Official Tuamotus 2005 Voyage Log, by Belinda Sawyer and Staff
AKADEMIK SHOKALSKIY

Wednesday 13th April - Assembling Papeete, Society Archipelago, French Polynesia

Today was the beginning of our long awaited for, French Polynesia - Tuamotus Expedition. After departing respective home cities all passengers and staff gathered at the Sheraton Tahiti on the shores of the island of Tahiti, French Polynesia. Expeditioners hailed from USA, Australia, France, Germany and New Zealand. It was a warm welcome -- for some a massive change in temperature after leaving the winter climes of home.

For many it was the chance to explore Papeete, its market and the small shops, many selling the famous Tahitian pearls). In the evening many staff and passengers visited the local roulottes, or caravans, offering local fish and meat dishes on the foreshore of the port.

Thursday 14th April - Papeete, Society Archipelago, French Polynesia

Another hot tropical day dawned and the planned embarkation onto the vessel RV Akademik Shokalskiy went smoothly in the early afternoon. The Shokalskiy was berthed at the cruise ship dock in downtown Papeete and this offered a final shopping opportunity before all expeditioners returned to the vessel and the local pilot boarded at 1600hrs to guide us out of the port. Shortly after departing the port a series of introductions and safety briefings were held. Mike McDowell, president of Deep Ocean Expeditions, introduced us to our expedition coordinator Belinda Sawyer, and our three divemasters -- Pierre Tricotet and Seb Bertaut from French Polynesia and Rob McCallum from New Zealand. Also introduced were Steve Algar, Lachlan Bursle and Remy Crozy who were charged with keeping the zodiacs and dive deck running smoothly, Dr Brett Gerrard, (ships doctor by day, barkeeper by night!) and international dive gurus Ron and Valerie Taylor. After these introductions a lifeboat drill was held. All Russian ships crew and passengers donned lifejackets and entered the lifeboats on the fifth deck. After these briefings and a hearty dinner, most expeditioners succumbed to travel weariness and the gentle rolling of the boat and were soon rocked gently to sleep.

Friday 15th April - Tikehau, Tuamotus

We timed our arrival at Tikehau Atoll to bring us on site after breakfast and the last of the introductory formalities. Tikehau Atoll, located 190 miles from Papeete was the site of our shakedown dives -- the controlled chaos! This atoll was typical of all that we would visit over the next two weeks -- a ring of coral reef rising some 3000 ft form the ocean depths and circling a sheltered lagoon some 45-60 ft deep. The atolls are punctuated by gaps or ‘passes’ that allow the daily cycle of tides to bring fresh oceanic water in and flush warm lagoon water out. This flow of water through the pass can make then treacherous to mariners and a recent shipwreck adjacent to the entrance to the pass helped to underline the serious dangers that the passes have to ships and their navigators.

After breakfast we attended a dive safety briefing delivered by Rob and Mike. The usual safety tips were covered, as were a number of helpful tips on diving off Shokalskiy and her fleet of zodiacs. We were given a short video by Ron Taylor and a good rundown on the diving programme ahead, and the air of anticipation regarding ‘pass diving’ was at a high.

Dive # 1 saw us welcomed by crystal clear warm water, several napoleon wrasse and some friendly fearless reef fish. The dive proved an excellent opportunity to adjust our buoyancy, practise our zodiac entry’s and to savour the sensation of swimming in water so clear that on surfacing someone was heard to say "it’s like swimming in vodka!". The dive also provided everyone with the opportunity to test their safety sausages, and the rare opportunity to say "Madame, you have a most magnificent erection!" The second dive, at ‘Shark Hole’ had divers watching sharks ascending from the depths (200 ft+) up to the reef edge. The third dive was an easy ‘finisher’ that saw divers sitting at 80 feet and watching the local inhabitants swimming by prior to sunset -- for many this was the dive of the day. After dinner, the evening entertainment featured a rare screening of the new IMAX movie ‘Aliens of the Deep’ that features some of the other projects being managed by Deep Ocean Expeditions.

Saturday 16th April - Rangiroa, Tuamotus

Today we awoke at Rangiroa -- the worlds’ second largest atoll and French Polynesia’s largest, second only to Kwajalein Atoll in Micronesia. Today was a full dive programme. The first two dives involved some minor logistics -- transporting 30 divers, 60 tanks and 1.5 tons of gear to Avaturu Pass. Utilising water taxis, the local bus and all 5 zodiacs, we successfully accomplished dives at ‘Silvertip Dream’ and another on the outer reef (where the Silvertips made a repeat appearance).

Back to the ship for a late lunch, then into range of activities that scattered passengers far and wide on a perfect afternoon. For some it was a dive at "The Windmill" conducted on the outer face of the reef of the atoll whilst for others it was time to explore the village ashore or snorkel at ‘The Aquarium’.

In the evening we sipped a new cocktail "The Blue Lagoon" created and prescribed by Dr Brett whilst many went to watch the presentation "Rangiroa Sharks - From Legend to Reality". The filmmakers, Peter and Rachelle, live on Rangiroa and recently premiered their film at the Antibes Underwater film festival. The film outlined the issues French Polynesia is currently facing with allowing shark finning and the consequences of such fishing. Later, our two fantastic chefs Phil Algar and Jutta Mueller were also introduced to us during the welcome dinner, the traditional Shokalskiy BBQ on the bow.

Sunday 17th April - Rangiroa, Tuamotus

Today’s dive programme had divers exploring the outer reef of the Rangiroa Atoll adjacent to the Tiputa Pass, and one run through the pass itself. Divers reported seeing turtles, manta rays, silvertip sharks and quite a few large pelagic species on the outer reef, as well as many co-operative reef fish that obliged photographers with suitable poses. On the pass dive, divers descended to 140 feet at the edge of the pass and then rode the gentle current into the lagoon, viewing gigantic tuna, sharks and a school of remora along the way.

A group of expeditioners journeyed to the ‘Blue Lagoon’, an atoll within an atoll, by water taxi. It was a delight to see the 30-40 baby Blacktip sharks in the shallows, as well as the 50-60 adults in deeper waters.

The weather was sultry; not a breath of wind and a clear sunny sky. We were grateful for Shokalskiy’s air-conditioning and cool dry interior which provided a welcome relief after our adventures on the sea.

With everyone back on board, passengers lined the bow and upper decks to get the best vantage point from which to watch the ship ‘shoot the pass’. The ship negotiated the large waves with ease, and accompanied by bottlenose dolphins we headed out to sea under a magnificent sunset.

Monday 18th April - Apataki, Tuamotus

Today dawned calm and glorious as the seacontinued to flatten out. At 0600 we commenced our approach through the North Pass of the Apataki Atoll and at 0630 dropped anchor in the peaceful lagoon that was to be our anchorage for the next two days of activities.
The first dive of the day was conducted at ‘Anchor Corner’, in crystal clear water and accompanied by a myriad of fish. The large old fashioned anchor had many divers guessing as to its origin, with several commenting that it wouldn’t have looked out of place on a pirate ship. After the dive we were joined by Jay and Rob from the yacht ‘Alcyone’ which had rendezvoused with Shokalskiy and was anchored nearby. Jay was booked on a ‘Titanic’ MIR submersible dive later in the year and was keen to meet the Deep Ocean Expeditions team.

Dive 2 was conducted through Tehere Pass in clear clean oceanic water. After floating through the pass, divers arrived at the well named final section ‘Shark Plaza’. This dive was the highlight of the day as divers clung to the side of the small ravine contained 200-300 schooling Grey reef sharks, all manoeuvring through the moderate current with efficient predatory ease. The final dive of the day was at ‘Zoo Corner’. With little current and a lot of divers in the water, everyone ‘did their own thing’ -- some choosing to cruise along the outer reef in search of big game such as tuna, napoleon wrasse and sharks, others deciding to stay close to the zodiacs and photograph the co-operative reef residents.

For non-divers, an idyllic small ‘motu’ or island just 1 mile astern of the ship provided good swimming and snorkelling opportunities for everyone, with only the promise of another great meal luring people back to the ship.

The perfect end to a perfect day was provided by the sunset cocktails on the flying bridge. An idyllic scene, with the sun setting against a backdrop of towering cumulus clouds, a row of coconut palms and ‘Alcyone’ lying at anchor had many photographers snapping. Chilled wine and cold Tahitian ‘Hinano’ beer had many divers reminiscing over the adventures of the day before darkness set in, the stars lit up and we were all called to dinner. Our evening entertainment was provided by Eric Cheng who presented a collage of his best underwater images -- they were both fantastic and inspiring.

Tuesday 19th April - Apataki, Tuamotus

Another perfect day in paradise? You bet! Today’s dive programme started with a gentle dive along the outer reef at ‘Anchor Corner’. This was the dive for the photographers and biologists interested in small reef fish with the local inhabitants all out feeding, defending territories and grabbing breakfast. Then followed two dives on the pass to make use of this morning’s incoming tide. Dive 2 had divers either concentrating on ‘Shark Plaza’ to view the neighbourhoods’ Grey reef sharks or doing a run through the pass in its entirety. The long dive took divers to 160ft in clear blue water before the step approached ahead and divers were pulled into the pass for an exciting 25 minute ride. Perfect calm conditions made retrieval of all divers very straightforward. So after retrieval and an hour on the surface it was straight back out for another run. Most divers elected just to concentrate on Tehere Pass and ‘Shark Plaza’ and the sharks received a visit from almost the full compliment of us on this dive. This dive had all the key ingredients; an idyllic setting of a narrow pass, clear water that seduces divers with shades of cobalt and turquoise, an exhilarating current, big wildlife and good company! Few will easily forget the memories of Seb handing feeding the sharks while we nestled in little nooks and crannies against the side of the canyon. The final dive of the day had the hardiest divers out at ‘Zoo Corner’ whilst others took an afternoon nap, ventured ashore or wrote up journals and photo logs.

Shokalskiy heaved her anchor on schedule and sailed out through the Tehere Pass which had provided us with much enjoyment. We sailed into the setting sun with cold drinks in hand. Once clear of the atoll we turned south towards Fakarava atoll some 100 miles distant. For the next hour we steamed along on smooth seas accompanied by two large Bottlenose dolphins and a magnificent sunset that saw the high cirrus clouds painted all the shades of gold, red and orange.

After a well earned dinner, Ron and Valerie Taylor provided us with a narrated version of the excellent video footage they filmed last year on a voyage through these waters aboard Tahiti Aggressor.

Wednesday 20th April - Fakarava (South), Tuamotus

We arrived at Fakarava at first light, on a sea devoid of waves other than the gentle southerly swells. We waited patiently for the tide to turn so that we could venture in, to ride the current through this scenic pass into the Fakarava lagoon. Our first two dives this morning were a great introduction to the joys of this very special place. The hallmarks of the drift dive included clear water and a very gentle current, lots of sharks, some gentle giant wrasse and an ascent to the gentle clear waters lapping at the front steps of the local bar. These hallmarks would see this pass dive become the favourite of the trip for many of us. Perhaps the highlight of this dive was feeding the 200-250 Grey reef sharks, or was it the local Napoleon Wrasse (Calin) who greeted us at the dives end? The second dive on the pass proved an interesting variation on the theme, as shortly after the shark feeding the tide turned and we found ourselves in a gentle outgoing current, but as the French say ‘C’est la vie’ -- let’s go with the flow!

After lunch, the rationale behind the third dives name ‘Roses Reef’ became immediately apparent as we descended down onto the outer reef. A large and spectacular coral garden made up of perfectly formed rose coral awaited us, and we swam along it to the corner eddy of the pass. The final dive, Jacks Corner, was waived in favour of the divers wishing to go back to the ‘Tetamanu Dive Centre and Bar’ for one last chance at snorkelling, whilst the majority of divers dispensed with the saltwater and resigned themselves to a marvellous sunset on the veranda to end a near perfect days diving, with a sunset against the towering cumulus clouds above, and small Black-tip sharks cruising the shallows below. The journey back to the ship on dusk saw a fantastic dinner awaiting us. During dinner Mike canvassed popular opinion and a decision was made to replay the day again.

As the pass was too small to allow the ship to safely enter the lagoon, and the waters around the atoll were too deep to anchor, Shokalskiy moved 12 miles further round the atoll into lee shore waters to allow us a better nights rest. Whilst we repositioned the evenings entertainment -- a screening of diving classic ‘The Big Blue’ kept a hardy few entertained whilst the wise went to bed in preparation for an even better day at Fakarava South.

Thursday 21st April - Fakarava (South), Tuamotus

Luxury! After a hectic days diving we enjoyed a well earned one hour sleep in. After breakfast we commenced the first of this mornings 2 pass dives. The first was a crossing of the pass from left to right as we drifted along its length. We started our dive ‘in the blue’ and quickly drifted down to the step at 80 feet. Gliding over coral, and then some large white sand patches, we arrived at the feeding station and took up station for the shark feeding. At the completion of the dive we traversed to the right and drifted along the excellent coral garden, past the bar and on into the lagoon. Dive number two was a direct dive onto the shark feeding station where we spent 20 minutes in a swarm of grey reef sharks all jockeying for position. The photographers assumed poll position and went into rapid-fire mode, whilst the rest of us were content to watch the action form a more discreet distance. Again we delighted in ascending to the coral garden and its group of blacktip sharks, napoleon wrasse and schools of snapper.

Back to the ship for lunch and exactly an hour later dive #3 ventured back to ‘Roses Garden’ for a sedate cruise along the outer reef and a look at tuna, schools of unicorn fish and a bonus manta ray. Dive 4 saw the hardy few cruise from ‘Jacks Corner’ across to the pass. By the time we arrived the current had abated and we were able to swim gently across and into the pass. Although the water clarity was gloomy, many fish were present as they waited for a tasty morsel to pass by.

As the evening drew in we sailed for Tahanea -- a rarely visited uninhabited atoll 80 miles south-east of Fakarava. This evening’s after-dinner entertainment featured Ron and Valerie’s ‘In the Realm of the Shark’.

Friday 22nd April - Tahanea, Tuamotus

A large pod of spinner dolphins welcomed Shokalskiy as we approached the atoll at 6.00am. Tahanea Atoll has been uninhabited since a powerful cyclone devastated the local community in the mid 1980’s and visitation here is tightly controlled by the authorities. We were fortunate that Valerie had been able to seek permission during her meeting with the Minister of Tourism in Papeete just prior to the start of the voyage. This seldom visited atoll was a real bonus to our dive programme. As the sun rose higher in the sky we launched the first Zodiacs after breakfast for a great morning of pass diving. Dive #1 saw us descend into clear oceanic water on the edge of the pass in gentle conditions at the exact turn of the tide. After waiting a few moments for the tide to pick up speed, we launched ourselves into the flow. Thirty minutes later we surfaced well inside the lagoon -- some of us had travelled over 2 miles, and although we all surfaced in vastly different places, we all had big smiles in common, and the smiles were largest on those that swam with the manta ray. What a blast! Dive 2 was a repeat, but in an even stronger current flow, a good 4-5 knots. Moon-walking, spinning, handstands, flips, somersaults -- you name it, someone did it. It was bliss beneath the waves during the magic carpet ride, but more challenging conditions existed topside as we surfaced in large wave stacks created by the wind versus tide scenario.

After lunch, those that didn’t bow to the temptation of an after lunch nap were back in the water for a dive on ‘Tahanea Corner’ and some of the best coral that we have seen on this trip -- and again, a repeat visit by the local mantas. Other passengers ventured ashore to the atoll for a visit to ‘the swimming pool’ and a wander along the shore line. The last dive of the day at ‘Honey Bee Corner’ was a good finisher, with 11 of us taking a slow cruise along the edge of the drop-off on the outer reef for a photographic fiesta.

At 1700 hrs everyone was safely aboard and we hauled out the zodiacs and packed up the dive deck for the voyage to Fakarava North. We enjoyed another wonderful dinner in high seas, with the dining rooms filled with happy (but somewhat jaded) chatter of the events of the day. Good food, fine wine, great company -- bliss.

Saturday 23rd April - Fakarava (North), Tuamotus

We awoke at anchor in the tranquil waters of Fakarava lagoon, adjacent to the North pass. The Fakarava (North) Pass is the widest in these atolls, and it’s half-mile width was traversed by tidal swells and turbulent seas that also serve to make it one of the most hazardous dives sites in French Polynesia. Today though, the weather God’s were smiling and we were blessed with absolutely perfect conditions.

After breakfast Dive # 1 ventured out to ‘Ghost Reef’ for a delightful dive that had everyone enthralled with the huge range of fish life. It seemed as if the entire marine community had got up early on this sunny Saturday morning and many divers reported capturing some excellent images. Dive #2 was the one we had been waiting for -- a shot at the notorious ‘North Pass’. After a special briefing by the divemasters in the lecture room, we tanked up and headed out to the sea-ward side of the pass. Everyone (all 28 of us) entered the water together, descended rapidly to the step at 130ft and then hung on to watch the sharks and other pelagic action including the largest tuna seen to date. Some of the sharks being fed by Seb became a little boisterous, and ended up holing Seb’s BC beyond repair. We then drifted up and over the step (50 ft) and into the pass itself before settling into ‘the canyon’ at 80ft. Clouds of fish sheltering from the 3-4 knot current floated majestically around us before it was time to pop up into the current and continue the drift into the lagoon. There were only smiles on surfacing, and again the ideal conditions made diver pickup fast, safe and efficient. All aboard for lunch and the swapping of tales before Dive #3 took to the water at 1.00pm to catch the last of the incoming current. This was a replay of this morning, but in much gentler conditions with the current ambling along at 1-2 knots, giving everyone a more sedate a relaxing ride.

Most of us opted to head ashore for a lazy afternoon of swimming, sunbathing, walking out to the lighthouse or simply relaxing under a tree with a good book. For those that shunned relaxation for Dive #4 (‘Belinda’s Corner’), the rewards were rich indeed. The group reported excellent fish and coral, but most spectacular of all was the multiple passes by a friendly manta ray, which came in to within 6 feet of Curtis Fosters well placed video camera.
Sunset had most of us up on the flying bridge toasting a great day of diving in a peaceful part of paradise before heading down for a well deserved dinner and planning for a repeat day the following day. After dinner Ron and Valerie screened their white pointer shark epic ‘Blue Water, White Death’.

Sunday 24th April - Fakarava (North), Tuamotus

The first dive of the day was a dive on the right hand corner of the pass on ‘Ghost Reef’. This was a gentle start to a very sunny Sunday. 28 divers took to the water in 4 Zodiacs, and were dropped off at random for a gentle swim along the reef face. Dive # 2 underwent a delayed start of 15 minutes as the dive crew gauged the current was slow in starting. It was worth the wait -- by the time we entered the water the incoming current was beginning to build, and this dive was to become one of the most memorable to date with a Manta Ray gently winging it’s way against the current to effectively hover beside our group. It was hard to tell who was watching who, but after 5 minutes it was time for us to move on and back into our little mid-pass canyon. After 10 minutes in the canyon, divers started to commence their final drift into the lagoon and to the waiting Zodiacs. What a way to finish a Sunday morning!

The current was still in effect after lunch, so it was back into the water for another run -- similar to the first, but with the best current yet. For the rest of the afternoon it was a choice of venturing ashore for a lazy afternoon or squeezing in one more dive out at ‘Belinda’s Corner’, with the reef’s namesake joining us for this relaxing finish to a hectic week. The dive was accomplished to the sounds of a nearby pod of spinner dolphins working a shoal of fish further along the reef. Mike and the Captain decided that we should rest at anchor overnight before moving to Toau Atoll (some 18 miles distant) in the early morning, so we had another excellent opportunity to drink in the sunset (with suitable refreshments in hand) one last time at this wonderful place. There is no doubt that Fakarava Atoll, and both its southern and northern passes will be firmly etched in the happiest of our memories for a long time to come.

Monday 25th April - Toau Atoll, Tuamotus

Our early morning arrival at Toau Atoll saw us approaching the Otugi Pass on a near perfect day. The Captain reported a 5 knot current as Shokalskiy powered her way into the sheltered waters of Toau lagoon, and to our anchorage in calm waters of 60 feet depth. We were greeted by ‘Helmut’, a 6 foot Barracuda and local resident familiar to the local divemasters who have been feeding him for several years.

Our first dive, ‘Scar-face Corner’, was a classic outer reef dive that began once we had all assembled on the dive deck to sing Happy Birthday (Bon Anniversaire) to Pierre who celebrated the passing of his 4th decade today. Early morning sun, clear water and an abundance of feeding activity by the local residents kept the photographers enthralled, whilst other divers were happy just doodling along and taking it all in. By placing a chunk of barracuda under a coral-head, we were able to watch a number of sharks trying to locate the bait -- providing great close up viewing for all divers. The rest of the dive was also productive, with divers reporting an eagle ray, manta rays, a silvertip and spinner dolphins!

Dive # 2 was targeted at the pass itself. After a delayed start while we waited for the tide to turn and the current to build, we entered the water for a magic ride that lasted 40 minutes. After descending ‘into the blue’ we approached the step in a good current. We observed a large number of sharks in the vicinity of the Pass before riding the 3 knot current into the lagoon itself. A stop at the shark cave was a welcome break out of the current, and gave us all a place to relax, float and observe the large schools of fish and many sharks. Divers reported seeing Grey reef, Black tip, White tip and Nurse sharks -- all at one site! Lunch was abuzz with tales of the dive, and after an hour aboard it was back out to do it all again.

Dive #3 saw the current starting to wane, though all divers drifted well into the lagoon, albeit not all by the predetermined route! At 1530 hours we heaved anchor and set sail for Moorea, some 260 miles away. Back at sea the gentle roll made the afternoon naps a little longer than normal, and for many, a well earned early night after many days of intense diving.

Tuesday 26th April - Moorea Island, Society Archipelago, French Polynesia

A late breakfast provided for a welcome sleep-in after a busy week as we progressed in our passage southwards. With an ETA for Moorea at 1300, we filled the morning in with reading, sleeping, sorting dive gear. However the highlight of the morning, played to a full-house, was watching the summary of the entire voyage in images from the very talented Eric Cheng and Curt Foster.

As the morning progressed passengers on deck saw Tahiti-iti, Tahiti-nui and finally Moorea come into view. The sight of the city of Papeete rising up the steep mountainsides provided a sharp contrast to the flat atolls and tiny settlements that had filled the last two weeks.

Arriving at Opunuku harbour in the early afternoon, we dropped anchor under Moorea’s majestic peaks that were set against a bruised sky that threatened rain.

Whilst many of us went ashore to stretch legs, reconnect with civilisation and to hunt out internet access, the rest went to visit some unique locals, the lemon sharks.

After this dive a trip was offered to swim with local rays. The gentle waters of the lagoon are home to a school of large stingrays and accompanying black-tip sharks. Snorkelling in just 4 feet of water, we delighted as the gentle rays harassed us for tit-bits. This unique experience was quite awesome and had many roaring with laughter or giggling like children as the playful rays massaged and rubbed against us.

In the late afternoon we farewelled Doug, Krissy and Eric Cheng, who chose to jump ship and continue their French Polynesian holiday. The final evenings festivities got underway with drinks in the bar followed by a traditional farewell dinner -- a BBQ on the bow.

Wednesday 27th April - Papeete, Society Archipelago, French Polynesia and homeward bound

Today we disembarked in the Port of Papeete at 0800 hours and transferred to the Sheraton Tahiti and respective hotels to either begin our journey home -- or for some to continue in the exploration of French Polynesia by heading to Moorea or Bora Bora for yet more diving.

Today was the conclusion of the Tuamotus expedition. A 14 day trip that gave us the opportunity to visit six large coral atolls, swim in their pristine waters and make forty-one dives to meet the inhabitants of these captivating waters.

Bon Voyage.
From your Expedition Team.