Fakarava Atoll

Fakarava has undoubtably some of the best diving we've ever done. It is a protected atoll that is part of a UNESCO Classified Biosphere Reserve. 

There are two passes into Fakarava's lagoon, North Pass (Garuae) and South Pass(Tumakohua), we entered at the North Pass and made our way to the village of Rotoava which has a boulangerie!  Fresh baguettes along with chocolate croissants were such a welcome to the second largest atoll in Tuamotu's.

After a couple of days and dives in the North, we sailed down to the South Pass, a days sail through the lagoon, but we stopped for few nights along the way to explore. 

Fakarava South Pass, we anchored on the right in that turquoise water and one dives right in that pass

Rourke, Layla and Sky aboard T R I B E

Sascha and Chris going for a dive 

Rourke, Blake, Sascha, Chris, Skyla, Layla, Sofia and Carl heading to the pass for a dive

more diving, Chris and Rourke

 We did drift dives in the North and South Pass, with the incoming tide, which moves up to 8 knots through the pass. 

 The amount of sharks is phenomenal, black tips, white tips and grays (my apple spellcheck is American, greys for SA readers).  They just mind their own business, although sometimes do a mock charge turning at the last minute which is enough to first give you a heart attack. 

Black Tip sharks cruising the water as you enter for a dive

Restaurant at the pass

Parrot Fish, locals catch of the day

Skyla

Sascha

Rourke, Sky and Layla

Beach Babes

Paradise, paradise, paradise 

T R I B E anchored near the South Pass.  The dark patches are the coral heads we had to dodge to get in there!

more sharks in the shallows

The pink sand only found here, T R I B E anchored in the background

Sascha, Chris, Skyla, Layla and Chris

Kids having fun!

Chris helping Layla to jump in with airline surface supply to check out the sharks

There are so many sharks here in French Polynesia, always swimming around our boat, to be seen on every dive or snorkel that one quickly gets used to them, even Layla has no fear of swimming with them.

sharks around our stern

Layla wake boarding, GoPro on the front

Incredible colors of Fakarava
 Along with the sharks, there are manta rays, sting rays, really large Napoleon Rass, Parrot Fish and then a whole world of colorful fish that we spent hours admiring.  The visibility is crystal clear, the coral incredibly colorful and of course the water warm, around 25 degrees celsius. 

Rourke's turn

Sundowners aboard T R I B E

Layla and her henna tattoo starfish

We spent 2 weeks (diving) in Fakarava alone, it is going to be a difficult place to beat. 

Next up, a visit to one of the smaller atolls, Toau!