Grand Passage

Grand Passage on Aldabra's northern rim is the widest and deepest of the atoll's tidal channels, broad enough for large vessels to transit and deep enough that its walls host communities more typical of open-ocean reef than shallow atoll. Manta rays are regular visitors feeding on the concentrated plankton the passage produces, and whale sharks are seen here between October and December. The walls are festooned with gorgonian fans and black coral trees below 20 metres, and large schools of humpback snapper and dogtooth tuna hold station in the mid-water column. This is a site for experienced divers comfortable managing currents that can run at several knots.