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| Coming out of the reef requires a particular routine. Whether high or low tide the diver must approach the tidal reef via a gutway. Because there are no shallows to provide a gradual incline to land the waves tend to slap onto the reef and can throw a diver over the rough coral he is not prepared.
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Soft coral (Psammocora digitata)
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By exiting via a gutway, the diver can approach the tidal reef still in calm waters, avoiding the rolling breakers. Fins must be taken off whilst still at 5-10 feet of water; the diver then holds the gutway wall, watching the waves above. As the surge comes in the diver can rise with the wave, hanging onto the coral and his deposited on the tidal reef. The idea is to stand up immediately and walks towards land before a large breaker unbalances one’s foothold. Once again timing is important, but with the freedom of booted feet on the reef floor, there is little chance of being bowled over. It is important to keep breathing through the regulator until the diver is well out os the power of the waves as the surge can be fickle and it is easy to lose footing for a minute and slip into a hole. |
| The walk back to the car can be tiring, especially if the
divers have been too energetic in their exploring. However the time normally passes
quickly with lots of stories of the sights and actions below – for the fishermen
there is always the huuuuge fish that got away and the cameraman who ran out of film. There is a small but active dive club on Nauru, with two complete sets of gear available for hire and normally a friendly guide throws in. Tanks can be filled from two stations but all servicing is done overseas. Cheap snorkels, masks and fins are available from Chinatown but proper dive boots and fins must be ordered from overseas. A US DIVERS double-chamber recompression chamber is available in case of accidents, unfortunately too common on Nauru.
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Nauru Dive Club members getting ready to raise an old anchor |
| Air Nauru flies directly from Melbourne and Sydney twice weekly. There
are two hotels on Nauru; though not particularly geared for tourism Nauru can provide a
comfortable and interesting experience for a keen diver and explorer.
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