
Contributor
Yes, and also more so because you're diving with French jurisdiction and the French agency doesn't recognize or give Padi AOW much credibility, you need the next level (rescue diver) to qualify for French advanced diver recognition, so without Rescue diver cert you will be limited on your dive depth there. Exceptions are made like anywhere for those they recognize have abilities beyond their certification, but I wouldn't count on that as a certainty. French diving doesn't look at depth like PADI does, they dive deeper and deep diving is just part of what to expect. Kind of like drinking wine, they don't look it as a big a deal as we do in the States, not unusual for kids to drink wine at the table at a young age, it's just what they do, same with deeper diving, it's what they do and their training accounts for it earlier, but they look at PADI divers as under trained for it with only AOW. They routinely deco dive the pass too without batting an eye.
I am with mmmbelows on that one. Very good description of the "problem" 
Even though I understand that a Rescue Diver is in Theory more experienced than a AOW, what I don't understand about this "policy" is that as far as I am concerned PADI Rescue Divers are not necessarily trained to dive deep or to do Deco Dives as mmmbelows mentioned. I guess I will have to earn my way into the opportunity to see the hammerheads
My apologies to the OP for steering away the main topic and to kind of hijack the thread.
My apologies to the OP for steering away the main topic and to kind of hijack the thread.
@Delmolino. The easiest thing to do, is to contact directly 6 passengers or Top dive and ask them. I am interested to know what their answer will be . By the way, your profile does not give the amount of dives that you have under your belt. How many? This would be interesting in the discussion as well
. By the way, your profile does not give the amount of dives that you have under your belt. How many? This would be interesting in the discussion as well Freewillow, so far I have 50 dives and have Padi AOW, Deep and Nitrox (soon drysuit, but this does not matter on French Polynesia, I guess) certifications; nevertheless, I am diligently working my way to improve skills and expect to have something from 70 to 80 dives when I visit Rangiroa - planned to be at the end of August beginning of September. Even though diving more would definitely bring more experience, I believe that diving more in a proper way (right trim, buoyancy, propulsion skills and equipment) is a better approach and that's what I am aiming for .
.Freewillow, so far I have 50 dives and have Padi AOW, Deep and Nitrox (soon drysuit, but this does not matter on French Polynesia, I guess) certifications; nevertheless, I am diligently working my way to improve skills and expect to have something from 70 to 80 dives when I visit Rangiroa - planned to be at the end of August beginning of September. Even though diving more would definitely bring more experience, I believe that diving more in a proper way (right trim, buoyancy, propulsion skills and equipment) is a better approach and that's what I am aiming for
There is a pretty good chance that with enough dives with the same operator over enough days that by the end of the week you will be offered dives appropriate with your abilities, which may be more advanced than your certs. Of course there are no guarantees and like everything in life a lot of this depends on your personality and if you're quick to make friends with those who can grant you what you want. YMMV
However, if you're really a train wreck the penalties will be harsher, as the US and France are much different in regard to assigning culpability and blame and penalties. I've witnessed taking dive master responsibilities much more seriously in French Polynesia due to the consequences they can face.
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