French Polynesia, who to dive with?

[jjmochi]

We're going to French Polynesia for 14 days in Oct and will spend 4 in Rangiroa and 4 in Fakarava. We're AOW with ~40 dives. Would like some recommendations as we really want to do the pass dives but are also a bit apprehensive since we haven't faced super strong currents before. The strongest current we've seen is probably in Nusa Penida off Bali and Richilieu/Koh Bon in Thailand, but in both the dive guides said it was just moderate/not the strongest they've seen. We would like an operator that can provide a bit more personal attention and oversight, given the currents.

I've read that you need PADI Rescue to be recognized as CMAS level 2, would you recommend we try to do this before our trip to get the full experience? Would Rescue really help prepare us for currents? It'll be expensive and don't think we need it anywhere else. Can we see 80-90% of everything at 30m?

We will also be in Moorea and Bora Bora for 3 days each, should we do 1 day of diving there as well? Or would it just pale compared to Rangiroa/Fakarava?

Given we'll be on 4 islands I was thinking of getting an interisland pass, Te Moana or Top Dive. Read some not so good things about Top Dive but they offer free Nitrox which the Te Moana shops don't. We do have our Nitrox cert. I've seen recommendations for Dive Spirit Fakarava but contacted them and they said they don't have nitrox. I would have thought nitrox would be useful given they dive pretty deep here?

 

[Boiler_81]

I would highly recommend getting Rescue prior to going. The French CMAS system will treat you at the lowest level unless you add the Rescue to your certification. Besides, it is useful training and you may need it for a real rescue some day. As to the currents they are not really an issue. The operator will drop you at a position and you will just ride the current. Drift diving is some of the easiest diving you will ever do. I went to Rangiroa and Fakarava several years ago and had a blast.

Here is my trip report, it is 6 years old and some of the information may be out of date. I do understand that Dive Spirit has changed ownership since I was there: Trip report for Rangiroa and Fakarava in French Polynesia

 

[ColoDale]

Drifting in the passes at Rangiroa/Fakarava is fairly easy. There can be some surge and different current if you dive outside or inside the reef around the pass openings. I only used six Passengers in Rangiroa and they were good but I have nothing to compare it to. I would request any addtional attention up front to see if they can accommodate you - maybe first day or two.
Diving in Bora Bora was diving. Moorea was better (lots of sharks, eagle rays and a few turtles). Rangiroa and Fakarava best.
Some dives in Rangiroa outside the reef were much less than 30m (15- 20m?). Passes will be more. Shallower at Bora Bora and Moorea. I would dive at least one day at the latter two. Can you come back and say you didn't do it?

 

[jjmochi]

Thanks! Your trip report was very helpful, but now I'm thinking we should add a few days to Fakarava south! Did you look into Tetamanu Village vs Raimiti? It looks like both are similar price, offer very basics (no hot water, limited electricity, no internet) but Tetamanu is right on the pass vs a 20 min boat ride for Raimiti?

We have not seen any sharks in our 40 dives so far across Thailand, Indonesia, and Honduras, except a tiny reef shark on our very first dsd dive that only my husband saw not me, so our trip that started as a relaxation trip to Bora Bora OWB is slowly turning into more and more of a dive trip the more I learn about FP and read trip reports like yours. Should we do 3 nights at Rangiroa, 3 nights Faka south, and 3 nights Faka north? This would cut Bora Bora and Moorea down to 2 nights each, so we would forego diving on those 2 and just do the touristy stuff (OWB, lagoon tour. 4x4 etc).

Will try to do our Rescue over a long weekend. But for currents, should we try to do a drift dive specialty course? We have not been taught to use reef hooks or deploy a smb and hearing people talk about washing machine/rollercoaster currents, 10 knots, etc sounds a bit scary. We have good buoyancy, air consumption and are comfortable in the water, but it's when we have to swim against the current that I start having trouble, since I swim and swim but don't move lol.

So seems Dive Spirit on Fakarava and Six Passengers on Rangiroa are the recommendations. Top Dive not worth it even with the free nitrox?

 

[Boiler_81]

If you are looking at just the diving aspect I would just stay in Tetamanu village and forget Raimiti. As far as the currents go, I really had no issue with them. Just riding the current is a blast. You should never have to go against it. It was a rare case that the current wasn't flowing the right direction when I was on Rangiroa. I had never used a reef hook prior to that trip, the dive shop owner taught us how to use it on shore and when we hooked into the reef he came around and made sure we were doing it right. There really isn't much to it.

I personally wouldn't do a drift dive course, there really isn't anything to it.

I'm surprised you weren't taught how to deploy an SMD in your advanced class. I did YMCA for my advanced so that is the only frame of reference I have. I would think you could get a mentor to show you or maybe it is part of PADI Rescue. If it isn't then maybe you could have them add it for your class. Once again this is not a difficult skill but one which should be practiced before needing it.

I didn't use Top Dive after reading a lot on Scubaboard. It didn't seem as if they had the best reputation. The shops I used were all top notch.

I found @Wingy 's posts were helpful when I was planning. She also had some good comments in my trip report thread. Maybe she will stop by this thread and give you more up to date information.

Let us know what you do and most of all, let us know how the trip goes. If you have any other questions or concerns, post them and I will try to answer as best I can with my six year old knowledge.

 

[Cali_diver]

Background: Been to Fakarava 2 and Rangiroa 3 times. It doesn't matter what your certification is they will take you to the outer reef to see if you are capable enough to dive the passes. That being said, you need the rescue to even qualify since the French are very strict. The passes can be easy and they can be a crazy ride.... depends on the tides and times of dives. We never used reef hooks because once you commit to the pass there really isn't any stopping at least when we did them. (Except for big hole in Fakarava North pass that has millions of fish resting in it.. I think they called it Alibaba???)

Moorea is a beautiful island with a meh reef with lots of fish. They do have great lemon sharks that follow you around. Bora Bora can have some neat manta, eagle ray dives but visibility can be an issue. You also have a great chance of seeing whales that time of year. No matter where you dive you will see lots of sharks!

 

[jjmochi]

Yup never taught to use SMB, in fact never even given a SMB on any of our dives so far. The dive guides have always done it, looks simple enough, but should probably practice before we go. I did my Advanced in Utila where there's very little current, maybe that's why.

I don't generally have any difficulty with current as long as we drift with it. The 2 times I had challenging experiences were both unexpected down currents. First time was in Bali/Nusa Penida where we were newly OW certified and saw a mola mola then got dragged down by a downcurrent to like 22-23m without even realizing. Didn't have a dive computer at the time but dive guide told us we went down way deeper than the 18m we were supposed to. Couldn't swim against the current at all and my husband had to drag me along. Second time we were in Koh Bon area and again was watching a giant school of barracuda for like 10 min, then without realizing we went down from like 24m to 29m very quickly and I only realized it was a downcurrent when I started having trouble equalizing my ears. I was in much better shape and a better diver the second time around so didn't panick and went up a bit myself until I could equalize, but that dive still left me a bit uneasy that I couldn't tell it was a downcurrent at all until I had issues with my ears. So my main concerns are just 1) not being able to read currents well/at all, 2) not being strong enough to swim against it. Maybe I just need more experience.

 

[jjmochi]

For those that stayed at Fakarava South how did you find the accommodation, was it hard to live with no hot water/no electricity? I'm going in eyes wide open but still a bit undecided. We don't need top luxury but I've also never went without hot water/electricity. Some of the reviews also mention rats/hygiene issues etc... but can't deny the pictures/videos look amazing.

 

[Boiler_81]

Yup never taught to use SMB, in fact never even given a SMB on any of our dives so far. The dive guides have always done it, looks simple enough, but should probably practice before we go. I did my Advanced in Utila where there's very little current, maybe that's why.

I don't generally have any difficulty with current as long as we drift with it. The 2 times I had challenging experiences were both unexpected down currents. First time was in Bali/Nusa Penida where we were newly OW certified and saw a mola mola then got dragged down by a downcurrent to like 22-23m without even realizing. Didn't have a dive computer at the time but dive guide told us we went down way deeper than the 18m we were supposed to. Couldn't swim against the current at all and my husband had to drag me along. Second time we were in Koh Bon area and again was watching a giant school of barracuda for like 10 min, then without realizing we went down from like 24m to 29m very quickly and I only realized it was a downcurrent when I started having trouble equalizing my ears. I was in much better shape and a better diver the second time around so didn't panick and went up a bit myself until I could equalize, but that dive still left me a bit uneasy that I couldn't tell it was a downcurrent at all until I had issues with my ears. So my main concerns are just 1) not being able to read currents well/at all, 2) not being strong enough to swim against it. Maybe I just need more experience.

The second time sounds more like a buoyancy issue than a down current. With more dives, you will instinctively become more aware of your depth.

In my limited experience in FP, I only experienced currents running in or out of the passes depending on the tide. I ran one swift current in the North. For me, it was an absolute blast riding it.

As @Cali_diver said, the operator will evaluate your skills and work with you prior to taking you to the passes.

For those that stayed at Fakarava South how did you find the accommodation, was it hard to live with no hot water/no electricity? I'm going in eyes wide open but still a bit undecided. We don't need top luxury but I've also never went without hot water/electricity. Some of the reviews also mention rats/hygiene issues etc... but can't deny the pictures/videos look amazing.

I can't speak for South specifically, but the two places we stayed on Fakarava did not have electricity. They did have solar cells which charged a bank of batteries. We could charge our tablets from that bank. Limited hot water was provided by solar as well.

We looked at it as a big adventure. For us, it has been one of our most memorable trips. Everyone is different, for us the primitive nature and the unspoiled nature were what was so special. If you are a night life person, absolutely do not go.

 

[Altamira]

Dove Fakarava, Raiatea, and Bora Bora in August 2018, and did not have a requirement for Rescue to dive the pass at Fakarava. The dive op took our two groups outside of the reef for the first dive, and when the DMs were happy with divers' experience and performance, we hit the pass on the second dive. A couple divers in the other group didn't do too well in the current so they ended their dive early. Being a single diver, I was teamed up with a DM and his newly OW certified couple, who did very well despite their lack of experience or higher level certification. Since the DM was keeping a close I on his new divers, and showing us as much wildlife as possible, I was pretty much a tag along, which was OK by me and the DM. So perhaps the "rules" are not inflexible, and they rely more on what they see rather than the card you carry. Dive Op in Fakarava and Bora Bora was Top Dive, and Hemisphere Sub in Raiatea. All dives were well run, safe, fun, and personally had excellent dives.