Dive· Toau· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Anse Amyot Outer Wall Drift (Toau)
15° 48.0′ S · 146° 9.4′ W
Outside the false pass the ocean wall drops from about 10 m into the blue, covered in plate and branching coral, with tuna, giant morays and grey reef sharks; drift it with the dinghy in tow or slide into the pass on the flood.
Practical
Position is the old 'Amyot Pass' dive buoy just outside the pass in 10 m, close to the wall (15°48.040'S 146°09.360'W, Soggy Paws 2010). Gaston reported in 2018 that he can no longer keep a permanent buoy on the outside, so drift-dive with the dinghy on a 75 ft leash or with a boat tender. Diving is best in E-S winds when the wall is in the lee; no current to speak of in calm conditions, about 1.5 kt along the wall in 2003 (Hacking family). Go in pairs, carry a handheld VHF and an anchor on a line; the next stop downwind is a long way off. No dive shop or tank fills on Toau, and the nearest recompression chamber is in Tahiti; dive conservatively.
Best for
Self-sufficient divers with their own gear
Season
Best in E-S winds
Nearby
- Anse Amyot Fuel and Water (Toau)0.2 NM away
- Valentine and Gaston's Restaurant (Anse Amyot)0.2 NM away
- Anse Amyot Moorings (Toau)0.3 NM away
- Toau Cyclone and Maraamu Season0.3 NM away
- Anse Amyot Reef Snorkel (Toau)0.4 NM away
- Snapper Hole Dive Site (Anse Amyot, Toau)0.7 NM away
- Yellow Dog Dive Site (Anse Amyot, Toau)0.9 NM away
- Anse Amyot Grottos (Toau)1 NM away