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Scuba Forum / Scuba Locations / June 2005Tahiti in July???
anybody know?? thanks Gunny >anybody know?? >thanks >Gunny It should still be there.  Signaturedillon Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. Tahiti in July? You could cut the humidity with a knife! Fiji is drier and better. ...and oh yes -- friendlier! I don't blame the Polynesians for this -- its because they are still under the heel of the colonial master. Wouldn't that make you sad? > Tahiti in July? > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > its because they are still under the heel of the colonial master. > Wouldn't that make you sad? Hmmmm, seasons are opposite, july is actually their winter, like january. > > Tahiti in July? > > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Hmmmm, seasons are opposite, july is actually their winter, like > january. shawn, Kessler has been signing his tune about Tahiti since he READ A BOOK about it in 1999: DK> The point about Tahiti is that no dive touring agency has DK> ever been able to nurture or sustain much diving interest DK> in Tahiti. Here' Daniel's trump card: DK> Qantas had to cancel flights there because they couldn't DK> sell it! Daniel must think Qantas is the sole supplier of tourism to Tahiti, because when someone called him a "crackpot", he repeated his tune, DK> The fact is that Qantas had to pull back on their air service DK> to Tahiti because they couldn't make any money doing it. I DK> don't know of any dive travel agency that is sending divers DK> to Tahiti. Do you? Air France, Air Tahiti Nui, and Air New Zealand have scheduled flights to Papeete (Tahiti) almost every day. That's not counting Hawaiian Air, OMNI (Delta), and other airlines that charter or schedule flights from the USA. DK> Now don't get me wrong, I read all those books by Nordoff DK> and Hall about Tahiti, the glamour of the place, etc., and DK> it is a beautiful place, but rather sterile. Were the books about DIVING? Technically speaking, Daniel is partly correct about Tahiti, the island of Tahiti, one of several HUNDREDS of the French Polynesian islands, sometimes/often mistakenly called Tahiti. There are PLENTY of world class (better than most that qualified to be called world-class) diving in the Polynesian islands, all within ferry or puddle hopper distance from Papeete, the capitol of Tahiti. These include Moorea, Raiatea, Huahini, Bora Bora, Rangiroa, Fakarava, Nuku hiva, etc. I dive in ALL of these islands, on AT LEAST two different trips to each; Moorea and Raiatea 4 or five different trips. The diving was ALWAYS exquisite!! I don't have wings, but I certainly don't need Qantas to fly me there. Reading a non-diving book about Tahiti is NOT a good way to learn ANYTHING about the good diving in the French Polynesia. Been there. Done that. At least a dozen of the FP islands. -- Bob. I've been there and done that too! So where are the dive charter to Tahiti and the Society Islands. Does this guy work for tourism there? I think he needs a reality check! He forgot to tell you that those other airlines really transit through there -- divers on board head on to more exotic locations where all the fish life hasn't yet been killed off and the coral more diverse... > > > Tahiti in July? > > > [quoted text clipped - 67 lines] > > -- Bob. > I've been there and done that too! So where are the dive charter to > Tahiti and > the Society Islands. Does this guy work for tourism there? I think he > needs a > reality check! Boy Daniel, I don't know. I did the Tahiti Aggressor in April of 2003 and agree with Bob as to the diving. It was splendid indeed. Our cruise transited between Rangiroa and Fakarava, and while no soft corals along the lines of Red Sea or Fiji were present, the hard corals were extraordinary and the shark and pelagic action was superb. The seas were oil-slick, the viz 150 feet..maybe more, and I remember huge schools of Jacks, Moorish Idols. Bigeyes etc. I don't quite understand where your comments are coming from. It doesn't sound like the same island chain I dived. And while one could have said Bob dived it prior to the undersea realm being ruined, I was there just 3 years ago, so that argument wouldn't hold water. I find much of Indonesian diving more to my liking, but that is simply a photographer's preference, because in it's own right the Tuomotu Atolls offer, and I'll use Bob's term, "exquisite" scuba diving. I enjoyed Tahiti far more than I did Fiji. Most of the Atolls I visited in Tahiti were unspoilt, which can no longer be said of much of Fiji. If I had the choice between one or the other I would make Tahiti before Fiji. Just an opinion, but a striking difference from what you say you found there. > > I've been there and done that too! So where are the dive charter to > > Tahiti and the Society Islands. Why does anyone need any dive charter to Tahiti and the Soceity and OTHER French Polynesian island groups, such as Marquesus, Tuamotu, and others? > > Does this guy work for tourism there? ROTFLMAO, Daniel Boy! That shows what a Clueless Newbie you are in this ng. I've been posting in rec.scuba since the late 1980s. > > I think he needs a reality check! Like reading the books you read about Tahiti 6 years ago, and how Qantas curtailed their flights to Tahiti? LOL. > Boy Daniel, I don't know. I did the Tahiti Aggressor in April of 2003 and > agree with Bob as to the diving. It was splendid indeed. Actually, I was a bit disappointed at the locations dived by the Tahiti Aggressor, compared to the rest of the French Polynesian islands I've dived. The aharks in Rangiroa, for years the drawing card of that island, was a disappointment, relatively speaking. I hsd several parts of a trip report in the "Tahiti Aggressor" thread starting on Dec 30, 2002, which continued for several days into 2003. > Our cruise transited between Rangiroa and Fakarava, and while no soft > corals along the lines of Red Sea or Fiji were present, the hard corals were [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > I don't quite understand where your comments are coming from. Australia? Thinking Qantas is the world standard for travel to Tahiti? :-) > It doesn't > sound like the same island chain I dived. And while one could have said Bob > dived it prior to the undersea realm being ruined, I was there just 3 years > ago, so that argument wouldn't hold water. I was there three times last year (2004), twice the year before (2003), the Aggressor in Dec. 2002, all before three years ago; and several times before those. > I find much of Indonesian diving more to my liking, but that is simply a > photographer's preference, because in it's own right the Tuomotu Atolls > offer, and I'll use Bob's term, "exquisite" scuba diving. The only thing I saw in Indonesia (Bali) that I didn't see in the French Polynesia were the mola molas (Sun Fish), but in Huku Hiva, I was pleasantly surprise to see three hammerheads and about a dozen large mantas on the same dive. > I enjoyed Tahiti far more than I did Fiji. Most of the Atolls I visited in > Tahiti were unspoilt, which can no longer be said of much of Fiji. If I had > the choice between one or the other I would make Tahiti before Fiji. > > Just an opinion, but a striking difference from what you say you found > there. Danial's diving experience there seemed to be limited to the books he read and the Qantas flights that were canceled. :-) -- Bob. > > I find much of Indonesian diving more to my liking, but that is simply a > > photographer's preference, because in it's own right the Tuomotu Atolls [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > was pleasantly surprise to see three hammerheads and about a dozen > large mantas on the same dive. All else aside, calling Bali representative if Indonesian diving is like calling Monterey representative of US diving. > Actually, I was a bit disappointed at the locations dived by the Tahiti > Aggressor, compared to the rest of the French Polynesian islands I've > dived. The aharks in Rangiroa, for years the drawing card of that > island, was a disappointment, relatively speaking. Sharks were fine when I was there. I like the Hammerheads of Galapagos more than almost any other shark dives I do, but Tahiti was entertaining in that respect. We only dove Rangiroa twice, and then moved on to Apataki, Toau, Kaukura (sp?), Toau and ending on Fakarava, which according to the crew was a newer itinerary spending less time at Rangiora and more time at the other islands. I imagine 5 or 6 dives at Rangiroa would have been 3 or 4 too many as it does that starting and ending on Rangiroa would have resulted in needless circumnavigation. Transiting from one end of the chain to the other makes far more sense. > I hsd several > parts of a trip report in the "Tahiti Aggressor" thread starting on > Dec 30, 2002, which continued for several days into 2003. I'll have to look them up and see if our trips were similar. > The only thing I saw in Indonesia (Bali) that I didn't see in the > French Polynesia were the mola molas (Sun Fish), Strangely, as many times as I have transited thru Bali I have never taken the time to dive there. I've heard good things but don't know that for myself. I like Wakatobi, not just the resort but also the greater park area visited by liveaboards, Raja Ampat (looking to get back there soon) and have found much of the diving in the Banda Sea and Timor Sea about as good as I have ever seen. From a photographer's perspective the wealth of animal diversity as well as the gourgeous backgrounds make Indonesia pretty hard to beat. But I can certainly understand how some non-photogs might become somewhat bored with the sensory overload and quantity of critters. Sometimes a sandy bottom and a big animal is really hard to beat. > , but in Huku Hiva, I > was pleasantly surprise to see three hammerheads and about a dozen > large mantas on the same dive. I do need to look up your reports. Clearly I didn't see as much of FP as you have. >> I enjoyed Tahiti far more than I did Fiji. Most of the Atolls I visited >> in [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > Danial's diving experience there seemed to be limited to the books he > read and the Qantas flights that were canceled. :-) I have read some of his other stuff here on places I have also been, and much of it is right on target. I don't know why we have such a differing of opinion on Tahiti. > > Actually, I was a bit disappointed at the locations dived by the Tahiti > > Aggressor, compared to the rest of the French Polynesian islands I've [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > a newer itinerary spending less time at Rangiora and more time at the other > islands. This was from my post: RF> Below was from my logbook for the dives on the 3rd Day, after spending RF> the first 2 days in Rangiroa and a 13-hr crossing to Fakarava, on RF> Christmas Eve Day (12/24): RF> RF> First dive at the Fakatahuna Pass of Fakarava at 7:18! RF> (LATE start this day because of a 13 hr crossing <G>) RF> 2nd dive 9:45 at Devil's Corner; 3rd dive 13:03 at Big Corner Toau; RF> and the 4th 15:34 at Otugi Pass. JB> That night we sailed to Toau Atoll. We moored to the south of JB> Utogi pass, and beyond a small motu could be seen Fakatahuna Pass. JB> Pierre called it Fakatahuna Diabolique because he said it was just JB> fantastic. JB was Jim Breakell who posted a report on which i commented rather than writing my own, RF> So, we dived Fakatahuna --> Big Corner --> Toau --> Utogi Pass RF> while you went the opposite direction: Utogi, Toau, Fakatahuna, What you called the new itinerary was actually the old one. We spent two days in Rangiroa only because RF> Our week started with two days of dinghy-diving in Rangiroa RF> because the skiff was broken from the preceding week > I imagine 5 or 6 dives at Rangiroa would have been 3 or 4 too many > as it does that starting and ending on Rangiroa would have resulted in > needless circumnavigation. Transiting from one end of the chain to the other > makes far more sense. Both Jim Breakell and I agreed that we saw more sharks (including lemon) in one dive in Moorea than during our entire Rangiroa dives on the Aggressor. > > I hsd several > > parts of a trip report in the "Tahiti Aggressor" thread starting on > > Dec 30, 2002, which continued for several days into 2003. > > I'll have to look them up and see if our trips were similar. I clipped some of the passages from those (scattered) reports and cited them above. -- Bob. > What you called the new itinerary was actually the old one. We > spent two days in Rangiroa only because > RF> Our week started with two days of dinghy-diving in Rangiroa > RF> because the skiff was broken from the preceding week Or they vary the itinerary more than most people think. When I went on the boat (2/03) we immediately took off for the outer atolls, a 12-hour run in rough seas, and hit the Rangiroa sites on the way back. > Both Jim Breakell and I agreed that we saw more sharks (including > lemon) > in one dive in Moorea than during our entire Rangiroa dives on the > Aggressor. I don't recall too many sharks on my Rangiroa dives either and the Moorea dives I did were quite shark-filled. But that can't compare to the one dive we did in one of the atolls (Apataki? Fakarava?) where we were treated to an endless parade of white-tips. >> What you called the new itinerary was actually the old one. We >> spent two days in Rangiroa only because [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > the boat (2/03) we immediately took off for the outer atolls, a 12-hour > run in rough seas, and hit the Rangiroa sites on the way back. As explained to me that was the "old" itinerary. The "new" one has no "on the way back" because it starts at Rangiora and ends at Fakarava. The next weeks cruise will start at Fakarava and end at Rangiora. And these obviously alternate weekly. It does allow for more diving time and a greater latitude for itinerary change and I'm sure in these times of high fuel costs Aggressor sees some savings in expense as well. Maybe I am missing something here, but it seems both Bob and your cruises left and returned to Rangiora. Do I have that wrong? > As explained to me that was the "old" itinerary. The "new" one has no "on > the way back" because it starts at Rangiora and ends at Fakarava. The next > weeks cruise will start at Fakarava and end at Rangiora. And these > obviously alternate weekly. It does allow for more diving time and a > greater latitude for itinerary change and I'm sure in these times of high > fuel costs Aggressor sees some savings in expense as well. Most of our transiting was done at night, so I don't think we missed out on any diving. For the 12-hour long haul, they set out right after dinner. I think I managed to get in 24 dives, notwithstanding the fact that they didn't do any night dives on our trip. Fuel costs are probably the sole motivator. Plus, the direct crossing was a rough 12 hours. 10-12 foot seas. Two of my fellow passengers ended up puking. Only a few of us stayed up drinking and I ended up spilling red wine all over me. The downside is that the crew only sets foot back in Rangiroa once every two weeks. That means that they need to procure girlfriends in Fakarava as well and that could end up costing them twice as much. > Maybe I am missing something here, but it seems both Bob and your cruises > left and returned to Rangiora. Do I have that wrong? Right about me. I'm not going to speak for Bob. If I did, it would have to include lots of capital letters and my shift keys are taking a break right now. > What you called the new itinerary was actually the old one. We > spent two days in Rangiroa only because Actually I was parroting what the Aggressor crew claimed. They said that the "old" itinerary left Rangiroa and returned to Rangiora, while the "new" itinerary, the one I did, left Rangiora and ended at Fakarava. The old one was supposedly a loop and the new one a direct transit. Given what you and Greg are saying, they were obviously bullshitting the folks on our cruise. Those chartes to Rangirora have been on ....and off. I don't think they (dive tour operations) can sell them consistenly. Let's face it! The eastern Pacific diving tends to be weak -- no match for the intense coral u/w flora and fish life you can find in some areas of Fiji, the Solomons, PNG and Australia's Coral Sea. Even places like Va V'au (Tonga), Nouvelle Caldeonia (I've been there twice) and Vanutu (5 trips) don't often measure up. And as to places like Samoa (American or Western)-- forget about it! Two trips to Palau gave me a lot of thrills but Truk (except for the wrecks) was weak. Once upon a time, the Philippines had unbelieveable coral variety (two trips there) but I think its all been wrecked which is a pity. When I drag out my color u/w slides of PNG - I can count maybe17 different corals in one picture-- now that's diversity! I'm tired of looking at sandy bottoms and eel grass. Give me the diversity every time. And by the way, the French airlines that serve Tahiti -- some are gov't subsidized -- you know -- carry the mail, etc., like Air Mike used to be and maybe still does! A friend who once worked for UTA, a French airline -- now defunct once told me that the company had a very hard time making money flying in and out of Tahiti--even with the subsidy. He said it was a destination that they could hardly sustain economically. > > I've been there and done that too! So where are the dive charter to > > Tahiti and [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > Just an opinion, but a striking difference from what you say you found > there. > Those chartes to Rangirora have been on ....and off. I don't think they > (dive > tour operations) can sell them consistenly. > > Let's face it! The eastern Pacific diving tends to be weak -- A non-sequitar...we are talking about Tahiti and no area larger than that. And anyway, there is crap diving in the Indo-Pacific as well. Should one extroplate that little truth to believe that all of the Indo-Pacific is crap? > When I drag out my color u/w slides of PNG - I can count maybe17 different > corals in one picture-- now that's diversity! I'm tired of looking at > sandy > bottoms and eel grass. Then go somewhere that it isn't in evidence. > Give me the diversity every time. Not me. There are lot's of diving areas where animal specific intent trumps the need for coral or even fish diversity. It depends on what my intent is, as to what I will find acceptable. I love Galapagos, on the good trips there are....great schools of pelagic fish......whale sharks by the dozens....Hammerheads by the hundreds and sometimes thousands.......Rays galore.......there is no location I have dived more often that Galapagos. But it has little coral and a high degree less diversity than the Indo region and a lot of sandy and rock bottom, so apparently you wouldn't like it there. > And by the way, the French airlines that serve Tahiti -- some are gov't > subsidized -- you know -- carry the mail, etc., like Air Mike used to be [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > could > hardly sustain economically. Daniel by your reckoning,......this implication that the number of diving tourists is indicative of the quality of diving....., Key Largo would be the finest diving on the face of the planet and Raja Ampat the very worst. You'll have to forgive me if I do not attach much authority, to such reasoning. > > Those chartes to Rangirora have been on ....and off. I don't think they > > (dive [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > A non-sequitar...we are talking about Tahiti and no area larger than that. < snip > > Daniel by your reckoning,......this implication that the number of diving > tourists is indicative of the quality of diving....., Key Largo would be the > finest diving on the face of the planet and Raja Ampat the very worst. No, no. Easter Island would be the very worst. I'll bet I am the ONLY ONE in this ng who has ever dived there (last year :-)). > You'll have to forgive me if I do not attach much authority, to such > reasoning. LOL! -- Bob. Oh, I forgot to mention my trip to the Galapagos...that was quite special l-- speaking of the "Eastern Pacific" but I'll take the Western Pacific every time for the diversity. But I'm afraid that you see things quite differently than most of us ....and are one of those persons who wish to "have it your way" OK, so have it your way!!! > > Those chartes to Rangirora have been on ....and off. I don't think they > > (dive [quoted text clipped - 46 lines] > You'll have to forgive me if I do not attach much authority, to such > reasoning. > Oh, I forgot to mention my trip to the Galapagos...that was quite special > l-- [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > ....and are > one of those persons who wish to "have it your way" "us"? You got a mouse in your pocket? > OK, so have it your way!!! Am I going crazy....or does none of that make any sense in the context of this discussion? |
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