Passe de Tikehau - Tuheiava - Rangiroa

The SAS Transvaal is a wreck dive that really earns its stripes, even with Cape Town's notoriously fickle visibility. We love how she’s settled on the sand, canted over, giving the whole dive a dramatic feel from the moment you drop down. You’re looking at a vessel mostly intact, a ghostly form emerging from the green gloom, particularly if you’re lucky enough to catch it on a good day. Yes, the water can be green, and visibility averages six metres, but that’s part of the Cape Town experience; it forces you to slow down, to really look. The mast has toppled to port, creating this fantastic broken lattice for schooling salema and blackedged blaasop. We always take our time poking around the superstructure, keeping a respectful distance from the collapsing hull sections, which we’d advise against entering anyway. It’s the resident fish that really make it for us – the clever wrasse darting in and out, the occasional escolar lurking in the shadows, and we’ve even spotted a triggerfish or two. Dive this one in winter for your best shot at decent conditions, or on a calm summer day when the south-easter isn't kicking up a fuss. It's a dive for those who appreciate the quiet mystery of a sunken ship, and don't mind working a little for their reward.

Location: Rangiroa, French Polynesia, Central & South Pacific
Coordinates: -15.009300, -148.277700
Type: wreck

Best Time to Dive in Rangiroa

The warmest water temperatures in Rangiroa occur in April, averaging 29.2°C. The coolest conditions are in September at 26.8°C.

Monthly Water Temperatures

January: 28.5°C
February: 28.7°C
March: 29.2°C
April: 29.2°C
May: 28.7°C
June: 28.0°C
July: 27.3°C
August: 26.8°C
September: 26.8°C
October: 27.3°C
November: 28.1°C
December: 28.4°C

Nearest Dive Centres to Passe de Tikehau - Tuheiava

Marine Life in Rangiroa

Home to 153 recorded species including 129 reef fish, 6 sea cucumbers, 5 whales & dolphins, 5 hard corals, 2 sharks & rays, 2 sea snails & nudibranchs.

Notable Species

Small giant clam (Tridacna maxima) - Clams & Mussels
Manini (Acanthurus triostegus) - Reef Fish
Bristle-toothed Surgeonfish (Ctenochaetus striatus) - Reef Fish
Bearded Sabretooth Blenny (Petroscirtes xestus) - Reef Fish
Bullethead Parrotfish (Chlorurus sordidus) - Reef Fish
Tuna (Thunnus alalunga) - Reef Fish
Kihikihi (Zanclus cornutus) - Reef Fish
Bluelined Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigroris) - Reef Fish
Stripy (Katsuwonus pelamis) - Reef Fish
Spotted Unicornfish (Naso brevirostris) - Reef Fish
Threadfin (Chaetodon auriga) - Reef Fish
Argus Grouper (Cephalopholis argus) - Reef Fish
Banded Goatfish (Parupeneus multifasciatus) - Reef Fish
Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) - Reef Fish
Floral wrasse (Cheilinus chlorourus) - Reef Fish
Black-barred Surgeonfish (Acanthurus nigricauda) - Reef Fish
Saddleback Butterflyfish (Chaetodon ephippium) - Reef Fish
Citron Butterfly (Chaetodon citrinellus) - Reef Fish
Blue-lined Tang (Zebrasoma scopas) - Reef Fish
Brown Sandfish (Bohadschia vitiensis) - Sea Cucumbers

Recommended Packing List for Passe de Tikehau - Tuheiava

Based on average water temperature of 28.1°C, currents 11 cm/s.

Shorty or Rashguard - warm 28°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