Tumakohua (South Pass)
South Pass · French Polynesia
Narrow pass on the south end of Fakarava atoll with a permanent resident population of several hundred grey reef sharks — the famed 'wall of sharks' is biggest in July around the grouper spawning. Easy drift in clean tide controlled water.
Conditions
Depth
10 to 35 m
Advanced depths
Current
Often strong
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
25 to 40 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
26 to 29°C
Tropical wetsuit
Month by month
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water (°C) | 28 | 28 | 28 | 27 | 27 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 26 | 27 | 27 | 28 |
| Vis (m) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Current | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong | Strong |
Your chances of seeing each animal
Grey reef shark
Last confirmed May 10, 2026 · 408 records
Almost always
Nearly every dive
Blacktip Reef Shark
Last confirmed Nov 20, 2025 · 10 records
Very likely
Most dives
Schooling barracuda
Last confirmed Jun 12, 2025 · 1 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Camouflage grouper
Last confirmed Aug 14, 2025 · 6 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Whitetip Reef Shark
Last confirmed Aug 15, 2025 · 8 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Yellowfin Surgeonfish
Last confirmed May 7, 2026 · 10 records
Likely
About 6 in 10 dives
Napoleon Wrasse
Last confirmed May 7, 2026 · 3 records
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Marbled grouper
Expected
Known here, not yet in recent logs
Gear