Ravahere Atoll, Tuamotu Archipelago, French Polynesia
This morning we arrived at Ravahere, an uninhabited atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago. We spent the entire day simply enjoying the great Pacific Ocean as it washed on and off the coral reef. We had opportunities for diving and snorkeling in the morning and again in the afternoon. One of the most popular ways to get close to the undersea world was aboard our brand new glass-bottom boat which was brought aboard the National Geographic Endeavour for the first time at the beginning of this voyage. The boat, of our own design, carries 12 guests seated around the glass-bottomed well and everyone had a terrific view of the world beneath us as we sailed along the reef edge. The reef here at Ravahere drops precipitously to 4000 meters within a couple of miles of the atoll, so we were able to view a range of depths in the incredibly clear water. One effect that was very obvious was the absorption of the long wavelengths of light as it penetrates beyond the very surface layer. Corals and fish which were brilliantly colored in a rainbow of hues in shallow water were all subtle shades of blue at depth.
The ability to enjoy the ocean world at close range in so many ways assured that everyone aboard the National Geographic Endeavour had an opportunity to experience a personal connection with this vast expanse of water which covers one-third of our planet, certainly an essential part of this voyage to the South Seas.
This morning we arrived at Ravahere, an uninhabited atoll in the Tuamotu Archipelago. We spent the entire day simply enjoying the great Pacific Ocean as it washed on and off the coral reef. We had opportunities for diving and snorkeling in the morning and again in the afternoon. One of the most popular ways to get close to the undersea world was aboard our brand new glass-bottom boat which was brought aboard the National Geographic Endeavour for the first time at the beginning of this voyage. The boat, of our own design, carries 12 guests seated around the glass-bottomed well and everyone had a terrific view of the world beneath us as we sailed along the reef edge. The reef here at Ravahere drops precipitously to 4000 meters within a couple of miles of the atoll, so we were able to view a range of depths in the incredibly clear water. One effect that was very obvious was the absorption of the long wavelengths of light as it penetrates beyond the very surface layer. Corals and fish which were brilliantly colored in a rainbow of hues in shallow water were all subtle shades of blue at depth.
The ability to enjoy the ocean world at close range in so many ways assured that everyone aboard the National Geographic Endeavour had an opportunity to experience a personal connection with this vast expanse of water which covers one-third of our planet, certainly an essential part of this voyage to the South Seas.
