Snorkel· Faaite· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Faaite Pass Drift Snorkel
16° 42.0′ S · 145° 21.2′ W
Ride the incoming current through Faaite's pass, past the town pier and the stone fish traps (parcs à poissons) in front of the village.
Practical
Coordinate is the pass beacon in OpenStreetMap. Sloepmouche (2008): an interesting drift snorkel on the in-going current, especially past the town pier and the fish traps. Slingshot (2021) snorkeled the pass before entering, to check depth and obstructions. The pass is outgoing most of the time (0.5-4 kt observed over 4 days in 2021), so wait for slack or a true flood and have someone follow in the dinghy. Don't touch or swim into the fish traps; they are family property. Keep clear of the schooner and the barge.
Best for
An easy drift snorkel by the village