Small Pass

Rangiroa's Small Pass, known locally as Tiputa Pass in its shallower western section or referred to distinctly depending on operator, sits at one of the two channels connecting the Rangiroa atoll lagoon to the open Pacific in the Tuamotus. The pass is known for drift dives on incoming or outgoing tidal current, which pulls divers through the channel past coral walls and sandy bottom. Divers commonly encounter grey reef sharks, dolphins, and schools of barracuda and jacks drawn to the nutrient flow of the tide. Depths in the pass typically range from about 10 to 30 metres. Because the dive depends on reading tidal current correctly and drift speeds can be strong, it is generally considered a dive best suited to those with some experience.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Small Giant ClamTridacna maximaReported here · unconfirmed
• Hawaiian Convict SurgeonfishAcanthurus triostegusReported here · unconfirmed
• Blacktip Reef SharkCarcharhinus melanopterusReported here · unconfirmed
• Striped SurgeonfishAcanthurus lineatusReported here · unconfirmed
• Grey Reef SharkCarcharhinus amblyrhynchosReported here · unconfirmed
• Threadfin ButterflyfishChaetodon aurigaReported here · unconfirmed