Tahiti's Overlooked Underwater So much attention has been paid to the islands of Moorea, Bora Bora and Rangiroa, that few people realize that the island of Tahiti itself boasts fantastic recreational diving, some of it completely unique. Bottlenose dolphins live around the island and can usually be seen in numbers on the way out to the dive sites. Tahiti's draw cards are calm, clear lagoons, spectacular oceanic drop-offs and colorful small reef fishes, some of which are schooling fishes that mass together to create beautiful underwater kaleidoscopes.

Beginning Divers Tahiti is an excellent island for beginning divers. The calm waters of the site called The Aquarium inside the lagoon provide a safe environment for the student or rusty diver to brush up on his skills. It is also an excellent place to snorkel. Tahiti's coral reefs and drop-offs are home to many small species: damselfish, butterfly fish, Moorish idols, surgeon fish, triggerfish, and schools of blue-stripe snapper. Bashful clownfish hover in the anemones. There are also three very easy wreck dives at between 20ft. and 45ft.

More Wrecks There are two easily accessible wreck dives just offshore from the runway at Tahiti Faaa airport. The Goélette, a 100-ft. cargo ship, lies in 75-40ft. of water. Kicking distance away is the remains of a Catalina flying boat, scuttled in 1964. The Catalina lies at between 60 ft. and 30 ft. of water. The ship is a non-penetration dive, but you can swim through the plane from the cargo door to the cockpit and out through the hatch in the top.

Intermediate to Advanced Divers Papa Whisky is actually a call sign for the tiny manmade island offshore from the Faaa airport. Across from Papa Whisky outside of the reef is the amphitheatre-shaped dive site that bears the same name. Between 35 and 80 feet you can see lots of blue-striped snapper, damselfish and butterfly fish. Pufferfish and box fish put in appearances; seafans appear at a depth of about 120 feet. There is a shallow shelf from about 15 to 30 feet which drops off sharply. These drop-offs, or walls, are Tahiti's most unique underwater feature. The St-Etienne drop-off, outside the reef at Punaauia, offers dramatic topography from 30 ft. down to the overhanging cliff at 150 ft. The Faults of Arue, in Matavai Bay, have a sheer drop-off characterized by crevasses and gorgonian (sea-fan) covered overhangs. Lionfish, soldierfish and sweepers hide in the crevasses. Moray eels and whitetip reef sharks can be found at depth. Freshwater submarine springs are another unique feature of Tahiti's underwater landscape. The Spring is just outside the reef across from Punaauia. The cool water bubbles up to within 20 to 30 ft. of the surface. Your dive guide will point out the fresh water, which looks somehow greasy and out of focus. The Spring is at the base of one of three seamounts in the area where sea turtles and Napoleon wrasses like to visit. The depth at the base of the mounts ranges from about 60 to 90 ft.

Tahiti Iti Tahiti's peninsula, affectionately known as Tahiti-Iti ("Little Tahiti") boasts the most spectacular wall diving in French Polynesia outside of the Marquesas archipelago. Beginners can explore the shallow (10-26 ft) Tetopa Grotto. Full of crevasses and easy-exit tunnels, the Grotto is home to soldierfish, lobsters and pufferfish. More experienced divers will want to see The Marado, a unique section of the outer reef that is covered with gorgonians from the depth of about 60 ft. downwards. Napoleon wrasses, moray eels and blacktip reef sharks add beauty and excitement to this dive. The Hole in the Lagoon is a good choice for divers of all levels. A "lagoon within the lagoon," the Hole has a sandy bottom at its depth of about 90 ft. Here you can see eagle rays, sting rays, scorpion fish, nudibranchs, and larger fish like tuna and grouper. Tahiti Iti is frequented by humpback whales during the June-October period, and bottlenose dolphins inhabit the area year-round.

Dive Centers Aquatica InterContinental Resort Tahiti Mr. Didier Alpini, Owner/Manager (International CMAS *** - PADI Master Instructor) PADI Open Water Certification and specialty courses. Night dives, lagoon and ocean dives, 2-tank dives, Nitrox.

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