The Great White Wall

The Great White Wall is one of the signature dives of the Somosomo Strait off Taveuni in northern Fiji, part of the reef system associated with Rainbow Reef. It takes its name from a steep drop-off carpeted in dense soft coral, mostly white and pale lavender, that in good light gives the wall an almost bleached, glowing appearance as it falls into deep water. Divers typically enter through a narrow swim-through before leveling off along the coral face and drifting with the current, which usually dictates the pace of the dive. It reaches a maximum depth of around 30 metres and is rated advanced, with medium current and reported hazards including depth, downcurrents, and strong current in the swim-through section. Barracuda and manta rays are regularly encountered here, and divers have also reported batfish, eagle rays, lionfish, and trevally along the wall. Soft coral growth is heavily dependent on the current flow through the strait, which is also what keeps it so densely packed and feeding.

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

• Loch's ChromodorisChromodoris lochiReported here · unconfirmed
• Fire DartfishNemateleotris magnificaReported here · unconfirmed
• Orangefin AnemonefishAmphiprion chrysopterusReported here · unconfirmed
• Mertens' ButterflyfishChaetodon mertensiiReported here · unconfirmed
• Regal AngelfishPygoplites diacanthusReported here · unconfirmed
• Freckled HawkfishParacirrhites forsteriReported here · unconfirmed
• Linedcheek WrasseOxycheilinus digrammaReported here · unconfirmed
• Redfin BreamMonotaxis heterodonReported here · unconfirmed
• Three-spot DascyllusDascyllus trimaculatusReported here · unconfirmed
• LionfishLionfishReported here · unconfirmed
• Manta rayManta rayConfirmed present · 3 independent sources
• BarracudaBarracudaConfirmed present · 2 independent sources
• BatfishBatfishReported here · unconfirmed
• Eagle rayEagle rayReported here · unconfirmed
• TrevallyTrevallyReported here · unconfirmed