Edna’s Anchor - Rarotonga
Jemeluk Secret Wall, on the left side of the bay, feels like a private discovery, even if it’s on the local dive shop radar. We love the drift here when the current picks up, gently pulling you along the wall. That wall drops to around 20 metres, and while the data suggests 30, we've rarely found a reason to go that deep when there’s so much to see closer to the surface. Look for the huge fan coral around 15 metres, a spot we’ve had good luck finding pygmy seahorses if you take your time and really get close. The visibility often hovers around 16 metres, which, for us, adds to that secret garden feel rather than detracting from it. You’ll encounter plenty of staghorn corals in robust patches and some impressive table corals, too. We’ve spotted Rosy Frogfish camouflaged amongst the rubble and Gardiner's Headshield Slugs inching along the reef face. Don’t expect screaming pelagics; this is a macro and slow-drift site for those who appreciate the smaller details and the quiet hum of the reef. It’s perfect for divers who enjoy a relaxed pace and hunting for cryptic critters.
- Location
- Rarotonga, Cook Islands, Central & South Pacific
- Coordinates
- -21.201700, -159.773400
- Type
- wall
Best Time to Dive in Rarotonga
The warmest water temperatures in Rarotonga occur in January, averaging 26.5°C. The coolest conditions are in December at 26.5°C.
Monthly Water Temperatures
- January: 26.5°C (air: 24.8°C)
- February: 26.5°C (air: 25.2°C)
- March: 26.5°C (air: 25.5°C)
- April: 26.5°C (air: 25.0°C)
- May: 26.5°C (air: 24.2°C)
- June: 26.5°C (air: 22.8°C)
- July: 26.5°C (air: 22.3°C)
- August: 26.5°C (air: 21.7°C)
- September: 26.5°C (air: 22.0°C)
- October: 26.5°C (air: 22.1°C)
- November: 26.5°C (air: 22.6°C)
- December: 26.5°C (air: 24.0°C)
Nearby Dive Sites in Rarotonga
- Aroa Rā’ui (reef)
- Arorangi Drop Off (reef)
- Arorangi Drop Off (wall)
- Arorangi Passage (reef)
- Arorangi Passage (reef)
- Avaavaroa Drop Off (reef)
- Avaavaroa Drop Off (reef)
- Avaavaroa Passage - 12-35m (reef)
- Avaavaroa Passage (reef)
- Avaavaroa Passage (reef)
- Avana Passage (drift)
- Avana Passage (wall)
- Avarua Passage (reef)
- Avarua Passage (reef)
- Avatiu Drop Off (wall)
Nearest Dive Centres to Edna’s Anchor
Marine Life in Rarotonga
Home to 143 recorded species including 102 reef fish, 14 hard corals, 10 sea snails & nudibranchs, 7 sea cucumbers, 2 sea urchins, 2 starfish.
Notable Species
- Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) - Reef Fish
- Black sea cucumber (Holothuria atra) - Sea Cucumbers
- Burrowing urchin (Echinometra mathaei) - Sea Urchins
- Greenfish (Stichopus chloronotus) - Sea Cucumbers
- Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
- Manini (Acanthurus triostegus) - Reef Fish
- Surf Redfish (Actinopyga mauritiana) - Sea Cucumbers
- Staghorn coral (Acropora lutkeni) - Hard Corals
- Lemon Peel (Centropyge flavissima) - Reef Fish
- Gendarme Fish (Acanthurus olivaceus) - Reef Fish
- Prickly Redfish (Thelenota ananas) - Sea Cucumbers
- Coral Blenny (Istiblennius edentulus) - Reef Fish
- Parrotfish (Thalassoma lutescens) - Reef Fish
- Sponsal Cone (Conus sponsalis) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- cowry (Monetaria moneta) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Staghorn coral (Acropora nasuta) - Hard Corals
- Staghorn coral (Acropora hyacinthus) - Hard Corals
- Bottleneck Sea Cucumber (Holothuria (Thymiosycia) impatiens) - Sea Cucumbers
- Frigid Cone (Conus frigidus) - Sea Snails & Nudibranchs
- Pearl-spotted wrasse (Halichoeres margaritaceus) - Reef Fish
Recommended Packing List for Edna’s Anchor
Based on average water temperature of 26.5°C.
- Shorty or Rashguard - warm 26°C water needs minimal exposure protection
- Mask - essential for every dive
- Fins
- BCD - buoyancy compensator
- Regulator - your most safety-critical piece of gear
- Dive Computer - tracks depth, time, and NDL
- Surface Marker Buoy (SMB) - essential for boat pickups
- Dive Torch - useful for crevices and colour at depth
- Underwater Camera - capture your diving memories