Then we swam under the island!

Alofi, Niue

Let’s start our exploration of what is arguably the most beautiful island in the South Pacific with the diving.  Hey, you know what? Let’s start with just the freaking snorkeling, because it was that good!  The water here is crystal clear and no, not what you’re imagining – it’s better.  By more than a little.  You have not seen water this clear in your lifetime.  Ever.  Seriously.

 

One of the advantages to having almost no one on the island a tiny tourist industry is that there is almost no pollution.  Not having a coral reef encircling the island means that what little runoff there is gets immediately swept out to sea.Translation?  Our mooring field was 125 feet deep and we could see the concrete slab our mooring ball was attached to with perfect clarity.  Our ability to see distances in the water was limited only by the amount of available sunlight, not the impurities in the water.

 

Niue is known for its sea snakes, which are all over the place.  Much like the daddy long leg spider they are ridiculously lethally poisonous and yet lack the capacity to deliver that poison to a human.  At least, we were told their mouths are too small to bite us.  We kept our distance anyway which was actually kind of hard because like the human inhabitants of Niue, the snakes are quite friendly.

Oh yeah, in case you get bored wandering around the natural splendor they also take you out to go snorkeling with wild dolphins off the island upon request.

And can the diving possibly be any better?  Oh why yes, yes it can!  Niue is a porous island.  So when you dive, you go into the island and find trapped air bubbles, hundred foot deep caverns, sunlit caves, sea snake breeding caves and a car that got washed off the island during a massive hurricane a few years back.  Remember, their island is 30 feet above sea level so massive is a fair estimate.  All of this within dingy range of the boat mooring field.  EPIC!

 

For more South pacific diving click on “Some work, mostly play in Paradise”

 

About the authors

Greg and Tiffany are travelling around the world on sailing yachts and keep a video blog of their (mis)adventures.  If sailing to Tahiti on a 44 ft sailboat, getting pooped on by seagulls, opening coconuts with dull machetes, sailing past tornadoes and ukulele Christmas carols are for you, then check them out at www.CoastGuardCouple.com!