FIJI SCUBA DIVING

Fiji Dive Overview

If variety is the spice of life, then Fiji is diving's red hot chilli pepper.

Trying to sum up the special appeal of these waters is like packing a bag for an epic journey through four seasons - or editing years of underwater video into just 30 minutes of tape! There is simply no way to fit everything in.

Of course, most people know Fiji as the soft coral capital of the world and that's true! But soft corals are only symbolic of Fiji's complete story. The soft corals vibrant colours and giant size, the diversity of fish and invertebrates that live among their branches, the dramatic changes they undergo in an ancient rhythm of survival with the tides and currents, and the many types of underwater environments in which they thrive. Yes, Fiji's remarkable soft corals embody all the elements that make Fiji's reefs so exceptional. Drama and diversity, brilliant lavish panoramas, deep water rich with food and hiding places for the mysterious and rare  Fiji's marine realm is as dynamic and splendid as nature can be.

But to dive Fiji is to indulge in much more than the planets prettiest soft coral and reef fish scenery. The nations 300 plus islands and atolls are entwined in a complex system of barrier reefs so vast that an entire lifetime would not be enough to see them all. With about 1000 species of fish, several hundred types of corals and sponges an infinite array of crustaceans, molluscs, anemones, worms and other invertebrates (plus new animals still being discovered by divers and described by scientists) the shallow coral garden and the deep sloping shelf can reveal something different on every single dive.

But look away from the reef into the endless blue to encounter creatures of such size, grace and power as to take your breath away. Divers in Fiji commonly meet grey reef sharks and silvertips patrolling walls and congregating in reef passages. Hammerhead sharks cruise near seamounts and pinnacles. White tip reefs sharks, guitar sharks and leopard sharks are often found sleeping on sand or inside caves. Black tips scurry curiously along lagoon shores and even giant whale sharks are sometimes sighted feeding on the plankton and spawn from the coral reef.

Fiji is home to several pods of spinner dolphins and throughout the year migratory whales also visit Fiji waters. Large pods of pilot whales travel through deep channels accompanied by bottlenose dolphins. Humpback whales migrate here from Antarctica to mate and give birth. Orca, minke and sperm whales have passed through for centuries. The sperm whale tooth, or tanoa, is the most significant and valuable traditional Fijian gift.

Manta rays hover over reef-top cleaning stations or somersault in currents to feed. Barracuda swirl into sunbeams and trevally school tightly to guard against predators. Tangs and butterflyfish swarm at the mouth of channels where tuna squadrons compete with giant grouper as chief sentinels. Turtles, now protected in Fiji, nest upon sand cays and graze on reef plants. Everything has its place and Fiji underwater is a place that has some of everything.

Although Fiji is most famous for her spectacular coral reefs, cave divers also recently discovered intricate underwater cave systems. Sunken shipwrecks have been transformed into man-made reefs with a historical twist. Fiji has kept pace with the latest developments in diving technology and many operators offer the training for and use of Nitrox and Rebreathers as an alternative to air and tanks.

Fiji's natural variety extends to practicalities. Some sites, with their sheer deep walls and wild currents, are purely for the adventurous or experienced. While the shallow fringing reefs and protected lagoons are ideal for the very first SCUBA experience. Indeed, hundreds of people every year leave their cold and busy schedules at home to learn to dive in Fiji's warm and wealthy water with well-qualified instructors from all over the world. Many operators also offer speciality dive courses and even professional training to instructor level with the major international diving agencies. Snorkellers are as at home in Fiji cruising on reef flats as underwater photographers are exploring remote passages for undiscovered creatures.

Many dive operators have their shop and dive boat pick-up point within the grounds of a larger resort that also offers guests alternative water sport activities such as sailing, kayaking, para-flying or wind-surfing. Some resorts are exclusively set up for scuba divers with schedules and accommodations specifically designed for the idiosyncrasies of travelling diving groups or individual scuba divers, their equipment and special interests. Although Fiji boasts many resorts on both the main islands and many of the outlying destinations, there are also several premier live-aboard diving vessels that are capable of reaching the furthest virgin territories of Fiji and exploring offshore reef systems and distant islands. Live-aboards are the clear choice of divers seeking longer diving journeys and an unlimited number of dives each day.

So, if I had to choose one image to illustrate Fiji's marine magic? It would have to be of the many happy divers who return to Fiji again and again  perhaps to re-live past thrills, perhaps to experience something totally new."

Cat Holloway.
Journalist and underwater photographer