Diving The Gap
Vava'u Tonga

Location

18-41.296 S / 174-04.170 W  North tip of Nuapupu Island

Accessible by big dinghy in settled weather from Mala (#6), Port Maurelle (#7), and Nuku (#8).  This is a few hundred meters north of Mariner's and would be a good dive to combine with a Mariner's Cave dive or snorkel.

General Info

The Gap is a gap at the north end of Nuapupu Island, a few miles SW of Neiafu.  You can anchor a dinghy or small boat at the waypoint in about 25' of water in a white spot (sand/rock clear of coral). 

Dive Profile

Enter the water in about 25 feet, and proceed north and east, around the northern tip of Nuapupu, and into the gap between Nuapupu and the small island to the north.  There are many huge boulders in this area and several nice swim-throughs.

The bottom here is 15'-80' (and down to about 90' in the gap).

In the gap itself, there are often pelagic fish.

Along the way, there are sea fans, sea whips, soft corals, hard corals, nudibranchs, and the usual variety of colorful South Pacific reef fish.

Return via roughly the same route you took on the way out, and finish your safety stop over the coral heads under the boat.

Notes