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Explore the fantastic dive sites of French Polynesia

With 118 islands stretching across 2,000km of azure blue waters, French Polynesia diving is some of the best in the world. The underwater scenery is as vast and varied as its islands, offering coral-fringed lagoons, deep drop-offs, crystal clear atolls, and thrilling currents. Adventure seekers will love diving in Rangiroa amongst incredible pelagics like manta rays, schools of jacks, dolphins, and many shark species. Diving the Fakarava Islands offers some of the world’s best shark diving with lemon, whitecap, hammerhead, blacktip, whitetip, and grey reef sharks. Diving French Polynesia’s most popular islands, Moorea, Bora Bora, and Tahiti, also offer fantastic, colorful reef dives swarming with marine life. After enjoying time underwater, French Polynesia divers will love basking in the sun on secluded, white sand beaches, swimming in emerald green lagoons, and enjoying some of the world’s most spectacular sunsets. Don’t delay; plan your French Polynesia dive trip today!

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Discover the World’s Most Fascinating Aquatic Life

Aquatic life under our oceans, lakes, rivers, and streams is amazing! From microscopic zooplankton to the largest animal on earth, the blue whale, underwater life comes in all possible shapes and sizes. With 71% of the earth being covered with water, it is no wonder we are so fascinated with what lies beneath the surface. In fact, scientists estimate that there are nearly 1 million different species of aquatic animals. Freshwater ecosystems are home mainly to fish, invertebrates, and reptiles, whereas the ocean contains a wide array of marine life including fish, mollusks, crustaceans, reptiles, sharks, and marine mammals like whales, dolphins, seals, and manatees.

Humpback Whale

Humpback Whales are the greatest acrobats and singers among all the whales. They enjoy breeching, propelling their massive bodies out of the water and falling back in with a huge splash, slapping the water’s surface with their fins, and spyhopping. In addition to the sporty performances of these animals, their singing talent is second to none. One of the most magical moments that can be experienced by any scuba diver is to actually listen to the beautiful symphony of humpback whales while diving underwater. Their songs are very unique because they consist of complex, individual stanzas that repeat themselves. Humpback calves are even known to “whisper” to their mothers.

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Bottlenose Dolphin

Charismatic, curious, cute, and smart are all reasons the bottlenose dolphin is the most well-known of the dolphins. The upward curvature of their mouths gives them the appearance of always smiling and their extreme intelligence makes them the easiest cetacean to train. Combine this with their friendly looks and it’s no wonder why they are the stars of most aquarium shows and many Hollywood movies. Not only do people have access to viewing them at most aquariums around the world, they are also the most common dolphin found in the wild, living in temperate, sub-tropical, and tropical waters all around the globe in almost every type of habitat.

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Silvertip Shark

This large, bulky shark is part of the well-known requiem family of sharks, as are its cousins the reef sharks. It is distinguished by silver white marks on its fins and can grow up to 10 feet long. Silvertips are considered a somewhat aggressive species as it must compete aggressively with other sharks for food. Their diet consists of coral reef dwelling bony fish, smaller sharks, and even eagle rays and they are known for their unique behavior of running their prey up before eating them.

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Grey Reef Shark

The grey reef shark is one of the most common reef sharks in the Indo-Pacific and is frequently seen cruising shallow coral reefs, especially near steep drop-offs. These animals may have a slightly white-tipped first dorsal fin, however, they are clearly distinguishable from other shark species because they lack the distinct black or white markings on the tips of their fins and are a more uniform grey color. These agile predators are fast swimmers and feed mostly on bony fish and cephalopods that they hunt along the reef.

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Check Out the Incredible Moments Water Enthusiasts Like You Experience Every Day with SSI

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Discover the Wonders of the Deep with SSI's Blog

Join us on an exciting journey of discovery and learn more about exhilarating diving adventures, dedicated conservation initiatives, and innovative educational opportunities that will help you illuminate the extraordinary beauty of the underwater world. Let's explore the underwater world together and delve into the hidden wonders beneath the gentle waves.