Snorkel· Katiu· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Katiu Pass Snorkel
16° 20.6′ S · 144° 21.2′ W · approximate
The outer half of Pakata Pass and its edges near the village jetty. Katiu's fish parks sit by the passes, a sign of how fishy these waters are.
Practical
Approximate: Katiu's village (Hitianau, called Toini on English Wikipedia) and pass are on the north rim; the position is derived from the Soggy Paws pass longitude (144°21'W), the north-rim latitude near Katiu Airport (16.3394S / 144.4031W, French Wikipedia) and the commune's 7 km airport-village road. No source gives a waypoint, so confirm on satellite imagery. No cruiser report describes a specific snorkel route here, so treat it like any Tuamotu pass. Go only at slack or early flood, from a dinghy, and keep well clear of the narrow coral-lined inner channel. The current is almost always outgoing (Eastern Stream 2021), so drift from the jetty toward the lagoon is the exception, not the rule. The commune counted 11 fish parks, which export about 8 tonnes of fish a year (French Wikipedia); do not touch or fish in them.
Best for
Experienced snorkelers at slack water
Nearby
- Katiu Post Office and Health PostRight here
- Hitianau Church (Katiu)0.1 NM away
- Katiu Pass Jetty (Pakata Pass)0.1 NM away
- Katiu Village Magasins and Snacks0.1 NM away
- Pakata Pass Drift Dive (Katiu)0.1 NM away
- Katiu Village Anchorage (Hitianau)0.5 NM away
- Hitianau to Airport Road Walk (Katiu)1.4 NM away
- Katiu Airport (KXU)2.9 NM away