French Polynesia | Dive Trip Diary

Day 1: Papeete, Tahiti

We arrive in Papeete after a long trip, spending the night at the Intercontinental resort and spa. In preparation for the coming days, a little history lesson is helpful. French Polynesia, specifically the Marquesas, was first discovered in 1595 by Spanish Capt. Alvaro de Mendana y Neyra. Thereafter it was annexed by France, and it is today a French Overseas territory (Teritoire d’Outremer). To understand the size of French Polynesia and its five different archipelegos (the Society Islands, the Tuamotus atolls, the Marquesas, the Austral Islands, and Gambier islands), imagine an area equal to Europe. Granted, most of it is water, but a huge area nonetheless for the less than 300,000 inhabitants.

Day 2: Rangiroa

We fly in a privately chartered de Havilland twin otter to Rangiroa, also known as “the Endless lagoon.” The regional capital of the Tuamotus is known for its big-fish diving. The fantastic crew welcome us at the small Rangiroa airport. After a 15-minute drive, we board the tender. We have all been assigned a luxurious cabin with everything one could hope for. Since it’s the first full day and everyone has had long journeys, we opt not to dive and just rest. I review and prepare all the equipment for the coming days.

The anticipation of what we’ll see mounts. Rangiroa is a series of islands around a lagoon, making it the largest atoll in the Tuamotus and the second largest in the world. Contrary to Tahiti, the islands are low-lying and close to the sea, with no hills or mountaintop. Rangiroa’s 393-square-mile lagoon is the main attraction. Marine life of every size and description can be found here: sharks, dolphins, parrot fish, grouper, puffer fish, butterfly fish, trumpet fish, plus large schools of jacks and eels.

Most of the water flowing into and out of the lagoon is carried through two passes called Avatoru and Tiputa Passes. They’re the only access for boats into the inside of the atoll. The extraordinarily powerful tidal current through the passes can sometimes reach 9 knots and allows for exceptional scuba diving and snorkeling. Here you’ll find a virtual freeway of marine life flying by! Dolphins swim underwater with sometimes hundreds of sharks. Dolphins also gather at the surface at the mouth of Tiputa Pass in the standing waves and hurl themselves into spectacular jumps. Below, hundreds of sharks gather to feed as the tide rushes out of the lagoon.

Days 3 to 7: Rangiroa

We dive the world-renowned Tiputa and Avatoru Passes repeatedly. Grey reef sharks, silver tips, bottlenose dolphins, and schooling Jacks are the order of the days. Guests enjoy two to three dives per day, starting with easier outer reef dives. But, since there are only two passes, all divers eventually graduate to doing the passes themselves, proper guidance and habit. A Junior PADI scuba diver course is conducted for one of the children. We also visit a pearl farm where they produce the famous Tahitian pearls. The chef prepares amazing tantalizing cuisine; it’s going to be hard not to gain weight during this trip. We cruise for two hours to reach the famous blue lagoon.

During our cruise, we go to the flybridge. Wow… What a view… From this height one can see the colour of the lagoon, which is so blue it almost seems unnatural. It’s pure blue bliss. The lagoon is actually a lagoon within a lagoon, fringed by coconut trees. The water is crystal clear, and you can see small reef sharks, rays, and a multitude of teeming reef fish in just hip-deep water.

Day 8: Apataki Atoll

We cross 80 nautical miles to reach Apataki Atoll. The atoll is rectangular in shape, approximately 15 miles from east to west and 25 miles from north to south. Although Apataki has a small airport, a small black pearl farm and a few palm plantation with less than 400 inhabitants, there are no tourists outside of those coming by private yacht or liveaboards. Apataki has only one pass that is dived, the Tehere Pass, which I renamed shark funnel due to it narrowing down to less than 20 meters (66 feet) wide just before it opens into the atoll and where juvenile grey reef sharks congregate. Of special note is when the water pushes out from the lagoon into the open ocean due to the tide; the force of the water creates big waves up to two meters (6’6”) in height. The waves can be created for up to two miles into the lagoon by the force of the water entering through the pass. As you can imagine, a few billion tons of water trying to squeeze through a narrow gap moves pretty fast indeed and this creates some incredible currents, sometimes reaching up to 9 knots.

Day 9: Apataki Atoll

We dive in the morning and the afternoon. The best way to dive the pass is when the current is incoming. You start on the outer reef, where the current isn’t too strong, then slowly make your way toward the mouth of the pass. This dive is pure adrenalin and not for the fainthearted, as the currents are some of the swiftest that I’ve ever experienced.

On the outer reef we see amazing quantities of schooling fish, from the biggest school of jack fish I ever saw (must have been 10,000 of them!) to schools of surgeon fish, then butterfly fish, then big eyes, all before reaching the mouth of the pass. As we arrive at the mouth of the pass and go over the reach, we slowly angle to less than 20 meters, and here the current really starts to pick up. It does so until we are literally flying through the pass. I’ve never experienced such a current and only can only go with the flow, no pun intended. Eventually we are given the signal to take out our reef hooks and be prepared to hook on, since the current is accelerating as the pass is narrowing. It’s not an easy task, as the current is now going 6 to 8 knots, and if you turn your head, your mask floods or your regulator gets ripped off. But, once we all manage to stabilize, we look around and we are in the midst of several hundred grey reef sharks. They come so close that I could touch them if I want.

Day 10: Apataki Atoll

We enjoy further diving at Apataki, repeating some of the above experiences. The chef buys some fresh fish from a local fisherman, and we have an amazing beach barbeque.

Day 11: Tuau Atoll

We cross to Tuau atoll, located southeast of Apataki and northwest of Fakarava. Only 10 miles long with a population of just under 40, it is one of the smallest but most stunning and unspoiled atolls in the Tuamotus, complete with miniscule bays and lagoons within lagoons. It’s perfect for stand-up paddles, canoeing, or even waterbikes. There are two passes at Toau, Otugi and Fakatahuna, which provide us with further amazing dives both morning and afternoon. We see even more schooling fish, mantas, and sharks in strong currents. One of the most interesting features of these dives, and what differentiates them from other sites in French Polynesia, is that the coral is some of the most beautiful in the entire region. We are getting quite used to pass diving and strong currents, and the overall expertise of all divers increases dramatically.

Day 12: Tuau Atoll

Today no diving. Instead, we explore the lagoons and have a beach party. PWCs, stand-up paddling, and kite surfing are the orders of the day.

Day 13: Fakarava Atoll

We travel to Fakarava, 240 nautical miles northeast of Tahiti. It’s the second-biggest atoll of French Polynesia after Rangiroa: 32 nautical miles long, 11 nautical miles wide, with a huge lagoon. The only way to get in and out of Fakarava for a large yacht is through the north pass, known as Garuae pass. Now, if Rangiroa and Apataki were amazing, Fakarava is really the cherry on the, on the sundae. The lagoon is fed by the Garuae pass (1,600 meters wide, or about 5,250 feet wide, the biggest of Polynesia) and the Tetamanu pass to the south. Classified as biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 2006 for its rich fauna and flora, the two passes are a dream for divers. With mantas and dozens of different species of sharks including grey, white tip, tiger, hammerhead and silkys, the Garuae pass is particularly spectacular.

Day 14: Fakarava Atoll

After a morning dive at Fakarava north, we set sail to Fakrava south. The great vibes of the small guest house and the small motus around the south pass of Tetamanu, with its few local surfers, are fantastic. Since the pass is small, it doesn’t allow for larger yachts, so we travel inside the atoll from Fakarava north. If you have heard of the famous wall of sharks seen in French Polynesia, this is the place to go. I’m tempted to stay for a month or two.

Days 15 to 17: Fakarava Atoll

We remain at Fakarava and experience a grey reef shark bonanza, 300 to 400 of them. We film amazing footage. During the evening, we visit further beaches and lagoons, and we do some traditional hula dancing and celebrate late into the night. A wonderful trip. I can still see the deserted atolls and the amazing dives and feel the gentle sea breeze on my face. We’re already planning our next trip with the fantastic captain and crew, so be part of it! For now, nana (“goodbye” in Tahitian). ~ Alexis Vincent

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