Dive· Rangiroa· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
L'Eolienne (Tiputa outer reef)
14° 58.1′ S · 147° 37.2′ W · approximate
The go-to outgoing-tide dive on Tiputa's ocean wall, sheltered from the ebb about 350 m from the pass corner, where bottlenose dolphins, mantas, spotted eagle rays, Napoleon wrasse and turtles turn up.
Practical
Approx: dive operators do not publish GPS for individual sites. Placed by reckoning from the Tiputa Pass ocean-mouth waypoint (Noonsite, 14.96683S 147.6245W) and the Tahiti Heritage pass centre (14.97062S 147.62797W), using the pass dimensions Tahiti Heritage gives (400 m wide, 900 m long) and the operator's description of where the dive runs. The 6 Passengers dive centre says the outgoing-current dives are all on the right-hand ocean wall of the pass (looking seaward), which is the Tiputa-village side; this site is about 350 m from the corner, so it is placed about 350 m ESE along the outer reef from the eastern mouth. All levels; maximum about 25-26 m. A shorter variant, La Mi-Eolienne, starts about 150 m from the entrance and uses counter-currents to follow the reef edge into the pass, past small colourful caves. Operators run these when the ebb makes the pass itself undiveable.
Best for
Dolphin encounters for all certification levels
Season
Outgoing current; dolphins year-round
Nearby
- L'Angle (Tiputa Pass corner)0.2 NM away
- Le Bleu (Tiputa blue-water dive)0.2 NM away
- La Grotte aux Requins (Shark Cave Dive, Tiputa Pass)0.3 NM away
- La Marche (Hammerhead Dive, Tiputa Pass)0.3 NM away
- La Traversee (Pass Crossing Dive, Tiputa)0.3 NM away
- Les Canyons (Tiputa Pass)0.4 NM away
- Motu Nohi Nohi Beginner Dive (Tiputa Pass)0.5 NM away
- Rangiroa Manta and Hammerhead Season (outer reef)0.5 NM away