French Polynesia

Region: South Pacific Ocean (overseas collectivity of France)
Type: Coral atolls, passes, lagoons, open ocean, whale encounters, shark aggregations
Significance: Home to Fakarava’s “Wall of Sharks,” humpback whale encounters off Moorea and Tahiti, Laurent Ballesta’s award-winning Gombessa expeditions, groundbreaking shark research, and some of the strongest shark protections in the world
First Wetpixel coverage: 2004 (forum trip reports)
Key areas: Fakarava (Tuamotu), Rangiroa (Tuamotu), Moorea (Society Islands), Tahiti (Society Islands), Tikehau (Tuamotu), Rurutu (Austral Islands), Tetiaroa (Society Islands)

Overview

French Polynesia is an overseas collectivity of France consisting of 118 islands and atolls grouped into five archipelagos, spread across an area of ocean roughly the size of central Europe ([1]). The islands are among the most geographically isolated in the world, situated approximately 6,000 km from both Australia and the United States and 9,000 km from Japan ([2]). For underwater photographers, the primary draw is the Tuamotu Archipelago — particularly the atolls of Fakarava and Rangiroa — along with the Society Islands of Moorea and Tahiti.

The territory has established itself as a global leader in marine conservation: it created the largest cetacean sanctuary in the world in 2002, and since 2006 all species of sharks have been protected throughout its waters ([3]). A forum member confirmed the enforcement, noting “There is no shark fishing in French Polynesia. It’s forbidden and applied since 2006. There never was much fishing before that anyway. That’s why it is one of the last shark’s eden!” ([4]). In December 2012, French Polynesia created a shark sanctuary within its exclusive economic zone; when the neighboring Cook Islands followed suit days later, the combined protected area reached approximately 6.7 million square kilometers ([5]).

French Polynesia is known for exceptional water clarity but lower biodiversity compared to the Coral Triangle. Multiple forum members noted this trade-off: “lots of sharkeys and rays, less biodiversity… uber expensive” and “There’s not soft coral there, then, if you usually dive in other place like Indonesia, there’s not of colors!” ([6], [7]). However, what it lacks in reef diversity it makes up for in large pelagic encounters, with the Wall of Sharks at Fakarava described as “something very special you’re unlikely to see anywhere else in the world” ([8]).

Dive Sites and Regions

Fakarava (Tuamotu Archipelago)

Fakarava is best known for its south pass, Tumakohua (also called Tomakohua or Tomutoa), which hosts one of the world’s most spectacular shark aggregations. Eric Cheng described it as “likely the best pass in the world to see aggregating reef sharks,” noting that on a typical dive, “one might see upwards of 650 sharks in 3 big ‘walls’” ([9]). During incoming currents, hundreds of grey reef sharks (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos) enter a dormant state, circling in place to pass water over their gills with minimum effort, forming the famous “Wall of Sharks” ([10], [11]).

A scientific paper published in the journal Current Biology in July 2016 described the “inverted trophic pyramid” at Fakarava’s south pass, where between 250 and 700 grey reef sharks inhabit the area thanks to the grouper spawning aggregations. Chief researcher Johan Mourier documented how these seasonal concentrations of fish allow a much higher population density of sharks than would otherwise be possible, while also making the area vulnerable to overfishing — if the groupers are overfished, the sharks cannot sustain their population ([12]).

The south pass is also the site of an annual camouflage grouper (Epinephelus polyphekadion) spawning aggregation that occurs around the July full moon. Up to 20,000 groupers gather in the narrow channel linking the lagoon with the ocean ([13]). When the groupers release their eggs, thousands of fusiliers rush in to feed, triggering a predatory response from the sharks ([14]).

Night diving at Fakarava is a major attraction, with hundreds of grey reef sharks actively hunting in darkness. Hannes Klostermann noted that these night dives “are not baited. What happens here is entirely natural and quite simply an incredible experience” ([15]). This phenomenon was made famous by Laurent Ballesta’s documentaries and by the overall winning image at the 2019 Underwater Photographer of the Year competition ([16]).

The north pass also offers excellent diving, with silvertip sharks, eagle rays, manta rays, and sailfish. A veteran diver reported that “Fakarava is hands down my favorite diving so far (over Palau, Sipadan, Philippines, and various Caribbean destinations)” and recommended spending time at both passes, while noting the south pass required a 1.5-2 hour boat ride from the north ([17]). Mike Veitch, who spent at least two years working in the region, stated that of Palau, Komodo, and Fakarava, “the one I am most drawn to visit again is Fakarava” ([18]). He also recommended diving Toau atoll as a day trip from Fakarava and advised visiting during November through April, with full or new moons in December through February optimal for schooling eagle rays in Rangiroa ([19]).

Forum members recommended several dive operators. Fakarava Diving Centre, run by a Swiss couple, was praised for limiting groups to 4-6 divers and having a guide with over 5,000 dives in Fakarava. O2Fakarava was also recommended. TopDive, the largest dive company in French Polynesia, received mixed reviews — praised for offering nitrox but criticized for larger groups ([20], [21]).

Rangiroa (Tuamotu Archipelago)

Rangiroa, one of the world’s largest atolls, features two main passes — Avatoru and Tiputa — that serve as corridors between the lagoon and the open ocean ([22]). The atoll is famous for its curious bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), which “often approach divers and sometimes even stop in the center of the group to pose for pictures” ([23]). Spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) are also present, though they are shyer and more difficult to observe ([24]).

Forum members described the diving in the Tuamotus as an “unending parade of large animals,” with passes and corners offering intermediate to advanced diving characterized by deep profiles, long bottom times, and strong currents ([25]). Visibility of 150 feet (45 meters) was reported across multiple sites ([26]). Experienced divers reported encounters with tiger sharks, great hammerheads hunting stingrays in the lagoon, molas, and even a pilot whale while drifting through the pass ([27], [28]).

Tiputa pass is the deepest dive site, though it can be done with a 30-meter maximum depth. Veitch noted that the corner and reef dives at Rangiroa are not deep, and that while both atolls are excellent, “if I was to choose between Rangi and Fakarava I would choose Fakarava” ([29]).

A BBC article cited by Wetpixel described remarkable coral regeneration in Rangiroa’s lagoon. Peter Mumby, diving the lagoon years after the major 1998 bleaching event, found that extensive coral regeneration anticipated to take hundreds of years had occurred in just 15, demonstrating the “Phoenix Effect” in Porites corals — the first time this had been observed outside disk corals ([30]).

Tuamotu Passes (General)

Diving in the Tuamotu Archipelago takes place primarily in and around the “passes” — channels through which water flows into and out of the lagoons at the centers of the atolls. Large animals frequently observed include bottlenose dolphins, grey reef sharks, silvertip sharks (Carcharhinus albimarginatus), great hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna mokarran), tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier), oceanic and reef manta rays (Mobula birostris and M. alfredi), and eagle rays (Aetobatus narinari) ([31]). One can encounter more than six species of shark on a single dive, including blacktip reef sharks, whitetip reef sharks, grey reef sharks, silvertip sharks, nurse sharks, great hammerheads, and tiger sharks ([32]).

The reefs are dominated by healthy hard corals, likely due to the powerful currents that flush the passes ([33]). Convict surgeonfish (Acanthurus triostegus) arrive bimonthly for spawning events in the outgoing current ([34]).

Beyond Fakarava and Rangiroa, other Tuamotu atolls also offer excellent diving. Tikehau was reported to have mantas, sharks, and good fish life. Manihi has at least two active manta cleaning stations ([35]).

Moorea (Society Islands)

Moorea (the name means “yellow lizard” in Tahitian) offers a different character of diving from the Tuamotus, with shark feeding dives being a primary attraction ([36]). Forum members reported that blacktip and grey reef sharks are present on virtually every dive, and noted the unusual behavior of reef fish following divers during their dives ([37]). The diving was described as “lots of reef sharks, lots of life” with “not the most interesting underwater topography, mainly low corals, but lots of marine life” ([38], [39]).

In recent years, Moorea has become a major destination for humpback whale encounters. During the austral winter season (roughly July through October), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate to the waters around Moorea and Tahiti and can be found throughout the area ([40]). Forum discussions from 2022 documented the practical realities of whale encounters: boats must remain at least 100 meters from the whales, requiring extensive surface swimming to close the distance, with sessions often involving 100 meters or more of swimming in open water — “at least 3x-4x more swimming that I initially expected,” noted one experienced photographer. Baby humpbacks were described as “quite curious” and willing to approach snorkelers ([41]). Regulations around freediving with the whales were debated, with some operators restricting guests to surface snorkeling while others permitted shallow freedives to 3-4 meters. In 2022, the government imposed a temporary ban on swimming with whales during July, suggesting tightening regulations ([42]).

A study published in the journal Animal Behavior used photo identification surveys of blacktip reef sharks at Moorea’s coral reefs to demonstrate that sharks form long-term social communities — four main communities and two sub-communities — that result from active social choices rather than passive aggregation for resources ([43]).

Tahiti

Tahiti offers grey reef shark diving and has served as a filming location for major productions. Didier Noirot, principal cameraman for Jacques Cousteau and later for the BBC’s Blue Planet, described filming humpback whales in Tahiti using an Inspiration rebreather as “by far” the most difficult shoot of his career, owing to the whales’ constant movement combined with the mobility limitations of rebreather equipment. He also called the same dives, in super-clear visibility with many humpbacks, his favorite dives ever ([44]).

Surf photographer Ben Thouard, based in Tahiti for over a decade, released the book Surface in 2018, a collection of underwater images shot just below the surface of waves ([45]). He was later named Ocean Photographer of the Year 2022 with an image of a surfer battling the wave at Teahupo’o (which translates as “place of skulls”), described as “one of the heaviest waves in the world.” The judges, including Paul Nicklen, David Doubilet, and Cristina Mittermeier, chose it unanimously ([46]).

Fabien Michenet, a French Polynesia-based photographer specializing in deep-water night dives off Tahiti, won Gold at the Our World Underwater 2011 competition for “Parrotfish and shrimp,” shot at Raiatea, French Polynesia ([47]). He also won Gold in the Macro Unrestricted category at Our World Underwater 2014 for an image of Nausithoe punctata jellyfish, shot 3 miles off the coast of Tahiti by night ([48]). He was highly commended at the 2019 Wildlife Photographer of the Year for “Jelly baby,” an image of a juvenile jackfish inside a jellyfish at 20 meters depth during a night dive ([49]).

Bora Bora and Other Society Islands

Bora Bora is known for consistent manta ray encounters and lemon sharks, though it was described as less impressive for diving compared to the Tuamotus ([50], [51]). Lemon shark feeding dives were reported as a draw, though at least one lemon shark attack was documented near the island ([52]).

Tetiaroa, a protected atoll, surprised visiting divers with its quality: “Across 6 dives we saw 4 kinds of sharks, mantas, turtles, and some decent sized schools of fish. The coral is in really good shape (the island is completely protected)” ([53]).

Rurutu (Austral Islands)

Rurutu, in the remote Austral Islands, was described as offering “some of the wildest diving we’ve ever done,” with large schools of fish, sharks, sailfish, and humpback whales in a different underwater geography than the typical Tuamotu atoll diving ([54]).

Notable Photography and Film

Eric Cheng

Eric Cheng, Wetpixel’s publisher, made multiple trips to French Polynesia. In 2005, he traveled to French Polynesia with Ron and Valerie Taylor and photographer Douglas Seifert ([55], [56]). In 2011, DiveFilm HD released a podcast of footage shot by Cheng during a trip to French Polynesia, including scenes from a grey reef shark dive in Tahiti ([57]). He later tested the GoPro HERO2 underwater in Tahiti alongside Plongeur.com’s Fabrice Charleux ([58]).

In 2014, Cheng posted footage of schooling grey reef sharks at Fakarava’s south pass, shot with a Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera and Panasonic 8mm fisheye in a Nauticam housing, capturing in CinemaDNG RAW format at 24fps. He described the south pass as “one of my favorite dive destinations in the world” ([59]).

Laurent Ballesta and the Gombessa Expeditions

Laurent Ballesta is the photographer most closely associated with French Polynesia’s underwater world. His Gombessa IV expedition to Fakarava, sponsored by Blancpain, focused on explaining the mating aggregation of camouflage grouper and the predatory behavior of the grey reef sharks in the south pass. The full documentary film, “Gombessa IV Genesis,” was released in 2017 ([60]). The expedition’s research contributed to the 2016 Current Biology paper on the inverted trophic pyramid ([61]).

Hannes Klostermann credited Ballesta’s documentaries with making Fakarava’s night shark diving famous ([62]). In his interview with Henley Spiers, Ballesta listed Fakarava alongside the coelacanth expedition and Antarctica as his three signature projects, describing the sharks as the least stressful of the three from a diving perspective but noting the expedition’s importance ([63]).

Ballesta’s work in Fakarava earned him the overall Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2021 title for “Creation,” an image of camouflage groupers exiting their cloud of eggs and sperm during the annual spawning event in the south pass. The image was the result of five years of return trips, diving day and night to document the spawning. He used a Nikon D5 with a 17-35mm f/2.8 lens in a Seacam housing ([64], [65]). In 2022, Ballesta won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year Portfolio Award ([66]).

Anthony Berberian

French photographer Anthony Berberian won the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 Underwater category for “The Jellyfish Jockey,” an image of a lobster larva (phyllosoma) riding a mauve stinger jellyfish. The image was shot during one of his regular deep-water night dives in open ocean far off Tahiti, in water more than 2 kilometres deep. He used a Nikon D810 with a 60mm f/2.8 lens in a Nauticam housing with an Inon Z-240 strobe ([67]).

Vincent Truchet

Photographer Vincent Truchet, who lived in French Polynesia for five years, contributed a Full Frame gallery to Wetpixel in 2014 showcasing the Tuamotu Archipelago. His images documented the diversity of the passes, including grey reef shark walls in Fakarava’s south pass, manta rays at cleaning stations, grouper spawning aggregations, spinner dolphins, and green sea turtles. His work was featured in the Wetpixel Full Frame 2014 Retrospective ([68], [69]).

Hannes Klostermann

Hannes Klostermann published a Full Frame gallery in 2019 from his September 2018 trip to Moorea and the Tuamotu Archipelago. His images documented blacktip reef sharks in shallow water, the Wall of Sharks at Fakarava, night shark hunting, manta rays over pristine hard coral reefs, bottlenose dolphins at Rangiroa, and humpback whales off Moorea and Tahiti ([70]).

Howard and Michele Hall

Howard and Michele Hall released a short film titled “Whale Song” in 2018, documenting their encounters with humpback whales during a trip to French Polynesia. The film was shot in 8K resolution using a RED Helium camera ([71]).

Mike Veitch

Mike Veitch included French Polynesia among his career highlights for manta ray encounters, alongside Palau, Fiji, Yap, and Indonesia. His Full Frame gallery on manta rays (2017) included an image of a manta ray and diver at Rangiroa ([72]). He also noted that French Polynesia’s schooling crescent-tail bigeyes provide excellent backgrounds to fill the “dead space” around shark subjects, creating predator-prey interaction images ([73]).

Renee Capozzola

Renee Capozzola’s image “Shark Skylight,” featuring sharks, birds, and a sunset from French Polynesia, was awarded overall winner of the Underwater Photographer of the Year 2021 ([74]).

Blue Planet 2

Dan Beecham, a wildlife camera operator who received the BBC Natural History Unit’s bursary, listed French Polynesia among the countries where he filmed during the two-year production of Blue Planet 2 (2017). The series used RED Dragon cameras, rebreathers, and custom-built “scope” lenses for close-up wide-angle macro work ([75]).

Rob Stewart Tribute

Wetpixel’s 2017 “Wall of Sharks” tribute to the late filmmaker Rob Stewart included a silvertip reef shark image by Rick Rogers photographed at Rangiroa, French Polynesia ([76]).

Wetpixel Expeditions

In 2015, Adam Hanlon organized a Wetpixel Ultimate French Polynesia expedition to Fakarava, based at Tetamanu Village near the south pass, running from June 28 to July 5, 2015. The trip was timed to coincide with the camouflage grouper spawning aggregation that occurs annually around the July full moon ([77]).

Practical Information

Conditions and Skill Level

The pass diving in the Tuamotus is intermediate to advanced, with deep profiles and strong currents. While some passes offer mild currents suitable for photography, others involve fast-moving water that makes producing quality imagery challenging ([78], [79]). One videographer noted having to “leave camera behind on some [dives], as it was impossible to get reasonably stable footage in those currents” ([80]). Current can be a challenge even at the north pass, where divers reported being “ripped apart by the currents” ([81]). The Society Islands (Moorea, Bora Bora) offer more accessible diving, including shark feeding dives suitable for less experienced divers ([82]).

French Polynesia diving is organized under CMAS standards (the French system rather than PADI/SSI). Mike Veitch cautioned that dive operators “are very strict on your dive experience” and may impose depth limits based on certification level ([83]).

French Polynesia also offers opportunities for split-shot (“over/under”) photography, with blacktip reef sharks patrolling in as little as half a meter of water ([84]).

Gear and Technique

Forum discussions documented various approaches to photography in French Polynesia. For whale photography in Moorea, wet wide-angle optics were favored for ease of surface swimming, with recommendations including the Sony 16-35mm f/2.8, Tamron 17-28mm, or Tokina 10-17mm with 1.4x teleconverter. The AOI UWL-09PRO and Nauticam WWL wet lenses were also discussed for their versatility ([85]). Key advice included freediving down to shoot even or slightly up at the whales, and using the surface as a mirror for compositional effect ([86]).

For shark photography in the passes, a 16-35mm zoom was recommended as the ideal lens for full-frame cameras, offering versatility for both distant shots and close approaches. The Canon 8-15mm fisheye was considered too wide unless sharks came very close. A 24mm prime was recommended if only one lens could be carried ([87]). Mike Veitch noted that French Polynesia’s schooling crescent-tail bigeyes provide excellent backgrounds to fill the “dead space” around shark subjects ([88]).

For video work, the intense blue of Polynesian water was noted as a challenge for white balance, with auto white balance and post-production correction recommended over manual settings at depth. The GH5’s in-body stabilization was noted as particularly valuable in strong currents compared to the GH5s which lacked it ([89]).

A forum member shooting stills without strobes in Moorea was warned by experienced photographers that ambient-light-only shooting would produce “flat and rather lifeless” images at depth. For wide-angle shark and reef work, dual strobes were recommended ([90]).

Season and Timing

The best time for diving in the Tuamotus is November through April. Mike Veitch recommended timing visits around full or new moons in December through February for schooling eagle rays in Rangiroa, which can bring in hammerheads ([91]). The camouflage grouper spawning at Fakarava occurs around the July full moon. Humpback whale season in the Society Islands runs from approximately July through October ([92]).

Travel and Cost

Stephen Frink listed French Polynesia among the “plan-ahead” exotic dive destinations requiring research into seasonal variations and marine life encounter probabilities, recommending six months or more of advance planning ([93]). The Tahiti Aggressor liveaboard was mentioned as an option for diving the Tuamotu passes ([94]). The French Polynesian Master liveaboard also served the region, though it received mixed reviews ([95]).

Inter-island flights on Air Tahiti were noted for strict luggage weight limitations relevant to underwater photographers carrying heavy camera gear, with carry-on weight limited to 5 kg. Dive certification cards could sometimes secure additional luggage allowance, and photography equipment was occasionally allowed in a separate compartment when over the weight limit ([96], [97], [98]).

French Polynesia was consistently described as expensive by forum members, with accommodation, food, and diving all carrying premium prices. One budget-conscious traveler estimated approximately GBP 8,000 for a three-week trip using AirBnB and self-catering ([99]).

Accommodation at Fakarava

For Fakarava specifically, Tetamanu Village near the south pass was recommended for its proximity to the best diving — “it is literally on the pass and your dives end by walking onto the beach at the resort.” In the north, Haiviki Pearl Resort and Relais Marmara were mentioned as options ([100]).

Books

Pete Atkinson published Polynesia ~ An Ocean Realm (2016), an ebook chronicling 20 years of sailing and diving across the South Pacific, including chapters on French Polynesia. Atkinson sailed 45,000 miles throughout the region using homemade acrylic camera housings, documenting encounters with whales and sharks ([101]).

Timeline

References

Sources

  1. Wetpixel article, Mar 8, 2019: Hannes Klostermann French Polynesia ↩
  2. Wetpixel article, Sep 25, 2014: Vincent Truchet Tuamotu Archipelago ↩
  3. Wetpixel article, Sep 25, 2014: Vincent Truchet Tuamotu Archipelago ↩
  4. Forum thread: Tahiti Rangiroa Hows The Diving ↩
  5. Wetpixel article, Dec 13, 2012: Cook Islands Declares Shark Sanctuary ↩
  6. Forum thread: South Pacific Diving Recommendations Needed ↩
  7. Forum thread: French Polynesia ↩
  8. Forum thread: French Polynesia ↩
  9. Wetpixel article, Jul 15, 2014: Video Schooling Sharks In Fakarava ↩
  10. Wetpixel article, Jul 15, 2014: Video Schooling Sharks In Fakarava ↩
  11. Wetpixel article, Mar 8, 2019: Hannes Klostermann French Polynesia ↩
  12. Wetpixel article, Jul 29, 2016: Paper Describes Shark Concentration At Fakarava ↩
  13. Wetpixel article, Oct 12, 2021: Results Marine Related Winners Of Wildlife Photographer Of The Year 2021 ↩
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  16. Wetpixel article, Mar 8, 2019: Hannes Klostermann French Polynesia ↩
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  18. Forum thread: Palau Vs Rangiroafakarava Vs Komodo Vs ↩
  19. Forum thread: Palau Vs Rangiroafakarava Vs Komodo Vs ↩
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  28. Forum thread: South Pacific Diving Recommendations Needed ↩
  29. Forum thread: Palau Vs Rangiroafakarava Vs Komodo Vs ↩
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  95. Forum thread: French Polynesia ↩
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  98. Forum thread: What Lens For Fp Fakarava ↩
  99. Forum thread: French Polynesia ↩
  100. Forum thread: Diving Fakarava Tahiti French Polynesia ↩
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  117. Wetpixel article, Feb 18, 2015: Wetpixel Ultimate French Polynesia ↩
  118. Wetpixel article, Jan 13, 2016: Pete Atkinson Publishes Ebook About Diving And Sailing In Polynesia ↩
  119. Wetpixel article, Jul 29, 2016: Paper Describes Shark Concentration At Fakarava ↩
  120. Wetpixel article, Feb 20, 2017: Full Frame A Wall Of Sharks As A Tribute To Rob Stewart Part 2 ↩
  121. Wetpixel article, Jul 8, 2017: Video Gombessa Iv Genesis ↩
  122. Wetpixel article, Oct 17, 2017: Interview Dan Beecham On Underwater Filmmaking And Blue Planet 2 ↩
  123. Wetpixel article, Oct 19, 2017: Winners Wildlife Photographer Of The Year 2017 ↩
  124. Wetpixel article, Jul 25, 2018: Surf Photographer Ben Thouard Releases New Book Surface ↩
  125. Wetpixel article, Dec 26, 2018: Video Whale Song By Howard And Michelle Hall ↩
  126. Wetpixel article, Feb 20, 2019: Conversations With Underwater Photographers Laurent Ballesta By Henley Spie ↩
  127. Wetpixel article, Mar 8, 2019: Hannes Klostermann French Polynesia ↩
  128. Wetpixel article, Oct 23, 2019: Wpoty Full Under Water Category Results ↩
  129. Wetpixel article, Feb 8, 2021: Results Upy 2021 ↩
  130. Wetpixel article, Oct 12, 2021: Results Marine Related Winners Of Wildlife Photographer Of The Year 2021 ↩
  131. Wetpixel article, Oct 4, 2022: Results Ocean Photographer Of The Year 2022 ↩
  132. Wetpixel article, Oct 12, 2022: Results Wpoty 2022 ↩
  133. Forum thread: Moorea Humpback Whales ↩
  134. Forum thread: Pool Like Conditions In French Polynesia ↩
  135. Mike Veitch on Shark Photography (article) ↩
  136. Interview with underwater cinematographer Didier Noirot (article) ↩
  137. See great white sharks with Ron and Valerie Taylor (article) ↩
  138. Douglas Seifert writes WATER COLUMN (article) ↩
  139. Full results of Our World Underwater 2011 (article) ↩
  140. Eric Cheng on shark diving in French Polynesia (article) ↩
  141. GoPro HERO2 underwater tests from Tahiti (article) ↩
  142. Study shows sharks form long-term social groups (article) ↩
  143. Cook Islands declares shark sanctuary (article) ↩
  144. Our World Underwater 2014 Winners Announced (article) ↩
  145. Video: Schooling sharks in Fakarava (article) ↩
  146. Vincent Truchet: Tuamotu archipelago (article) ↩
  147. Article shows hope for coral reefs (article) ↩
  148. Full Frame 2014: Retrospective (article) ↩
  149. Wetpixel Ultimate French Polynesia (article) ↩
  150. Pete Atkinson publishes ebook about diving and sailing in Polynesia (article) ↩
  151. Paper describes shark concentration at Fakarava (article) ↩
  152. Full Frame: A Wall of Sharks as a Tribute to Rob Stewart - Part 2 (article) ↩
  153. Mike Veitch: Manta Rays (article) ↩
  154. Video: Gombessa IV Genesis (article) ↩
  155. Interview: Dan Beecham on underwater filmmaking and Blue Planet 2 (article) ↩
  156. Winners: Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2017 (article) ↩
  157. Surf photographer Ben Thouard releases new book Surface (article) ↩
  158. Video: Whale Song by Howard and Michele Hall (article) ↩
  159. Conversations with Underwater Photographers: Laurent Ballesta by Henley Spiers (article) ↩
  160. Hannes Klostermann: French Polynesia (article) ↩
  161. WPOTY: Full Under Water Category Results (2019) (article) ↩
  162. Trip planning in an age of COVID-19 by Stephen Frink (article) ↩
  163. Results: UPY 2021 (article) ↩
  164. 2021 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Results Livestream (article) ↩
  165. Results: Marine-Related Winners of Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2021 (article) ↩
  166. Results: Ocean Photographer of the Year 2022 (article) ↩
  167. Results: WPOTY 2022 (article) ↩
  168. Forum: Tahiti diving (forum) ↩
  169. Forum: Help Info Tahiti/Bora-Bora/Morea Trip (forum) ↩
  170. Forum: Tahiti / Rangiroa How’s the Diving? (forum) ↩
  171. Forum: Diving Fakarava Tahiti French Polynesia (forum) ↩
  172. Forum: Palau vs Rangiroa/Fakarava vs Komodo vs ?? (forum) ↩
  173. Forum: French Polynesia without strobes? (forum) ↩
  174. Forum: French Polynesia (2018) (forum) ↩
  175. Forum: French Polynesia (2019) (forum) ↩
  176. Forum: What lens for FP Fakarava (forum) ↩
  177. Forum: South Pacific diving recommendations needed (forum) ↩
  178. Forum: Moorea humpback whales (forum) ↩
  179. Forum: Pool like conditions in French Polynesia (forum) ↩