Several of us -Aussies and Yanks-just returned from diving in Aitutaki, Cook Islands. What a great disapppointment! Coral bleaching has given the reef a ghostly, dead look. Fish life was scant, and there were no jacks, etc on the outer edges, and we only saw one white tip reef shark. No other sharks. We did see a handful of eagle rays and turtles, but only in the one place. Dive operation only ran for 5 minutes outside channel, maximum. Sites were thus all essentially similar. Did see humpbacks one morning off the reef, that was nice. At NZ 170 per two-tank dive, this was expensive as well, and not worth a special trip to dive here. Island was lovely, but only come here if you have other, non-diving reasons to do so. Sad, but true.
Cheers.
Cheers.
