Poindimié & Hienghène · France · Wall · Pelagic & blue water
Tombant 60
Gorgonians over 4 m long on a wall that drops past 120 m
Area photo: Unknown author · Public domain
Tombant 60 is Poindimié's technical wall: a free descent through open water to 40 m, then the edge of a drop-off that falls past 120 m into the Poindimié trench. Giant gorgonians, some over 4 m long, grow on the wall, and Tiéti Diving asks for Advanced Nitrox training before it takes divers there.
Where it is and how deep
20.8336° S, 165.3949° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
There is no reef to follow on the way down. The dive begins as a descent into the blue with the drop-off as the target at 40 m, so the descent is a free fall through open water with nothing to reference until the wall appears. At 40 m you arrive at the top of the tombant and move to the lip of the drop-off, which the operator describes as descending to over 120 m; the wall simply keeps going below you.
The reason to be here at this depth is the gorgonians. Giant sea fans grow along the drop-off and some of them are more than 4 m long. The operator's advice is direct: if you are not too prone to narcosis, spend your time on the fans. With the working depth at 40 m the dive is a slow traverse along the edge of the drop-off and then an ascent back into open water, and the operator requests Advanced Nitrox training for it.
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair |
Season follows Poindimié & Hienghène: Diveable year-round, weather permitting. Dec–Apr is cyclone season and Jan–Mar the wettest months; mid-Sep to mid-Nov is driest but the trades blow hardest then. Winter water can fall to 20°C.
Know before you go
- Narcosis: the working depth is 40 m and the operator flags narcosis by name; watch your buddy and your gas plan rather than the view.
- The drop-off continues past 120 m, so there is no bottom to stop an uncontrolled descent; hold depth on your gauge and stay with the group.
Questions divers ask
How deep is Tombant 60?+
The dive descends through open water to 40 m, where it meets the edge of a drop-off that continues to over 120 m. The 40 m level is the working depth for the dive.
What certification do I need for Tombant 60?+
The operator asks for Advanced Nitrox training. The dive is planned as a deep technical dive from 40 m, so it is not a site for recreational Open Water or Advanced divers.
Sources
- Tombant 60 — Scubago dive site — Scubago (SSI)
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