Always Cool - Taveuni & Somosomo Strait

Always Cool is exactly that, reliably unruffled by conditions elsewhere in the Somosomo. We’ve found it’s a brilliant alternative when the current is ripping through the bigger passages. It’s a site built around ten distinct coral heads, a jumble of hard and soft corals. We’re talking big brain corals, some elegant staghorn, and those delicate fluorescence grass corals that really pop under a dive light. Maxing out around 19m, we think the sweet spot is really above 18m. That’s where the light still penetrates well, showing off the vibrant blues of Ternate chromis and the subtle hues of honeycombs. The sea fans here are enormous, and a few small swim-throughs make for fun exploration. At night, it transforms. We’ve seen a lot of activity after dark, nudibranchs out in force, anemones alive with crustaceans, and if you sweep your light into the blue, sometimes a reef shark cruising by. It’s a great choice for divers looking for a more relaxed pace, an excellent night dive, or simply a calm, colorful reef with plenty to find in the cracks and crevices. Expect to see lots of pipefish, some scissortail sergeants, and maybe a small giant clam if you look closely.

Location

Taveuni & Somosomo Strait, Fiji, Central & South Pacific

Coordinates

-17.248800, 178.172200

Type

reef

Marine Protected Area: Vanua Rakiraki, Ra