Rarotonga & Aitutaki · Cook Islands · Sand slope · Wall
Sandriver
A sand chute that ends at a drop-off with sharks in its caves
Area photo: Geoff Shuetrim · CC BY 4.0
A river of sand sloping down Rarotonga's reef slope to a steep drop-off, with coral nooks and crannies either side of it. The site is dived from about 14 m at the top of the sand to 30 m and beyond at the edge, and the operator rates it for all divers. The caves along the drop-off are the part to look at: sharks use them.
Also known as Sand River.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Rarotonga & Aitutaki and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
The site is named for the obvious thing on it: a river of sand sloping progressively downwards, with coral either side. You pick it up at about 14 m and follow it down, and swimming out over the middle of it, sand below and nothing to either side, is the closest thing to weightlessness the island offers. The edges hold the detail, the coral broken into nooks and crannies rather than presented as a single face, with reef fish that come out to look at you.
The sand runs out at a steep drop-off at 30 m and deeper, and that is the turn of the dive. Caves are cut into the face along the drop-off and sharks use them, so look into the openings from outside rather than swimming into them, and fix the deep end of your profile before you descend: the operator calls the site suitable for all divers, but its lower edge runs past 30 m.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fair | Fair | Good | Good | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair |
Season follows Rarotonga & Aitutaki: Apr–Nov is the dry season with the clearest water and humpbacks Jul–Oct; Dec–Mar brings rain and cyclone risk.
Know before you go
- The drop-off starts at 30 m and keeps going, and following a sand chute downhill makes it easy to drift deeper without noticing. Set a turn depth before you descend and watch your gauge.
Dive videos
SANDRIVER FIX: Rarotonga, Cook Islands Scuba Diving · TonyTalonVidz on YouTube
Questions divers ask
How deep is Sandriver?+
The site runs from about 14 m at the top of the sand chute to 30 m and beyond at the drop-off, so the deep half of it sits at the bottom of the recreational range.
Sources
- Dive Sites of Rarotonga — Dive Rarotonga
More dive sites in Rarotonga & Aitutaki
Channel & pass
Eagle rays over the sand in a cut through the reef
Similar dives elsewhere
A sand patch at 11 m between Dragon Maze and the wall
Hundreds of garden eels by day, feeding mantas after dark
Sand, sponges and coral, with a wall dropping to 40 m
Shallow coral top with a drop-off to 40 m on its north side