
Avana Passage Rarotonga
Rarotonga, Cook Islands · Cook Islands
The main oceanic channel on Rarotonga's eastern coast concentrates current-riding grey reef sharks and schools of pelagic fish in a narrow corridor between the lagoon and the open sea. Drift timing matters here — the outgoing tide pushes divers through the passage with minimal effort while sharks work the upwelling edges for an effortless front-row view.
Conditions
Depth
8 to 30 m
Open water and up
Current
Can be moderate
Can pick up on the edge
Visibility
20 to 30 m
Clearest in the calm season
Water
23 to 29°C
3mm wetsuit
Your chances of seeing each animal
Grey reef sharkEndangered
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Bumphead parrotfishVulnerable
Sometimes
About 1 in 3 dives
Yellowfin tunaLeast concern
Rare
Now and then
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