ABSTRACT
Three isolated atolls are found in the South-Central Pacific. Swains is an egg-shaped atoll that is part of American Samoa and is designated as a marine sanctuary, although it is also claimed by Tokelau. The lagoon is closed, its waters are brackish, and it is covered with cyanobacterial mats. Rose Atoll forms a small square, most of which is submerged, with pink color due to the abundance of coralline algae. Beveridge Reef is an isolated atoll located nearly 600 km to the south of Rose. All these atolls are in the path of the South Equatorial Current as part of the South Pacific Gyre and experience winds that are predominantly driven by trade winds from the east and southeast during the austral winter. Wind directions during the austral summer are more variable. In addition to wind waves, large swell from the southwest and direct hits by tropical depressions impact these atolls, and tides are about a meter.
