Scuba Dive Sites with GPS / Description - Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia

[knoebi]

Hi
we will go cruising in the South Pacific in this winter and visit the following places: Tonga, Fiji, Vanuatu, New Caledonia.
Does anybody have or know where to get Dive Sites descriptions?
Best regards
Philipp

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Philipp.

Check out the Pacific Dive Guide
Here ➥ The Ultimate Pacific Dive Guide

[YourOldNemesis]

Didn't like that dive guide much. The best diving I did in the S Pac was lots of snorkelling in the bays on the north of Tahuata: hiva oa - Google Maps
and in Rangiroa just outside the pass: Rangiroa - Google Maps did a drift dive in which we saw turtles, an eagle ray and loads of reef sharks. We then spent the last 10 mins playing with dolphins, although that's really hard as they change their depth all the time!

The best place I've ever dived in the world though has to be Bonaire. Sadly I learned there and was totally spoiled. Everything else has been second-best!

[skipmac]

Did a quick look through on the Pacific Dive Guide web site. Unless I missed a link somewhere it is just like 98% of the online and printed diveguides I've ever found. No maps or GPS coordinates to specific sites, just ads for dive operators and travel poster style comments from "satisfied customers" and bloggers.

Really hard to find dive guides that offer information equivalent to that found in sailing guides.

[knoebi]

yeah it seems to be difficult. But there should be many other sailors which should have many logbook entries? usually with gps fix.
On http://www.wannadive.net you find some guides for Tonga and Fiji, not many but at least its a start.

[osirissail]

I used to subscribe to Undercurrent - a new letter specifically for divers which published the latest information and news from people actually diving here, there, and everywhere.
There website is: Scuba Diving Magazine for Serious Divers, Undercurrent Reviews Dive Resorts and Scuba Diving Equipment and should provide the latest possible news and reference to the best spots and experiences.
- - Just be warned Fiji is still under Marshall Law and movement and activities there are tightly controlled by the rulers which includes tourist activities of every sort most likely including diving.

[idpnd]

Would be nice to have a user-contributed database to get some information independent of dive tour operators (who are obviously not willing to tell anyone where the spots are).

[YourOldNemesis]

Originally Posted by osirissail

Just be warned Fiji is still under Marshall Law and movement and activities there are tightly controlled by the rulers which includes tourist activities of every sort most likely including diving.

I'm not aware of the political situation having changed since 2008. At that time there were a few cruisers we knew who avoided it for that reason. We went there regardless anchored in many different places and stayed in guest houses, took public transport, celebrated divali with the locals, went snorkelling, visited suva etc.. etc... there was absolutely no evidence anywhere of any political unrest of any kind whatsoever or marshall law, or restricted movement for anyone at all.

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by osirissail

I used to subscribe to Undercurrent - a new letter specifically for divers which published the latest information and news from people actually diving here, there, and everywhere.
There website is: Scuba Diving Magazine for Serious Divers, Undercurrent Reviews Dive Resorts and Scuba Diving Equipment and should provide the latest possible news and reference to the best spots and experiences.

I also used to subscribe to Undercurrents. Never saw any exact dive sites, only reviews and comments about commercial dive operators. I think the point of the original post is to find the location of dive sites that cruisers can go to on their own boats. If you have a boat it just doesn't seem to make sense to pay a commercial dive boat to take you diving IF you can find the good spots.

[idpnd]

Originally Posted by idpnd

Would be nice to have a user-contributed database to get some information independent of dive tour operators.

Exists already: - Wannadive.net - World dive site atlas

Pacific section looks ok, up to you to big it up when you're out there I guess

This is a fully integrated overlay on google earth as well:

Wannadive on Google Earth Wannadive.net has open its dive site database to Google Earth users. Install Google Earth V5.0 and launch it, then activate the Ocean layer. You can zoom in and see all Wannadive dive sites. Wannadive.net database has 4 000 dive sites..

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by idpnd

Would be nice to have a user-contributed database to get some information independent of dive tour operators (who are obviously not willing to tell anyone where the spots are).

Think this would be a great idea. Dive operators certainly are not willing to share their information. In fact the one time I went on a commercial dive boat in the US, the captain (who was a bit of a jerk anyway) announced that any GPS found in a divers bag would be tossed over the side.

[Mike Scotter]

Did you get the info you wanted, i can give you a list of sites for Tonga,Western Fiji and New Caledonia.We have dived them alot over the last few years.Ive got pic's and gps positions etc.