Diving with hundreds of sharks in the Tuamotu islands 😲 - (Episode 233)
November 5, 2023 · 22 min · 143K views · French Polynesia
What this video covers
Navigating the Tuamotu Islands requires careful timing of tidal passes, where currents can reach 10 knots and coral heads, or bombies, create significant navigational hazards.1:21 The crew of the Lagoon 450 catamaran *Parlay Revival* transits the Whakarava South Pass by timing their entry for slack tide and using a combination of Navionics charts, Google Earth satellite imagery, and a masthead lookout to identify shallow reefs.10:28 The vessel relies on its twin engines to maintain steerage in 20-knot trade winds, which create substantial windage on the catamaran.15:39 During the passage, the crew performs mast maintenance, replacing a wobbly plastic VHF antenna bracket with a stainless steel mount.4:08 After anchoring, the crew conducts a scuba dive at the "Wall of Sharks" in the pass, timing the descent to coincide with an incoming tide to drift through the marine reserve.18:37 The dive features high concentrations of blacktip and grey reef sharks.20:27 Proper planning and local knowledge are essential for safely navigating atoll passes and managing the risks of coral-strewn lagoons.
Boats in this video
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