Pohnpei · Micronesia · Channel & pass
Palikir Pass
A current-swept channel holding a school of grey reef sharks
Area photo: Zykasaa · CC BY-SA 4.0
Palikir Pass is a deep channel through the barrier reef off Pohnpei, where powerful currents carry a school of grey reef sharks past divers. Barracuda, napoleon wrasse and bumphead parrotfish share the water, and the pass is a boat dive with advanced certification required.
Also known as Kepidauen Palikir.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Pohnpei and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The channel dive runs from 6 m (20 ft) down to 37 m (120 ft), with powerful currents moving through the deep part of the pass. A school of grey reef sharks frequents the channel, along with barracuda, napoleon wrasse and bumphead parrotfish. Visibility is best on an incoming tide,.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Barracuda
- Napoleon wrasse
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good |
Season follows Pohnpei: Diving runs year-round; the relatively drier Dec-Apr months give the clearest water, while near-constant rain the rest of the year can reduce inshore visibility.
Know before you go
- Powerful currents run through the deep channel, so the dive is rated for advanced divers.
Dive videos
Under Palikir Pass | 魚道 Gyodou - The Way of the Fish · carolineislands on YouTube
Sources
- Pohnpei dive sites — World of Diving
- Palikir Pass — Underwater Atlas
- Pohnpei Diving - North Side Sites — Pohnpei Eco-Adventure Guide
More dive sites in Pohnpei
Wall
Sea fan wall with white-tip reef sharks and barracuda
Drift
Drift into the passage past schools of black-tip and gray reef sharks
Drift
Whip coral drift with eagle rays and napoleon wrasse
Channel & pass
Tuna, wahoo and gray reef sharks over a reef bridge
Wall
Outer barrier reef wall with giant clams and white-tip sharks
Similar dives elsewhere
A manta cleaning station at the mouth of a channel cut in 1908
Every manta in or out passes through one narrow restriction
The highest concentration of grey reef sharks recorded anywhere
Channel & pass
Avapehi Pass
Huahine · French Polynesia
Adult grey reef sharks breed in the swell-driven current