Page 138 - Melanesia

ainbow Reef is considered an international top dive destina- mong Rainbow Reefs many wonders is the Great White Wall,

R tion. The Somosomo Strait has strong fertile tidal currents A a sunken escarpment blanketed in luminescent white corals.

which provide a rich and constant flow of nutrients, idyllic for soft Consistently rated as one of the world’s best dive sites, the wall
coral growth, healthy and diverse eco systems and plentiful fish is reached via a tubular swim-through and starts at a depth of 20
life. The most popular dive site in the Rainbow Reef is the Great m. Between a tangle of flexible, treelike soft coral are millions of
White Wall (a perpendicular wall covered in ice colored soft coral, beautifully colored anthias and other pelagic fish. Larger species,
below 15m/45ft. Other popular wall dives are the Purple Wall, the including manta rays, barracuda and reef sharks are present. The
Zoo and the Fish Factory. Dives with sloping reef with pinnacles Great White Wall have been noted in the ‘Top 10 Dive Locations in
and include the famous Annie’s Bommies and the Mini White Wall. the World’ by U.S. Divers magazine.

W ell-known slopping reefs are Jerry’s Jelly, Sam’s Point and M any divers come to Taveuni just to witness the excellent soft
Rainbows End. Every dive or snorkel you make in the Rain- coral blooms that occur when the current is running just
bow Reef, you’ll be amazed by the amount of reef life due to the right. Normally the currents are little more than a gentle helping

rich flow of nutrients. This striking environment is the product of hand along the way, guiding you past some of the most wonderful

a rare phenomenon that sees a large volume of seawater forced proliferations of soft corals on the planet. Large bushes of pink,

through the narrow, shallow passage that is the Somosomo Strait. brown and orange span out to capture the passing nutrients and

The pressure creates strong currents brimming with nutrients create the remarkable spectacles of colour that portray Taveuni

eagerly anticipated by the marine life, in particular the soft corals, scuba diving. When the current is present to any reasonable extent

which expand to their most enchanting at feeding time. “The best the grateful corals expand to their finest and most enchanting,

time to dive it is at low slack tide, when there is no current and the whereas without the current they would retract into barely visible

wall has been fed with nutrients for seven hours. balls. It is not all sessile stuff when diving Taveuni however, as the

nutrient rich waters also promise plenty of plenty of pelagic fish

species.