![]() I got into position and dialed in my settings, strobes juiced-up on full power, and pulled the trigger, and… nothing. On the last dive of the trip at Fakarava South, we were confronted by what could only be called a “wall of sharks”-one of the most jaw-dropping scenes I have ever witnessed, and I was poised to record the entire spectacle. At the unforgettable Shark Sanctuary, an army of sharks, uniformed in gray, patrolled the channel-far too numerous to count.īlotcheye soldierfish form a delightful blanket of red at Toau AtollĪt Toau Atoll, a blacktip shark glides gracefully past Fakarava South was equally impressive, with sharks surrounding us on every dive and eagle rays emerging from the blue. ![]() At Fakarava North, there reside large populations of sharks, and huge schools of purple anthias, blotcheye soldierfish, groupers, and snappers. ![]() Here, the sun burst through the deep blue water to a white sandy bottom as manta rays soared overhead, and we were greeted by endless schools of fish and sharks at every turn. Toau Atoll has two notable sites called Faka Ta Huna Pass and Otugi Pass. At Apataki Pass, there were at least 100 sharks just cruising or hovering in the blazing current-an astonishing sight. Apataki Atoll had a corner reminiscent of Palau’s famed Blue Corner, with big schools of barracuda, jacks, surgeonfish, butterflyfish, bigeyes, Napoleon wrasse, and more. The current was perfect-strong, just the way I like it-and brought the big stuff out to play, including blacktip sharks and massive schools of fish. I could barely wait to dive the famous Tiputa Pass, Rangiroa’s signature dive, known for its incredible underwater action. These raccoon butterflyfish, abundant in the Tuamotus, look so pretty against the deep blue backdropĮach atoll delivered its own little flavor of “awesome,” and the dives were fresh and exhilarating day after day. With none other than the founder of parent company Worldwide Dive and Sail, Frank Van der Linde, on hand to ensure everything ran smoothly, we knew we’d be treated to exceptional comforts, service, and cuisine-and, most importantly, world-class diving.īlacktips zoom through the shallows at Tiputa Pass, Rangiroa ![]() We had the privilege of being among the first to experience this far-flung stretch of paradise aboard the newly launched French Polynesia Master, which cruises between the two largest atolls of the group, Rangiroa to Fakarava, in the archipelago’s northwestern corner. Sprawling across a vast area the size of Western Europe and forming the largest chain of atolls in the world, the Tuamotus offer some of most breathtaking dives anywhere in the world. The popular islands of Bora Bora, Tahiti and Moorea are usually the ones that get all of the glamorous press, but for many underwater photographers, the Tuamotu Archipelago, a group of almost 80 islands and atolls stretching from the northwest to the southeast, are the crown jewels of French Polynesia. At the Shark Sanctuary at Fakarava, dozens of individuals patrol the channel ![]()
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