From June 30th to July 3rd, we were in Fakarava.
Fakarava is an atoll of the Tuamotu archipelago. Fakarava is part of the seven atolls which are classified by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve and is known worldwide for diving, the island’s most important source of income.
Vue aérienne / Aerial view
Vue aérienne / Aerial view
The stay was mostly diving for Jérémy and chilling for Lauriane.
Ancien phare / Old lighthouse
Lever de soleil / Sunrise
Lever de soleil / Sunrise
We met again Amandine and Nicolas who we met in Rangiroa, and met Virginie and Xavier. We had a dream team there all six of us and lived a moment than you cannot forget: a discovery workshop around the hermit crab ; yes we spent at least one hour observing one crab which was very friendly.
Notre pote ! / Our buddy!
Lauriane visited another pearl farm with Virginie and Xavier.
Ouverture d’une huître perlière / Opening of a pearl oyster
50 nuances de perles / 50 shades of pearls
Trouvez la perle / Find the pearl
Jérémy dived on the two passes of the atoll:
– Garuae’s channel (Northern channel) is the biggest channel in French Polynesia: its width is 1.6 km. The Northern channel was a much more colored reef dive than the ones in Rangiroa with a lot of big creatures (Manta Ray, sharks, humphead wrasses) and a pretty amazing drift.
Plongée passe Nord / Northern channel dive
Plongée passe Nord – Raie manta / Northern channel dive – Manta ray
Plongée passe Nord – Raie manta / Northern channel dive – Manta ray
Plongée passe Nord – Raie manta / Northern channel dive – Manta ray
Plongée passe Nord – Raie manta / Northern channel dive – Manta ray
Plongée passe Nord – Raie manta / Northern channel dive – Manta ray
Plongée passe Nord – Raie manta / Northern channel dive – Manta ray
Plongée passe Nord – Poisson perroquet / Northern channel dive – Parrot fish
Plongée passe Nord – Poisson perroquet / Northern channel dive – Parrot fish
Plongée passe Nord / Northern channel dive
Plongée passe Nord – Poisson napoléon / Northern channel dive – Humphead wrasse
Plongée passe Nord – Poisson napoléon / Northern channel dive – Humphead wrasse
– Tetamanu’s channel (Southern channel) is mostly known for its wall of grey sharks and the reproduction of groupers once a year (the day after July’s harvest moon) and incredible strock of luck, we were in Faka for the D-day (July 2nd). But in the end, the fishes decided otherwise and breeded the night before… Too bad for the groupers, there are still hundreds of sharks!
Plongée passe Sud / Southern channel dive
Plongée passe Sud / Southern channel dive
Plongée passe Sud / Southern channel dive
Plongée passe Sud / Southern channel dive
Plongée passe Sud / Southern channel dive
Plongée passe Sud / Southern channel dive
Plongée passe Sud / Southern channel dive
Plongée passe Sud / Southern channel dive
Plongée passe Sud – Equipe de tournage pour la reproduction des mérous / Southern channel dive – Film crew for the grouper reproduction
Plongée passe Sud / Southern channel dive
Plongée passe Sud / Southern channel dive
Plongée passe Sud / Southern channel dive
Plongée passe Sud / Southern channel dive
Plongée passe Sud / Southern channel dive
Plongée passe Sud / Southern channel dive
Plongée passe Sud / Southern channel dive
For your information, Laurent Ballesta (french marine biologist) realised a documentary ‘Le mystère mérou’ (‘The grouper mystery’) broadcasted on Arte on July 11, 2015 at 8:50 pm (available in replay on Arte+7).
To finish, we attended a dance rehearsal and a javelin throw training for the Heiva.
Répétitions pour le Heiva / Rehearsal for the Heiva
Répétitions pour le Heiva / Rehearsal for the Heiva
Répétitions pour le Heiva / Rehearsal for the Heiva
Lancer de javelots / Javelin throw
Lancer de javelots / Javelin throw
Lancer de javelots / Javelin throw
Lancer de javelots / Javelin throw
Lancer de javelots / Javelin throw
Next step: the Marquesas Islands.
