Dive Taveuni

Great White Wall

"Great" is a bland term too often thrown about but here it is justified, for it describes one of the most dramatic sights and sites you are likely to witness, and certainly one of the major attractions of diving Taveuni.

A lot depends on hitting it at the right times as regards current and tidal changes. The dive will probably begin for you at a tubular cave around 15 metres depth, festooned with hard and soft corals as well as colourful sponges and crinoids. There may be a few resident lionfish and morays greeting you as you cruise along.

Once you have filed through this swimthrough towards the exit at about 25 metres and turned left, you might be forgiven for thinking you had your ski holiday and your Taveuni dive holiday mixed up, since you emerge onto what looks like a sudden snow-covered drop. This almost vertical wall (surely a black run) is blanketed with white coral.

Between the white coral are little splashes of orange, green and red but the overall effect is undoubtedly that of a great, white wall. Square-spot anthias seem to be the pre-dominant fish on the wall as they dash around against the white backdrop. However the wall itself, with its white blanket, several whip corals playing home to gobies and a few large gorgonians, is the undoubted star attraction.

The wall plummets dramatically into the abyss and you will too if you don't keep an eye on your depth gauge, for given the snow-blinding scene, it is difficult to monitor depth using points of reference. One interesting change however is that as the depth increases the wall takes on a more iridescent lavender hue (dilly dilly).

Fiji is not renowned for its deep dives but this Taveuni site does give you an opportunity to get down to where the air tastes differently if you so desire, although there are no additional deep water features other than the great lavender wall itself. If conditions permit your guide may also lead you through another swim-through or 2 which are home to soldierfish, squirrelfish and fairy basslets.

Unique, dramatic and rewarding all apply to this, one of Fiji's signature dive sites. If you have been growing tired of diving lately, this is going to be the one that saves you, and after all, it's the Great White Wall.

The Great White Wall Reef Basics: Swim-through and Wall
Depth: 15 - >40m
Visibility: 15 - 40m
Currents: Moderate to strong
Surface Conditions: Gentle to very strong
Water Temperature: 22 - 30°C
Experience Level: Beginner to Intermediate
Number of dive sites: 1
Diving Season: All year round
Distance: 12 km from Wairiki, 27 km from Maravu Plantation Resort
Access: Taveuni dive resorts and liveaboards

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