Isabella Ursos

My Amazing Scuba Diving Experience on Easter Island

I went scuba diving on Easter Island in June, and it is not what you think. Because it is winter from May until August, one would assume that it’s the wrong time of the year to go diving. However, that was not the case – at all!

Last Sunday, I talked about five essential archeological sites that you must visit. I spent most of my trip going on day excursions and meeting new people while exploring the capital of Hanga Roa, but the best activity that you can do on Easter Island is to go scuba diving.

Choosing A Scuba Diving Center

Based on my past scuba diving experiences with my family in Belize and the Philippines, I wanted to have my perfect scuba excursion. I know, it’s crazy to have such a high standard for a fun activity. But the reality is that this might be the only time I would be able to explore the deep blue sea of Rapa Nui.

Another issue that I faced was that I didn’t bring any gear with me. So, where can I go to dive safely? Would I have to rent my equipment?

Many dive shops along Hanga Roa Harbor, such as Orca Diving Center, Mike Rapu Diving Center, and Atariki Rapa Nui Diving Center. I chose Orca because when I arrived at Mataveri Airport, I asked one of the tour guides which scuba diving company would recommend. As a disclaimer, they are all great companies, but Orca is recognized for its security.

Orca Diving Center also has kind and friendly staff, making it easier to talk to them about any doubts or questions you might have about scuba diving.

The Seasons Affect The Diving Location

The temperature of the ocean is excellent throughout the year at a nice 65ºF or 18ºC. However, if you want to upgrade your diving license from PADI Open Water to PADI Advanced Open Water, I would advise you to visit Easter Island in February. Your trip will be more expensive, but incredibly worth it. Since it would be during the summer, the waves would be calmer, and it would be easier to dive from Hanga Roa Harbor.

To visit the famous dive sites on Easter Island, such as The Moai Site and The Cathedral, you can usually get there by the boats docked at the pier. Due to massive waves and the occasional heavy wind in June, it was not safe to leave through that area, which meant that we would be diving from Anakena Beach. Whether there would be a Moai statue or not, it was just as much of a fantastic tourist trap as the rest of the dive sites!

Wildlife Below The Surface

It’s been a while since the last time I went scuba diving. As we gradually sank to the bottom of the shallow area of the ocean, I was amazed by the crystalline blue water and the vast landscape of the white sand and corals.

Easter Island has abundant and diverse marine wildlife. With 167 species cataloged, 30% of them are endemic to the island. Even though there wasn’t a single sea turtle in sight, there were a couple of fish species that had a fluorescent tint which stood out against the corals.

While the Philippines has the Great Barrier Reef and Belize has nurse sharks, I felt privileged to be able to dive in one of the most isolated islands and look at sea creatures that I haven’t seen up close before.

Diving from Anakena Beach

If you enjoy activities that bring a sense of tranquility rather than that adrenaline rush of excitement, then Anakena Beach is the right diving site for you. This day excursion is exactly like strolling through the park on a warm, sunny day. You will not only want to point your head in every direction to marvel at every fish you see (good luck with that, since you’re swimming horizontally), but also notice how there are more sea urchins than you would think.

Swimming away from the shallow area and into the deep, piles of sea urchins rested upon the coral. It was strange to see them move their needles because it was as if they were waving to divers who swam above them. It is not hard to keep your equilibrium so that you are low enough to dive while maintaining a reasonable distance from their poisonous needles, but please continue to be cautious.

If you’re a certified scuba diver, have you ever seen a school of delicate-looking fish tear up their lunch?

In the middle of the dive, one of the dive masters found the remains of an Easter Island butterflyfish. We were swimming over the ledge of some corals where an eel and a school of fluorescent-colored fish cohabit. As soon as he discarded it, the school of fish suddenly swarmed around their meal in a bright and colorful frenzy.

Although it was slightly disturbing to watch the corpse of the fish get torn apart, I knew that this must be a somewhat unique yet exciting event to happen during an excursion.

After my first scuba diving adventure, I asked around a couple of the credible dive centers about how I can visit other famous diving sites on the island. I already knew that The Moai Site is available for divers with a PADI Open Water license, but each answer was the same; the waves are too high and violent to take anyone out of Hanga Roa Harbor.

My best option for the best excursion was to go on a guided night dive. However, it is only available to licensed divers who are advanced. I must admit that I felt a little disappointed, but this little moment taught me how to accept this specific lesson I’ve been told growing up; Take advantage of any opportunity that can benefit you in the future. Whether it’s signing up for as many diving excursions to upgrade your license, starting your own business, or taking a gap year, it is you who must choose to take that opportunity or leave it.

These beneficial life events also arrive with the shadow of self-doubt, when you feel like you already know you’re going to fail. As a solo traveler who is juggling this blog and bartending courses, I sometimes feel like I bit off more than I can chew. Everything is new, and the uncertainty of the outcome is overwhelming.

In my first blog entry, I talked about how no one but ourselves is keeping us back from taking the first step to do anything in life. That same thought is applied here; It’s your call to take action in your life to help yourself.