Raiatea, Fakarava, Nuku Hiva advice...

[dive_girl]

Has anyone been diving in Raiatea, Fakarava, or Nuku Hiva? Last year we dove Bora and Manihi and want to try new exciting places. We heard the pass in Fakarava blows away the pass in Rangiroa and the corals there are alive. We heard the vis isn't great in Nuku Hiva, but it is worth it for the hammerheads, whales, mantas, etc...Any input on any of these places would be great. We are going in September.

We'd like to know about the diving AND where you stayed.

We are looking at:
Pearl Beach Raitea
Tetamanu village, pensione havaiki, or le maitai in Fakarava
Pearl Beach Nuku Hiva

Thanks oodles...

By the way, our Bora & Manihi pictures are here if anyone is interested:

Pictures of Bora Bora
http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b30ef1a0a409

Pictures from Bora Bora underwater
http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b30ef1a92530

Pictures from Manihi:
http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b30ef1a4a40d

Pictures from Manihi underwater
http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b30ef1f92560

 

[ratherbediving]

dive_girl,

I sent a message to you in another forum about food. So, you're thinking of going back to FP in September...that's when I'm planning to be there on our honeymoon!

We're planning to stay at Pension Havaiki in Fakarava and Pension Mave Mae in Nuka Hiva. Both at the recommendation of Scuba Jim.

I've heard nothing but great things about Fakarava. The pass is supposed to be wicked and it is a lot less travelled. We decided to go to Nuka Hiva because we figure we'll never be able to afford such a trip again, so we might as well go. However, from what I've read, September is out of season for the whales.

So, you stayed at the Eden Beach? There are horror stories posted on this site. When were you there? How did you find it? Looked nice in your pictures!

Appreciate any info you can give us about your experiences at Bora Bora and Manihi!

Maybe we'll see you in Fakarava or Nuka Hiva!

 

[ratherbediving]

Nice pictures by the way! I just took a few minutes to watch the show.

What type of camera do you use?

 

[Scuba Chip]

Was on the new Tahiti Aggressor, out of Rangiroa, in January '03.
The Rangiroa diving we encountered was absolutely the worst I have ever done in the Pacific (and I've made a few trips to the Pacific). There was NO LIVE CORAL at all! And forget about schooling fish, we never saw fish in numbers either.
Fakarava does blow Rangiroa away, but that isn't hard to do.
The corals in Fakarava are complete, and healthy, not so in Rangiroa. There are no soft corals in this part of the Pacific, just the hard variety. Drifts into Fakarava atoll are nice to experience. Large schools of colorful reef fish accompany you on these shallow drifts. Watch your bouyancy on these drifts. Contact with the reef during drifts will give you a nasty case of "Reef Rash".

Don't go there looking for big animal action. There isn't any! And that was my disappointment. I made this trip (Rangiroa, Toua, Fakarava) because it was touted as a big animal destination. For example, we made four dives in one area where a dolphin supposedly hung out so often that the Aggressor crew even gave it a name, "Splash". We Never saw Splash! We dove another area where we were assured of sighting a 6 meter great hammerhead. Ah, that's about 19 feet long. It was a No show. Later, a manta sight, right? ................ Wrong again!
The crew was attentive, the boat in decent shape, the food good, but it is not a big animal destination. At least not in January! ;-0

 

[donacheson]

dive_girl once bubbled...
:
By the way, our Bora & Manihi pictures are here if anyone is interested:

Nice photos, guys!

 

[dykfrasse]

Spent 5 days on Fakarava in Feb 2003. Superb diving, much better than Ranigiroa. Better corals, more sharks, stronger currents. Stayed at Pension Havaiki, and it was great. The food, ahhh! I higly recommend Fakarava. Bring a book, though.