Question Fakarava, Rangiroa, Tahiti questions on tides & humpbacks

[burritogirl]

My bf and I are planning a trip to French Polynesia for the latter part of October. We are experienced divers and want to do the wall of sharks in South Fakarava, as well as try for the best conditions in general for diving the passes in Fakarava and Rangiroa. From what I've read, diving during the incoming tide provides the best visibility and conditions. My question is: do we need to aim for certain days in order to dive on the incoming tide? Or do the operators time the dives around that so that you could potentially dive the incoming tide on any day? Our dates aren't set yet, so I'm trying to figure out if there are certain dates I should be targeting.

Separate question I have is about swimming with humpback whales. I wanted to do this in Rurutu, but I don't think we've going to have time to get there. I've read that in Moorea there are no limit on the number of boats or people per whale, so your whale experience will probably be with 20-30 other people. Is that right? If we do this in Tahiti vs. Moorea, would it be less of a zoo?

Lastly, I welcome any and all recommendations on dive operators in Fakarava and Rangiroa, as well as operators for whale swimming in Tahiti or Moorea. Thanks!!

 

[burritogirl]

Also, any thoughts from anyone in general on quality of diving in North vs. South Fakarava? We're trying to decide how to split our time between them. I've read some opinions on this board, but they vary a lot.

 

[Pillpusher]

Following. I'll be there in August (Tikehau, Rangiroa, Fakarava, and Moorea), and splitting my Fakarava days (14th-19th) between north and south, staying at Tetamanu while in the south.

 

[Manuel Sam]

In answer to burritogirl concerning how to split the Fakarava days between north and south, I'd say that if this is your first time there, split them about equally, and then you will make a more educated choice when you return in the future, because as far as I am concerned, it is not a matter of "if" you return, but "when" you return. And that is because the Tuamotus is not a place that one goes to just once.

In general, comparing the two places from what I might very subjectively consider important from a diving quality only standpoint:

- viz on an incoming: about the same, which according to my eyemeter, can be 150 ft or more
- peak current on an incoming: stronger in the north, but there is a spot in the south that is a hoot to ride

- quality and health of the corals - I give the edge to the south

- fish life and size and variety of schools of fish - I give the edge to the north, especially when you get into AliBaba, but this is a seasonal thing and I dont know what October is like.

- sheer number and density of sharks - the south, because of the wall of sharks, but the north also features a wall; it's just not something that is seen everyday. And since the Northern pass is much wider, generally speaking, the sharks seem to be more spread out.

- variety of sharks: in the south, careful observation of the "wall" can reveal that mixed in with the Grey Reefs are Silvertips, Oceanic Black Tips, Reef White Tips; plus, Reef Black Tips in the shallows and even a rare nurse shark.

In the north, I don't recall seeing anything but Grey Reefs, Reef White Tips, and Reef Black Tips, but I have seen Great Hammers. Also worth noting is hanging around the back of the kitchen mid-afternoon when they do the prepping for dinner and dump the discarded stuff into the shallow lagoon in order to watch the Reef Black Tips in a feeding frenzy. Just watching it from the footbridge is thrilling enough, but get in the good graces of the cook and perhaps he/she might allow you to get in knee-high to shoot it. But you do so at your own risk.

- other big stuff: reef mantas, I have seen in the north on the outside reef dives, but never in the south; eagle rays I have seen more often in the south than in the north.

I cannot conclude without citing the usual disclaimer......your mileage will vary. That's why going once is never good enough to me.

In the final analysis, how many days here and there is about what is important to you, and that is a subjective thing. Just like food is a very personal/subjective thing because everyone's palate is different.

The meals in Tetamanu are buffet-style and there is a bit of everything. No Michelin-quality meals there, but I never go hungry in Tetamanu. In the North, it depends on where you stay.

 

[cetacean]

@burritogirl
The information on Fakarava shared earlier is spot on. There is a difference between the north and the south, and it's definitely worth doing both (some even suggest switching your hotel/pension to locate closer to the pass you want to dive half way through your stay...). The north pass can be more hit or miss, but we have seen a couple of tiger sharks there, as well as several mantas (as mentioned above).

On the snorkeling with humpbacks in Moorea - given you will be going during the latter part of October you will likely miss the heaviest part of the tourist season (it will be after the northern hemisphere school holidays). Because of this, it may not be too crowded. We swam w/the whales in Moorea very early (late July a few years ago) and were often the only boat with a whale (or mother and calf), so it wasn't too crowded (there aren't that many operators on the island that offer this vs. snorkeling with the stingrays and blacktips on the sandbar, which can be crowded with dozens of people on any given day).

The main island of Tahiti may offer snorkeling with whales, but I wouldn't waste my time. The island is much larger than Moorea, finding the whales and getting to them would be much harder. However, if you are interested in diving with sharks, the most famous dive from Papeete is with tiger sharks (up to 5-6 at a time) in a dive site called "White Valley" - most of the dive operators offer this dive. There are no guarantees, but on 3 dives there we've seen tigers each time.
Rurutu is an entirely different experience. More whales, very few boats, great visibility, much (much) more remote. We had our honeymoon in Moorea years ago, and have returned several times (as well as most of the Tuamotu's, +Huahine, Bora Bora, Tahaa, Tetiaroa, Rurutu). Knowing what we know now, I would make every effort to skip Moorea for Rurutu if that was a choice (it is harder to get to, which is one of the reasons why it remains so pristine).

 

[Shirishshah]

Changing of tides tends to be a daily occurrence - twice a day, as a matter of fact. It changes by about 50 minutes from day to day; ie, if 10:00am today, it is likely that it will be 10:50am tomorrow. But you do not need to concern yourself with this: the dive operators will tell you pick-up time for the following day. So to answer your question, no, you do not need to aim for certain days.

Having said that, ve had one instance where there was no incoming for 3 days in Rangiroa because the lagoon was full of water and it remained outgoing the whole day. I've also had one instance in Fakarava when there was an incoming, but it was very slow to virtually no incoming current for 4 days). It is Nature and luck (or lack thereof) - not sure that there is any predictability to this.

While diving the pass on the incoming is, to me, the more interesting of the dives offered, you will usually and inevitably dive the outside reef/sloping wall dives when the current is outgoing . Those can be good dives as well: my best dolphin encounters have been on those outside dives.

As for dive operators, you will get many opinions. If staying in South Fakarava, I've always stayed at Tetamanu and used their dive operation If staying in North Fakarava,, I've always used Kaina Plongée. In Rangiroa, I've always used Raie Manta.

I did whale swimming in late September last year in both Rurutu and in Tahiti. In Tahiti, I used Tahiti Dive Management. They are based at the marina in Punaauia, about 10 minutes west of the Papeete airport by car. We did one full day and three half-days. I felt that in the afternoons, the wind tended to pick up, and once you have white caps on the water, the whale blows become harder to spot.

Out of those 4 outings, we had 3 days when we had the whales to ourselves, and one day when there were several boats on the same whale(s). I won't bore you with the details, but if going out with Tahiti Dive Management were to appeal to you, I will fill you in on the logistics - lodging, food, and getting around.

We are planning Diving trip in French Polynesia. My Question is as I am vegetarian, will get good food ?

 

[Manuel Sam]

In 2021, I was in South and North Fakarava and then Rangiroa with a vegan friend, and it was possible to request a vegetarian option. Putting aside the difference between vegetarian and vegan for now, this means that at least at the lodgings we stayed at, the set meal could be requested as vegetarian, which meant a starch and a veggie. Or in the case where there was a buffet, there were such dishes available.

I can't say if this can be termed "good food".

It would be best if you inquire with the lodging that you are contemplating to stay at.

 

[Shirishshah]

In 2021, I was in South and North Fakarava and then Rangiroa with a vegan friend, and it was possible to request a vegetarian option. Putting aside the difference between vegetarian and vegan for now, this means that at least at the lodgings we stayed at, the set meal could be requested as vegetarian, which meant a starch and a veggie. Or in the case where there was a buffet, there were such dishes available.

I can't say if this can be termed "good food".

It would be best if you inquire with the lodging that you are contemplating to stay at.

Thanks for your reply.