Fiji

The strong currents of the outer reefs bring nutrient-rich waters from thousands of miles around, and in turn, lure in some of the most-diverse life in the ocean, including everything from macro life to pelagic spectacles that defy the eye.

On this trip, our wonderful guide Sam was experienced and flexible enough to guide us expertly on a dive at the worldfamous Great White Wall on Taveuni’s Rainbow Reef, a tricky dive site to negotiate due to tidal flow and currents

There are over 300 islands in Fiji, as well as two of the world’s longest barrier reefs, and some of the best dive sites are found in its more remote corners. Diveplanit Travel’s Deborah Dickson-Smith discovered some hidden gems on a recent cruise with Captain Cook Cruises Fiji

Photographs by Jayne Jenkins

The Reef Endeavour is not your standard

dive liveaboard, it’s an adventure cruise vessel catering well to both divers and non-divers, with a wide range of activities on offer to cater to a wide range of tastes. From snorkelling, ocean swimming and freediving lessons to kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding and hiking for the more-active passengers.

And for those here for the cultural experience, a wide range of historical and cultural activities including traditional lovo feasts, meke performances and excursions to remote communities that encompass a wide range of cultural differences. Passengers with a passion for ocean conservation and sustainable travel can engage with one of the four marine biologists that the cruise company employs to learn about the surrounding marine environment, help plant coral at a coral nursery at their private island, or join one of their Ocean Ambassadors for a beach clean-up.

Diving is an important aspect of the Captain Cook Cruises Fiji offering. On the various itineraries on offer throughout the year, they visit more dive locations in Fiji than any other operator, from the Mamanuca and Yasawa Islands, to Bligh Water and the Lomaiviti archipelago, Savusavu, Taveuni, Kadavu and the remote Lau group of islands.

The diving on MV Reef Endeavour, and Captain Cook’s Tivua Island day trips, has been managed for many years by Viti Water Sports. Based in Nadi, the dive guides and instructors can cater to both experienced divers and absolute beginners, making this a great way to introduce your nondiving partner – or children – to diving for the first time.

To cater for diving on some of the less-frequent trips to the more-remote islands, including Savusavu and Taveuni, such as the Remote North Cruise that we’re on, Viti Water Sports send selected guides to the region for a few weeks to learn about dive site locations in partnerships formed with local dive resorts.

Clownfish in an anemone

Each morning at the 8.30am dive briefing, the number of divers is confirmed, dive sites are decided for each diver according to experience, and guides are deployed accordingly. Depending on conditions, up to three dives are offered each day.

On this trip, our wonderful guide Sam was experienced and flexible enough to guide us expertly on a dive at the world-famous Great White Wall on Taveuni’s Rainbow Reef, a tricky dive site to negotiate due to tidal flow and currents, and at the opposite end of the spectrum, take excellent care of my daughter and her friend on their first-ever diving experience.

Remote North Cruise

Captain Cook’s Far North Cruise used to be called the Colonial Discovery Cruise, as it takes in historical locations such as the first colonial capital, Levuka, and an old leper colony in Makogai. ‘Far North’ is probably a better descriptor for divers, as it visits some of Fiji’s best dive sites in Savusavu, Taveuni and Bligh Water. The cruise also encompasses some unique cultural experiences such as a visit to Kioa, an island populated by Polynesian migrants from Tuvalu, who, with flowers in their hair, sing beautifully as they greet our arrival in dugout canoes. Our first stop is Tivua, Captain Cook’s private island which they run day trips to from Port Denarau each day on beautiful schooners. Non-divers can spend time lazing on the beach, snorkelling, kayaking and learning about the coral conservation programme managed by the company’s resident marine biologists.

For divers, the main attraction is the Raiyawa Wreck, scuttled several years ago to create an artificial reef. In the few years it’s been underwater, it has attracted plenty of marine life, so expect to be buzzed by schools of reef fish and explore the nooks and crannies for cowries, nudibranchs and juvenile lionfish.

Makogai

Makogai is part of the Lomaivati group of islands, and until 1969 served as a leper colony for over 4,500 patients from all over the Pacific. Among the 1,241 souls interred here is Fijian Sister Maria Filomena, who worked at the colony since its inception and continued to care for patients after contracting the disease herself in 1925, for another 30 years. Sister Maria has a dive site named after her, a pretty meander through a coral garden on Makogai’s fringing reef.

The outer reef here is spectacular, but conditions didn’t allow us to get there on this trip, so we dived the Makogai Pinnacles, not far from Sister Maria Slope, and… wow. A row of pinnacles, each one as beautiful as the next, vibrant soft and hard corals, enormous gorgonian fans and whip corals, teeming with reef fish. We managed to fit in three dives here and it was a highlight of the trip.

Exploring Fiji’s waters

This cruise provides a fantastic sampler of Fiji’s best dive locations - Savusavu, Taveuni and Bligh Water. And you’ll also have a fantastic deep dive into Fiji’s fascinating and diverse culture

Coral-covered shipwreck Fiji’s corals are legendary

The country’s 333 islands support over 300 species of hard corals, more than 1500 species of fish and many species of soft corals, anemones, sea fans and nudibranchs. Circled by three of the world’s largest barrier reefs, Fiji presents the ultimate adventure playground for scuba divers.

There is a wreck under that coral cover

Wreck diving in Fiji is enjoyable because of the large, sheltered lagoons and excellent water visibility. You’ll find wrecks scattered across the seafloor throughout Fiji.

Paddleboarding and kayaking

Savusavu

While the land lubbers are enjoying the hot springs, chocolate plantations and pearl farms of Savusavu, divers get to explore the dive sites made famous by Jean Michel Cousteau in the Namena Marine Reserve, and closer to shore, Split Rock and Golden Bommie. Golden Bommie is aptly named for its reefs and rocks which are covered in yellow soft corals. In the shallows, fields of anemones and deeper, enormous gorgonian fans.

Taveuni

Fiji’s ‘Garden Island’ is as beautiful above water as it is below. Lush rainforest and dramatic multi-tiered waterfalls. And then of course there’s the Rainbow Reef.

The Rainbow Reef always provides spectacular diving every visit – but why? As always, it’s Location! Location! Location! And in this case the location is in the Somosomo Strait – a relatively narrow channel between two islands where nutrient rich waters from deeper areas at either end of the channel are brought to the surface and over the reefs providing a constant food supply for the ecosystem of marine life that lives there.

The Great White Wall is one of the world’s top 20 dive sites, but timing the tidal flow to dive it must be spot on. Our dive guide Sam has spent time here with local dive resort Paradise Taveuni, and we hook up with them to ensure we hit the Wall at exactly the right time (they also shared their freshly baked cinnamon buns).

On this drift dive, a swim-through descends to 25m and opens to a stunning vertical wall covered in ice white dendronephthya soft coral. Returning to 18m, another swim-through brings you up to an overhang and the dive continues roaming the reef to savour the rainbow colours on the shallower parts of the reef.

Bligh Water

The last dive location for us on the Far North cruise is Nanu-I-Ra in Bligh Water. And what a way to end a dive trip. We spend around 70 minutes exploring Golden Dreams, a stunning dive site covered with soft corals of all colours, yellow being the dominant colour, but it’s one of those dive sites that evolves and changes, with new delights each corner you turn. This cruise provides a fantastic sampler of Fiji’s best dive locations - Savusavu, Taveuni and Bligh Water. And you’ll also have a fantastic deep dive into Fiji’s fascinating and diverse culture. Bring the kids. n

Book your adventure today!

For more information on diving Fiji with Captain Cook Cruises Fiji, contact the team of experts at Diveplanit Travel. diveplanit.com Ph: 1800 607 913 email: enquire@diveplanit.com

PADI AWARE FOUNDATION

LAUNCHES ADOPT THE BLUE

PADI recently announced the official launch

of Adopt The Blue, the world’s largest network of underwater sites for ocean conservation, to dive centres, resorts and professional members around the world.

This programme, managed by PADI AWARE Foundation, will expand on the former Adopt a Dive Site initiative and actively support PADI Members like you to take local action for global ocean conservation.

In the lead up to this upcoming World Oceans Day, PADI and PADI AWARE Foundation are calling on PADI Members everywhere to sign up for the programme. The application takes less than five minutes and can be completed either via the PADI AWARE App. Once completed, your underwater site will be displayed on the Adopt the Blue conservation map, visible to all PADI website visitors when it launches on June 6.

If every PADI Member adopts at least one site between now and 2025, we can reach our goal of 10,000 underwater sites that will serve as the driving force for establishing new Marine Protected Areas around the globe in the coming decade.

“The ultimate success of Adopt The Blue, like all AWARE programmes, is dependent upon the PADI Members’ active participation in the programme. By joining us in one of the most-ambitious conservation programs on the planet, we can work together to protect the underwater world we love,” says Danna Moore, Global Director of PADI AWARE Foundation.

When you Adopt The Blue, you will: • See your site and name displayed on the AWARE global map with the ability for consumers to contact you • Substantially increase your opportunity to receive AWARE community grants • Inventory your site with AWARE for future conservation projects and actions with related marketing support • Help drive marine protection globally • Receive a program badge in your My Ocean Profile

Special thanks to Blancpain, founding partner of the PADI Marine Protected Areas Programme and ADOPT THE BLUE. n