A thick zone of fine sands deposit with very little algal or coral cover characterizes the area between the Whale Pass and Saint-Joseph, north of Ouvéa. The fine sands cover a 3.1 to 9.3 mi (5 to 15km) wide coastal strip in the bay of Saint-Joseph penetrating the settling and accumulation zones formed by the interior channels. The sediments bordering the atoll are coarser and more heterogeneous near the reefs and passes.