The flight from Bora Bora to Rangiroa is just over an hour. Located about 220 miles north east of Tahiti in the Tuamotu archipelago. It's the 2nd largest atoll in the world measuring 50 miles from east to west and 15 miles north to south. "Rangi" is best known for its incredible drift dives thru Avatoru Pass and Tiputa Pass.
The rain finally stopped the day we got to the Kia Ora Resort in Rangiroa. It seemed as if we were the only ones there! Diving with the Blue Dolphin Dive Center (located at the resort) we were never in a group larger than 5 and some of the time it was just 3 including the DM.
The resort is well run, with over water, ocean view and garden view bungalows. We stayed in a ocean view. Equipped with a whirlpool it was very relaxing. When not diving you could find us in the hammock or the tub!
Kia Ora Bungalow
Kia Ora Bungalow front
self timer
The dive sites at Rangiroa are located just around the two passes. Dives in the pass itself are only done when the tide is coming in due to the swiftness of the current. It is this current that brings the great amount of large pelagics.
During one dive in Avatoru pass we saw Silver tip, Black tip, White tip, Gray reef and one lonely hammerhead. I was told that this is one of only three places in the world that you can see Silver tips rise above 250-300 ft.
Silver Tips
silver cruising
Head on collison
Fly by
frowning
silhouette
Gray Reef Sharks
Stop...there goes lunch!
big gray
silver and gray
Unfortunately the hammerhead was probably 40 feet below us going against the current and was impossible to get close enough to photograph.
Our first dive in Tiputa Channel started as a drift dive to and through the pass but we aborted when a playful group of dolphins (6 or so) came to play. not everyday you can play with them so we stayed where we were. Pics were tough because they moved so fast.
dolphin
isabel and friend
On the same dive we ran across (or were run across by) a large group of barracuda , schooling
Two other dives in Tiputa pass/channel provided ample fish life. All dives in the pass were between 75 and 110 ft. Unfortunately weather prevented us from diving on the shark cave in Tiputa while we were there. We missed by one day. An email from a couple that we were diving with described the cave like this:
" The last dive through the pass was with Pascal. We never had done it before. It starts on the side of the pass (ocean side) opposite to every other dive where we entered. We had to descend immediately to what I realized later was 115' (30+m). You descend and get dragged by the current at the same time. You have to hit a small outcropping of coral, grab hold. If you miss, you either are taken out to sea (as they say, see you in China because we will never find you) or dragged immediately through the pass in the fastest current you can imagine. My heart was pounding with excitement as we descended and were surrounded by circling sharks - so many that I could not count. We then started our way through the pass to the caves. It was a careful balance of letting go, kicking like crazy and grabbing hold of some coral to get out of the pass to the caves. The caves were teaming with fish while the sharks rested lazily at the bottom. Pascal brought us into one cave - Peter as I learned later is afraid of caves because he got caught in one in his earlier years of diving. We stuck to the bottom of the pass and at about mid point rose to a view point amidst green sponges and a coral outcropping. We were all holding on so tightly that out legs were straight out enroute waiting to go for the pass. The current was so strong that it literally was ripping away at our masks - I had to hold on to my mask when we were looking straight out into the pass because the current was cross cutting my face. I looked at my air and was just slightly below 50% full - signaled to Pascal. We were only about 1/2 way through the dive. Peter had on one of the largest tanks of air tanks a person could wear so Pascal knew that he would be fine. Pascal motioned for me to buddy breathe with him - a first for me.. Well we were like glue working our way through the pass. Just before we separated from buddy breathing to finish off the dive as a drift we looked out in the pass and both saw a huge silver tipped shark just lying in wait for its next victim. Pascal later said that he had never seen a silver tipped shark in that pass, just Avatoru pass. We all finished the dive with hoots and hollars at the surface."
Tiputa Pass Fish
butterflies
spotted hawk fish
yellow faced coloradan mermaidus
hear no evil
li'l general
twins
Also found in Tiputa were several good size Spotted Eagle Rays
and some of the friendliest turtles ever. One was particularly happy to pose for pictures.
just hangin'
look ma one hand!
if you keep eating like that you'll get indigestion
out of here
After a hard day of diving and playing with the turtles it's back to the
Kia Ora Bar for a cold Hinano!
Who says this isn't paradise
Next stop Manihi for Manta Madness
The rain finally stopped the day we got to the Kia Ora Resort in Rangiroa. It seemed as if we were the only ones there! Diving with the Blue Dolphin Dive Center (located at the resort) we were never in a group larger than 5 and some of the time it was just 3 including the DM.
The resort is well run, with over water, ocean view and garden view bungalows. We stayed in a ocean view. Equipped with a whirlpool it was very relaxing. When not diving you could find us in the hammock or the tub!
Kia Ora Bungalow
Kia Ora Bungalow front
self timer
The dive sites at Rangiroa are located just around the two passes. Dives in the pass itself are only done when the tide is coming in due to the swiftness of the current. It is this current that brings the great amount of large pelagics.
During one dive in Avatoru pass we saw Silver tip, Black tip, White tip, Gray reef and one lonely hammerhead. I was told that this is one of only three places in the world that you can see Silver tips rise above 250-300 ft.
Silver Tips
silver cruising
Head on collison
Fly by
frowning
silhouette
Gray Reef Sharks
Stop...there goes lunch!
big gray
silver and gray
Unfortunately the hammerhead was probably 40 feet below us going against the current and was impossible to get close enough to photograph.
Our first dive in Tiputa Channel started as a drift dive to and through the pass but we aborted when a playful group of dolphins (6 or so) came to play. not everyday you can play with them so we stayed where we were. Pics were tough because they moved so fast.
dolphin
isabel and friend
On the same dive we ran across (or were run across by) a large group of barracuda , schooling
Two other dives in Tiputa pass/channel provided ample fish life. All dives in the pass were between 75 and 110 ft. Unfortunately weather prevented us from diving on the shark cave in Tiputa while we were there. We missed by one day. An email from a couple that we were diving with described the cave like this:
" The last dive through the pass was with Pascal. We never had done it before. It starts on the side of the pass (ocean side) opposite to every other dive where we entered. We had to descend immediately to what I realized later was 115' (30+m). You descend and get dragged by the current at the same time. You have to hit a small outcropping of coral, grab hold. If you miss, you either are taken out to sea (as they say, see you in China because we will never find you) or dragged immediately through the pass in the fastest current you can imagine. My heart was pounding with excitement as we descended and were surrounded by circling sharks - so many that I could not count. We then started our way through the pass to the caves. It was a careful balance of letting go, kicking like crazy and grabbing hold of some coral to get out of the pass to the caves. The caves were teaming with fish while the sharks rested lazily at the bottom. Pascal brought us into one cave - Peter as I learned later is afraid of caves because he got caught in one in his earlier years of diving. We stuck to the bottom of the pass and at about mid point rose to a view point amidst green sponges and a coral outcropping. We were all holding on so tightly that out legs were straight out enroute waiting to go for the pass. The current was so strong that it literally was ripping away at our masks - I had to hold on to my mask when we were looking straight out into the pass because the current was cross cutting my face. I looked at my air and was just slightly below 50% full - signaled to Pascal. We were only about 1/2 way through the dive. Peter had on one of the largest tanks of air tanks a person could wear so Pascal knew that he would be fine. Pascal motioned for me to buddy breathe with him - a first for me.. Well we were like glue working our way through the pass. Just before we separated from buddy breathing to finish off the dive as a drift we looked out in the pass and both saw a huge silver tipped shark just lying in wait for its next victim. Pascal later said that he had never seen a silver tipped shark in that pass, just Avatoru pass. We all finished the dive with hoots and hollars at the surface."
Tiputa Pass Fish
butterflies
spotted hawk fish
yellow faced coloradan mermaidus
hear no evil
li'l general
twins
Also found in Tiputa were several good size Spotted Eagle Rays
and some of the friendliest turtles ever. One was particularly happy to pose for pictures.
just hangin'
look ma one hand!
if you keep eating like that you'll get indigestion
out of here
After a hard day of diving and playing with the turtles it's back to the
Kia Ora Bar for a cold Hinano!
Who says this isn't paradise
Next stop Manihi for Manta Madness
