Today we sailed for a few hours around the north side of Taha’a island and ended up on the west side inside the barrier reef and anchored in front of a pearl farm and near a great snorkeling spot.
We took the dinghy on a 10 minute ride past a resort with over the water bungallows to get to the spot. It’s the most unique snorkeling I’ve ever seen. I have a hard time describing it, but basically, the waves crash over the barrier reef, and the water that comes over the reef drains out through a “river” that runs through an island. But the “river” is not fresh water, it’s the ocean water working its way back out to the outlet in the reef. The result is this ocean river that is a little less than a mile. You start on the “upriver” side and get in, and then the current carries you through this coral forest at about 2 miles an hour. I’ve never experienced anything quite like it. The video does not come close to capturing the beauty of it!
