The Sisters

Only recently discovered the Sisters are two sea pinnacles that lie to the west of the causeway joining Lifuka and Foa Islands. The seaward pinnacle rises from over sixty meters to within six of the surface and it's sister mount on the east comes to within ten. The trough beneath them both has a depth of sixteen meters. I propose that the Sisters were carved from the ocean floor long before the natural waterflow was curbed by the installation of the man made causeway to join the Islands. Both pinnacles are majestically crowned with beautiful branching and table acropora corals. One of these alone measures two meters in diameter and juvenile white tip reef shark find refuge underneath. The sides of the pinnacles are literally covered in hundreds of crinoids (Feather stars) and these play host to a range macro organisms including Elegant Squat Lobsters, Crinoid Clingfish and Crinoid Shrimps all of which are coloured to match their host and blend in perfectly. Sea whips and fans adorn the creviced rock faces and you descend to 30 meters off the seaward face of the outer pinnacle. Jagged overhangs jut out from the rock and Pearl Rock Oysters cling upside down filtering organic matter in the shade. Upon ascent the Pinnacle is staged by a series of Plateaus on 20, 16, and 10 meters of depth, the coral becomes more and more dense and the dive progresses upward. Sea Snakes and Lionfish are common sight in this particular area of the reef. Embedded in the branching Acropora are some of the biggest Giant Clams I have seen in Tonga. Their mantles intricate and weaving patterns of green and blue symbiotic algae. Faiy basslets dart all around and Square Spot Anthiase guard their harems of bright orange females. Mini fin Parrotfish race overt the tops before falling back gracefully into the depths. Black and white Snapper patrol the trough between and Giant Trevally can be seen in search of the unwary. This is the only site in Tonga where I have encountered Bumphead Parrotfish crunching through the reef. Short tentacle anemones, with Porcelain Crabs and Clownfish undulate in the swell. The top of the East pinnacle is home to a pair of perfectly camouflaged Leaf Scorpionfish, the only ones so far documented in Ha'apai. Neon fusiliers pour off the reef as if in a current all of their own while Peacock Grouper and Spotted Hawkfish look on from their perches on the reef. Red Snapper and Dogtooth tuna can be seen patrolling the depths below. A huge Napoleon Wrasse keeps a careful distance while cruising the boundaries of this, his castle. The sisters is a lively and dynamic dive with plenty of variation in topography and life. Visibility is usually around 20 meteres or more and it has the depth that many divers crave. This is a dive that should not be missed.

The Sisters Dive Info: Key Characteristics and Details