What it's like to dive in Rarotonga

New Zealand is blessed with some amazing tropical neighbours and included in that mix are the Cook Islands. Jordy Bardin has been working in the the Cooks in recent months and while fishing has been her main focus, she has also had time to explore the underwater world...

In the heart of the Cook Islands lies the beautiful island of Rarotonga. Every time you travel here you will discover new things to do, spots to see and places to go. The crystal-clear waters are irresistible, with the vibrant aqua blue lagoon surrounding the island and the sapphire waters stretching out beyond the island’s barrier reef. The water temperature ranges from the mid 20s to 30 degrees throughout the year which makes it easy to spend hours exploring in the water. My time spent travelling and living here has led me to uncover an incredible underwater world which I would like to share, so you can experience it too!

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The lagoon

Rarotonga’s surrounding lagoon is mostly a very safe and easy place to swim and snorkel for people of all ages and levels of experience. However, the coral within the lagoon is damaged due to a range of factors, including coral bleaching, algal blooms and human impacts. With that being said, there is still some great fish life to be seen at places such as The Fruits of Rarotonga, a marine reserve in Tikioki.

Bluefin trevally out from the Fruits of Rarotonga.

Bluefin trevally out from the Fruits of Rarotonga.

Follow the reef structure out towards the buoys and you will find the colourful giant clams, as well as the friendly bluefin and giant trevally. A tip – look for the coral bommies or areas with lots of coral structure as this is where the majority of fish life aggregate. In many places around the island, you won’t have to swim far to find the fish life which makes it easy for the family to experience!

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Morava, when spawning around March, can be found in aggregations not unlike our snapper.

Morava, when spawning around March, can be found in aggregations not unlike our snapper.

This article is focused towards the more experienced freedivers or spearos, but no matter what skill level, I encourage you to always use safe diving practices. Dive with a buddy and get as much local intel before diving an area.

Over the reef

Outside of the lagoon, there is a whole other world to discover. Beyond the island’s surrounding barrier reef (which is where the waves break, sheltering the island from big swells), the water turns dark blue as it rapidly grows deeper, dropping away to 100m very close in.

Getting over the reef requires you to walk over the shallow part where the waves break – there must be minimal swell in order for you to safely venture over and back in.

A camouflaged stonefish. Watch out for these guys and protect yourself by wearing reef shoes.

A camouflaged stonefish. Watch out for these guys and protect yourself by wearing reef shoes.

A great place to do this is out from Blackrock. Beyond the reef you will discover an abundance of live coral and fish life, as well as small caves in the reef to explore.

What you may find:

• Blue-spotted eagle rays

• Moray eels

• Caves

• Sharks

The structure over the reef at Blackrock.

The structure over the reef at Blackrock.

Passages

There are various channels around the island which lead out through the reef. These are reasonably deep and can be very dangerous due to the currents, and so are marked by “no swimming” signs.

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However, there are companies such as Ariki Adventures and KiteSup who take tours here with trained guides and sea scooters that assist with the strong currents. I would advise booking a tour with them in order to more safely explore these areas.

Passages such as the Avaavaroa are teeming with life due to those strong currents and nutrients flowing through them. These passages are where the sea turtles and eagle rays hang out in large numbers – you are almost guaranteed to see a turtle here!

What you may find:

• Turtles

• Blue-spotted eagle rays

• Reef sharks

• Bigger fish species

A resting green sea turtle in Avaavaroa passage.

A resting green sea turtle in Avaavaroa passage.

FADs (Fish Aggregation Devices)

Rarotonga has a collection of FADs in place around the island, some anchored in around 300m and some in around 1200m of water.

These are a tool put in place for the local fishermen in order to attract small bait fish (looking for protection) which, in turn, attract larger pelagic fish such as tuna, wahoo and even marlin. The FADs also provide keen spearfishers a place to target pelagic game fish, in particular wahoo. Wahoo season runs from approximately June to October, and at various times there will be large schools holding around the FADs, making them an ideal target for spearos. They are a great fighting fish and some impressive sizes are found in these waters. There is also always the chance of other species showing up, such as yellowfin tuna, mahimahi or marlin.

These are big, hard fighting fish which is why you MUST come prepared with the appropriate gear. Either book a charter or get to know the local spearos who may be willing to take you out with them. Akura Fishing Charters will happily take you out, making sure you are properly prepared and have assistance in the water if you need it.

What you may find:

• Wahoo

• Yellowfin tuna

• Mahimahi

• Marlin

• Bigger shark species

Unfortunately, eating the reef fish is not advised as there is a risk of getting ciguatera poisoning. Therefore, I do not encourage spearfishing the lagoon or reef.

If you do get to spend some time out in the deep water (and if you are lucky enough), there are some spectacular species which pass through Rarotongan waters at various times of the year. The humpback whale season runs from July through to October, with high numbers migrating past Rarotonga. They often swim close to the island, and are an amazing sight when you are on or in the water.

Another incredible creature which shows up throughout summertime (usually December – April) is the whale shark. These guys are docile giants, and although fairly rare to see, they are usually friendly and will hang around the boat, making for a great opportunity to swim with them.

The more time that you spend on or in the water, the greater chance you have of experiencing some amazing things. Remember to always show an immense respect for the ocean and the creatures that live there – they will repay you with priceless memories.

Meitaki ma’ata Rarotonga – thank you very much Rarotonga

   This article is reproduced with permission of   
New Zealand Fishing News

April 2019 - Jordy Bardin
Re-publishing elsewhere is prohibited

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