Snorkel· Fakarava· French Polynesia: Tuamotus, Marquesas, Gambier & Australs
Tetamanu Coral Garden Snorkel (South Pass)
16° 31.0′ S · 145° 27.7′ W · approximate
A drift snorkel down the north-east edge of the south pass, from the old church spit over a 20 ft coral plateau where blacktip and grey reef sharks patrol through 100 ft visibility.
Practical
Go on the incoming tide or at slack. One crew (2017) swam ashore, walked through Tetamanu, entered at the shallow spit beyond the church and let the flood carry them in. Others found a V-shaped trench in mid-pass with a coral plateau about 20 ft deep on the north side, and up to 20 sharks (Starry Horizons 2016). Never snorkel the pass on the ebb. The brief now says no dinghies in the pass; Tetamanu Village runs accompanied snorkels with a safety boat. Coordinate approx: midway between the Tetamanu church (OSM) and the Passe Tumakohua node (OSM), on the north-east edge of the pass.
Best for
Sharks and coral without scuba
Season
Incoming tide or slack only
Nearby
- Fakarava Marbled Grouper Spawning (South Pass)0.1 NM away
- Shark Cave Observatory (Tumakohua Pass)0.1 NM away
- Tetamanu Village and Church (Fakarava)0.1 NM away
- Tumakohua Pass Wall of Sharks Dive (Fakarava South)0.1 NM away
- Pension Teramanu (Fakarava)0.2 NM away
- Tetamanu Dive Center Shack Meals (South Pass)0.2 NM away
- Tetamanu Shark Shallows (South Pass)0.2 NM away
- Tetamanu Village Dive Center0.2 NM away