Diving Tikehau vs Rangiroa. Puddle jumper flight altitude?

[Pillpusher]

I'm trying to map out a trip to the FP for the beginning of August for a little over 2 weeks. For the Tuamoto portion, I don't think I'll have time to do Fakarava, Tikehau, and Rangiroa without losing too many dives to travel days. There's no way I'm skipping Fakarava, so how would y'all compare the diving in Tike and Rang? I'm leaning Tike simply because the area just looks ridiculously stunning... Not that Rang isn't, but man... Tikehau just seems to be on another planet. Would I be missing out on much by diving Tike instead of Rang?

Also, the flights... I'm guessing I need 24 hours of dry time prior to flying back to PPT, but what about the flights among the atolls? Is 12 hours the recommendation for those, or do I need 24 for any of them? (Air Tahiti)

Thanks in advance,

 

[Manuel Sam]

Good question. I am planning a similar trip in 2024 but doing all three. It will be my first time to Tikehau.

I know that the flight is only 20 minutes long. I've emailed the dive shop that I usually use in Rangiroa, since they have dive operations on both. I'll post if/when they reply.

 

[CWK]

I’m seriously thinking of going back in the second half of 2024. Tikehau would be interesting as I have not been before.

Wished the FP Master was still in operation.

Keeping tabs on this thread.

 

[Manuel Sam]

Pillpusher: I'm sorry but I don't have any enlightening news for you - or for myself, for that matter. It was wishful thinking to think that a dive operator would endorse flying after diving under any circumstances.

These were her words:

"Regarding pre-flight dives. We would be at fault for planning a dive for you before a flight, although there is probably no risk."

Ultimately, it falls back on our own laps to make the decision as to fly after diving on the same morning.

As a point of reference, after a dive on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, most people (myself included) have ridden up to the village of Windwardside, which is where most of the lodgings are. Some parts of Windwardside are at a 2000 ft or more elevation. I have even flown back to St. Maarten after diving on the same day - about the same flight time. But those were my younger and perhaps more foolish days.

So I got to thinking that, regardless of those past experiences, as teeny as they may be, the risks outweigh the gains, because the nearest chamber is back in Papeete. There is also the fact that sometimes the Air Tahiti check-in people are strict, and wet dive gear adds weight to put me even further past the limit.

One thing to consider is to pick a day of the week when the Rangiroa to Tikehau flight is early enough to provide the possibility of making a dive or two after arriving in Tikehau.

 

[Pillpusher]

Pillpusher: I'm sorry but I don't have any enlightening news for you - or for myself, for that matter. It was wishful thinking to think that a dive operator would endorse flying after diving under any circumstances.

These were her words:

"Regarding pre-flight dives. We would be at fault for planning a dive for you before a flight, although there is probably no risk."

Ultimately, it falls back on our own laps to make the decision as to fly after diving on the same morning.

As a point of reference, after a dive on the island of Saba in the Caribbean, most people (myself included) have ridden up to the village of Windwardside, which is where most of the lodgings are. Some parts of Windwardside are at a 2000 ft or more elevation. I have even flown back to St. Maarten after diving on the same day - about the same flight time. But those were my younger and perhaps more foolish days.

So I got to thinking that, regardless of those past experiences, as teeny as they may be, the risks outweigh the gains, because the nearest chamber is back in Papeete. There is also the fact that sometimes the Air Tahiti check-in people are strict, and wet dive gear adds weight to put me even further past the limit.

One thing to consider is to pick a day of the week when the Rangiroa to Tikehau flight is early enough to provide the possibility of making a dive or two after arriving in Tikehau.

I wouldn’t try the same day regardless. I was more-so thinking along the lines of an afternoon or evening dive if I have a morning flight to the next atoll. So, it being 12 hours, but not 24.

 

[Manuel Sam]

I see. When I have run into similar situations with flights that are less than 24 hrs from my last dive, I start checking the No-Fly time on my dive computer a day or two before as if I were flying the next day. That helps me decide whether to make that second (or third) dive on the actual day before.