Bligh Water of Fiji is my favorite area to dive in Fiji

by Douglas Hoffman on June 27, 2022

I am very fortunate to have traveled to Fiji to scuba dive over a dozen times. There are a few reasons why I keep returning. The first, is world class diving, and an abundance of soft coral. Second, is the friendly people. Over a span of 20 years the local people I have interacted with have all had a genuine desire to share the beauty of their islands. The third reason is the food. Fijian food with taro is delicious and the Indian Currys are too.

I went to Taveuni, the first few trips, then did a few charters on the Naia, and Siren live-aboard. I also checkout Beqa and Pacific Harbor. While I liked it all, my favorite is the Bligh Water.

Located in the middle of two large islands, the Vat I Ra passage is home to the Bligh Water. Huge amounts of water are funneled through each day, and the currents are ever-present. Deep upwellings provide a consistent source of nutrient rich water.

As a result the dive sites here are full of life and color. I never tire of seeing huge numbers of anthias fish dart along the reef top and into the water column to feed on plankton. The hard coral gardens are impressive as well, but even more so are the abundant soft corals. It is like diving into an underwater rainbow.

Join me in 2024, as I am running a week long workshop that celebrates the color of the Bligh Water. The workshop will concentrate on composition and creating images that evoke emotion