The small island of Nauru lies 32 miles south of the equator at the longitude of 166.55 east. It has a perimeter of little more than 11 miles and covers and area of 8.2 square miles.

Upon this equatorial micro dot dwells a cosmopolitan population of 7000, with Indians, Australians, Fidjians, Chinese, Philipino, Tongans, Guilbertese, Solomon Islanders, among some of the faces seen everyday. Nauru’s life source is its rich phosphate deposits. The phosphate fields occupy over one third of the total area of the island with new mining and excavations occurring daily.

Looking from the Island’s one major road one gains an impression of the island being not unlike a boater hat; a narrow "brim" of flat sandy soil makes the perimeter of the island. The coastal belt gives way to coral cliffs, softened with tropical bush wich rises some 100 feet above the sea level.

These cliffs were home to the Japanese soldier who held Nauru from 1942-45. The cliffs and the coastal line are impregnated with thick concrete bunkers, gun implacements and command posts, remnants of a bloody past.

Although Nauru’s land form is somewhat limited above sea level, the reef and surrounding ocean offer boundless entertainment.

The reef is recognised in two distinct sections. A flat tidal reef, streatching some 50 yards, perfect for shelling in the cool of the evening or a warm dip at high tide. A tidal reef that falls away dramatically with a constant line of white breakers marking the division between land and the deep Pacific.

Once over the tidal reef, Neptune’s world opens up before you. The reef wall slopes downwardslike a steep hill, unending in its descent. The western side of the island around the Boat Harbour and Cantilevers has a particular steep drop, with a sheer 90 feet wall of coral descending to 160 feet before it slopes outward to form a narrow shelf.

With such a definite division between land and the sea it is possible for the cargo ships to "parallel park" beside the reef, mooring at buoys which are chained to sea bed 1500 feet below.

Because Nauru has no sheltered waters, no sandy bay or natural harbour the marine life is the one which can endure rough ocean movement. The coral tends to be strong and tick and there is a definite lack of sea weeds and soft algae.

Not all the reef is as steep as that near the Cantelivers. On the northern and southern sides there are sections of the reef that slopes gently between 40 to 60 feet. The waters are clear and teeming with coral and fish. Small pockets of coarse sand are scattered about these shelves wich drop away every 60-80 feet. It is possible to snorkel or shallow dive in these areas and enjoy a rainbow of colours with heavy traffic of passing fish.

Choosing a dive location is not difficult. If the waters are rough on one side of the island, the other side will be calm. Because it takes only 15 minutes to drive around Nauru, no spot is "out of the way". Most divers enter de water from the land rather than a boat dive. The tidal reef can present problems to newcomers with pot holes, rough coral outcrops and a sea urchin belt right on the reef edge, giving unsteady footing to the unpractised eye.

At low tide the diver gears up on the beach and simply walks across the coral to the reef edge. The water’s edge is punctuated with "gutways". These are natural cuttings into the reef, forming corridors into the open sea. To enter the water one stands on the edge of the gutway, fins in hand, waits for a surge of water to fill the inlet then steps down into the gutway and swims out with the surge. Often the gutways are rough and waves break with plenty of force on the reef edge. This is when practice and timing makes a difference between a safe entry and being buffeted against the corals. To escape the surge the diver must stay low in the gutway were 6 feet of water is protection from the roll of the breakers.

Once in the gutway fins can be slipped on and with gloved hands the diver can pull himself out onto the sea reef and his "playground". Diving boots and gloves are a must for Nauru’s reef. The coral on the tidal reef is razor sharp and sea urchins lurk in every hole ready to pierce the unprotected foot. Some gutways are lined with stinging fire coral, which burns, true to its name. Cotton gloves purchased for around one dollar in Chinatown are a cheap insurance!

At high tide, the entry routine is similar, however the diver sometimes has to wade to the reef edge. It is often easier to put on fins whilst on the tidal reef, drop down a few feet to the reef floor and pull oneself along the coral, with the motion of the outgoing waves until one meets the gutway. Once again gloves are a must and timing important.

The "crawl" on the reef is effortless if the diver moves with the outgoing surge and simply holds on when the wave breaks over him. It is interesting to watch the small fish that are caught in the incoming surf at this time, as they are pushed back and forth like marbles rolling over glass and are helpless against the power of the sea.

Most days de water is calm and diver have little current to manage. When there is a current it tends to run around the island rather than off at a tangent, so there is little chance of being dragged out to the open sea. Often from the shore a strong current can be seen but once under the waves it tends to be confined to a particular depth. So it is common that at 30 feet the drag will be in one direction then at 60 feet reverses.

The slope of the reef wall becomes every divers friend, once separated the diver is as helpless as a tiny fish removed from the protection of its habitat in the coral.

The blue water is vast and endless and it is the home of the large fish and more dangerous sharks- swimming in the blue water is like space walking with no point of reference below or at one’s side. All the "action" happens on the reef wall.

A very popular dive for scuba and snorkelers is in front of the phosphate conveyors known as the Cantilevers. Here the reef wall is steep, but the fish life abundant.

Octopus, redfish, trumpet fish and snapper can be speared by the snorkelers in the shallows on the tidal reef at high tide whilst below at 30 metros huge angelfish, dawa, yellow tail and tune swim in schools teasing the patient Islanders who sit in their outrigger canoes hopping for a catch.

The reef around here is littered with debris from the construction of the two like cantilevers. The phosphate dust has killed a lot of the delicate reef life, yet still the waters teem with fish.

There is a convex shaped wall of lacy blue coral which curves forming the mouth of a large sandy bottomed cave. The coral looks like a perfect decoration of wrought iron lace on a fine Victorian style terrace.

The entrance of the Cave is some 30 metres deep and approximately 15 meters in width, with the ceiling 5 meters high. It is home to a lazy old stingray and his family and is frequented by two huge groupers weighing at least 250 kg (fisherman kilogramas of course).

Because the cave provides one of the only sandy beds in this waters it attracts a variety of fish who all seem to delight in rubbing up against or resting on the sand. Frequent visits to the cave have shown white tip reef sharks "resting" on the soft floor, large school of dawa, lobster hiding in the pockets of the ceiling, teem of redfish playing around the entrance and one very hungry grouper stalking a stingray, seeking refuge on the sand’s camouflage.

A night dive to the cave gives one a totally different looks at its personality. The coral pockets are filled with sleeping fish. The delicate blue coral is replaced by brilliant orange of the Tubastread Aurea coral polyps.

This transforms the cave ceiling into something that one might imagine belong on canvas. The tiny polyps wave in the sea current whilst the nocturnal fish dance and hide from our torches

Our air bubbles shine like mercury as they are caught on the cave ceiling and glisten in the glow that cuts the surrounding black which envelops us. At night the reef walls become the divers’ guide, like a white stick is for a blind man. The nocturnal fish too, seem to stay very close to the reef wall, whilst sea urchins and feather star fish use the cover of the night to change their location. The start fish are really comical as they gather their delicate fronds and walk as "group en masse" to a new feeding ground.

Coming out of the reef requires a particular routine. Whether high or low tide the diver must approach the tidal reef via a gutway. Because there are no shallows to provide a gradual incline to land the waves tend to slap onto the reef and can throw a diver over the rough coral.

By exiting via a gutway, the diver can approach the tidal reef still in calm waters, avoiding the rolling breakers. Fins must be taken off whilst still at 5-10 feet of water; the diver then holds the gutway wall, watching the waves above.

As the surge comes in the diver can rise with the wave, hanging onto the coral and his deposited on the tidal reef. The idea is to stand up immediately and walks towards land before a large breaker unbalances one’s foothold. Once again timing is important, but with the freedom of booted feet on the reef floor, there is little chance of being bowled over.

It is important to keep breathing through the regulator until the diver is well out of the power of the waves as the surge can be fickle and it is easy to lose footing for a minute and slip into a hole.

The walk back to the car can be tiring, especially if the divers have been too energetic in their exploring. However the time normally passes quickly with lots of stories of the sights and actions below – for the fishermen there is always the huuuuge fish that got away and the cameraman who ran out of film.

There is a small but active dive club on Nauru, with two complete sets of gear available for hire and normally a friendly guide throws in. Tanks can be filled from two stations but all servicing is done overseas.

Cheap snorkels, masks and fins are available from Chinatown but proper dive boots and fins must be ordered from overseas. A US DIVERS double-chamber recompression chamber is available in case of accidents, unfortunately too common on Nauru.

Air Nauru flies directly from Melbourne and Sydney twice weekly. There are two hotels on Nauru; though not particularly geared for tourism Nauru can provide a comfortable and interesting experience for a keen diver and explorer.

Note in 2011: The comments in this section were made more than 25 years ago. The reality of Nauru is unfortunately very different today, and anyone planning to go to Nauru to dive should check with the Island Authorities beforehand.