Under the Sea in FP
We’ve been back from French Polynesia (FP) for a couple of weeks now, but we’re still dreaming of the gorgeous blue water and lush landscapes. Of course no experience in the Society Islands is complete without exploring the underwater world. Everybody on Delos snorkeled and/or dove every day we were anchored in a beautiful anchorage with clear water under the keel. Which was pretty much every day we were there :)
Highlights include snorkeling with the sting rays in Moorea, diving the Tiki garden, not finding the dive spot outside the pass and snorkeling with the mantas again, diving with reef sharks, hunting for the yellow plastic fuel cap next to a beautiful Motu in Bora Bora (we found it on the beach!), snorkeling in the “Aquarium” in Bora Bora, feeding the fish old baguettes (they go crazy!!!), and actually finding the dive spot outside the Bora Bora reef entrance and diving/snorkeling with black tip sharks and lemon sharks. Although most reefs in French Polynesia were damaged by pollution in general and last year’s cyclones in particular, some are starting to recover and we were happy to find some beautiful spots with healthy ecosystems.
Sting Rays on Moorea:
Petter chasing a ray:
And a shark…
Where did it go?
The Rays were really friendly and liked to give full body hugs especially if you happened to have sardines in your hand :) They are very soft and silky and feel quite nice.
Reef patrol:
Is that a shark behind me?
Snorkeling in the Aquarium, one of Bora Bora’s most spectacular reefs:
These little guys went crazy over old baguettes:
Sooo … many …
The reef was beautiful and teeming with life:
Ready for the photo shoot:
Butterfly fish have a fake black ‘eye’ on their dorsal to trick potential predators:
We even found an irate eel:
We went to find the sharks outside the reef pass in Bora Bora:
We found about 12 black tips…
… and at least 3 lemon sharks cruising down below at about 40-60 feet…
Lots and lots of other fish…
who liked the bubbles on Petter’s tank…
…and more sharks…
