Rangiroa dive trip

June 10, 2014
Rangiroa Dive trip

Time to go diving.  One of the main reasons for stopping in the Tuomotos is for the diving.  There is an all day reef dive that has sen recommended by several other sailors.  Booking the trip is somewhat complicated since it is advertised by the hotel but not actually offered by the hotel but eventually arrangements are made. 

The next morning dawns cloudy and windy, after days of clear, calm weather but the dive boat pulls along side Rhapsody at 7:30 as promised. There are 3 other couples already on board, all of whom speak French.  Leon, the owner/diver,  passes out yellow rain slickers which we are told to put on backwards and off we go, bouncing along with the spray flying and the wind blowing.  Everyone is soaked after just a few minutes despite the raincoats.  We head straight across the atoll and it takes an hour to get to the other side.  There is a period half way across when we cannot see either shore. Although it is not cold, it does not seem like a good day for a dive trip and I am starting to wish we had postponed.  Then, suddenly, we are at the other shore and the wind dies, the clouds go away and it is a perfect day. 

Leon takes us into about 10 feet from the shore and kills the engine.  Everyone takes mask and snorkel and puts on reef walking shoes and one by one we climb out of the boat and head slowly to the shore. The water is incredibly clear and blue, that lovely aqua color that you always see in the pictures, that never seems quite real.  It is real.  It really is that gorgeous blue.  Our little group is accompanied by Leon’s assistant while he takes the boat around the corner to anchor and start setting up lunch. We are at a partial break in the reef.  The water is about 3 feet deep with a white sand scattered with huge mounds of coral.  For the next hour and a half we all just  float along exploring on our own while our “guide” sits on the shore and makes hats out of palm branches.  It is absolutely perfect.  Much nicer than following along in a group, trying to keep together,  while someone tells you what to look at and where to go.  Brightly colored fish are everywhere.  Parrot fish and tangs and tiny iridescent blue ones and black ones with ruffled fins and long skinny ones that look like eels.  Yellow ones and stripped ones and orange and black ones.  One great big fish is actually taking bites out of the coral. Eventually we all straggle out of the water to sit on the warm sand.  There are palm hats for all. 

Next we head across the reef towards the ocean where the landscape changes dramatically.  Here the coral has been blackened by the sun and sculpted into fantastic shapes, towers 6-10 feet tall interspersed with deep pools of warm water and on the other side the ocean waves rolling in.  It seems like we are on an alien planet out of some science fiction movie.  Finally it is time to wade across the channel and along the inside of the reef to where Leonis waiting with the boat and lunch. 

The lunch alone is almost worth the price of the trip.  We are seated at long tables under a palm roof.  at one end is a fire in a steel drum.  One by one, heaping platters of food are set out on the table.  There is cocoanut flat bread, poisson cru, sweet potatoes, barbecued chicken, stewed spinach, and grilled mahi-mahi and cake for dessert, along with bottles of fruit juice.  We eat until we are stuffed and there is still food left.  Turns out the extra food is planned.  Dozens of reef sharks have gathered right up  to the shore in just a foot or two of water.  Chunks of leftover fish are tossed into the water and snapped up in an instant.  We wade among them and actually hold their fins while they are eating. 

Next is a lesson on weaving palm baskets.  Everyone makes one. During the day i have gathered a  large pile of shells.  Now I have something to carry them in.  Once the baskets are done, the area cleaned and the last bits of fish given to the sharks it is time to get back into the boat for the trip back across the lagoon.  Once again yellow rain slickers are handed out and everyone suits up.   Clouds gather, the wind blows and spray flies as we race back. 

Back on the other side, we make one last stop right by the main pass at an area called the aquarium.  The fish here are so thick you could walk on them.  Leon has saved large pieces of bread and everyone gets a chance to feed the fish.  This is almost more of a frenzy than the shark feeding.  The water is deep here and several of us grab mask and snorkel and jump in among the fish.  I make the mistake of jumping in with a piece of bread in my hand.  It is immediately snatched by a bright orange fish, along with a small piece of my finger.  It is amazing to be among so many fish. I am completely surrounded by them.  They swirl around, flowing back and forth with the current, chasing pieces of bread.

Close by are young men in outrigger canoes surfing the swells through the channel.   As we head back several of them turn and follow us along, surfing in the wake from the boat.  All to soon we are back at Rhapsody, tired, wet and happy with a basket full of shells.