17 January 2012
First of all, we would like to wish you a happy 2012. May it be filled with great adventures! We also take this opportunity to thank those of you who contributed one way or the other to make Tahiti Private Expeditions an even greater dive experience in Tahiti and in other locations around the world. All the team is very much looking forward to carrying on working with you and exploring exciting new dive areas! We are pleased to share with you some of our special 2011 moments: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q89HX8LX9c
Recent dive highlights
Between September and the end of the year, we led and filmed yacht expeditions in the Tuamotu archipelago but also in Fiji and in Baja California, Mexico diving with great white sharks, sea lions, whale sharks and sperm whales. We also joined the Undersea Hunter in Cocos island, Costa Rica using the amazing Argo submarine for deep sea discovery (down to 300 meters) and rebreather diving with the great hammerhead sharks. This year is taking us exploring New Caledonia further and bringing our dive expertise there to our clients but also to Galapagos and Cocos again. Tahiti Private Expeditions is also M/Y Mary Jean's preferred private guide of choice for her charters (http://www.yachtmaryjean.com).
For any information or questions about these destinations, please contact us: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
Baja Califonia, Mexico: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM2xr5bFATg
Charter in Cocos island, Costa Rica:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmBqIn6P2wo
Boat shows
During the event of the Auckland Boat Show in September, New Zealand Marine invited Tahiti Private Expeditions to present the marine wildlife and the diving in the South Pacific region to
a large audience of superyachts captains and professionals.
Both the Monaco Yacht Show and the Antigua Charter Show were, as every other year, an excellent means of catching up with the industry professionals and assessing market developments and trends. We took the opportunity in Antigua to participate in a South Pacific destination presentation together with Yacht Help Fiji, 37 South and Tahiti Ocean onboard MY Sherakhan. Tahiti Private Expeditions had prepared a joint presentation with the yacht agent Tahiti Ocean in front of 40 professionals. The presentation is available upon request. We thank all the attendees for their interest and questions but also Tom Debuse of YCO for having assisted in finding the perfect venue for the event.
Press and familiarisation trips
Tahiti Tourisme, the local tourism board, arranged trips with industry leaders to promote the destination and create an awareness of the country's assets for superyachts. We took part in the organisation of these trips between October and November by bringing our expertise for a dive feature onboard MY Seawolf in the Tuamotu atolls for Boat International (article published in February). We also contributed to a couple of press and fam trips involving Yachts International, Asia Pacific Boating and Yachting Russia. Yachting Russia had already published an article in Russian in September about swimming with humpback whales in Moorea written by Ch Holler. Professionals from CNI, YPI and Burgess Yachts were invited for the fam trip. Both trips involved discovering Tahiti and its culture, its yacht services, experiencing high end resorts in Bora Bora and its lagoon as well as in Moorea aboard M/Y Ultimate Lady and M/Y Haumana. Private diving and snorkelling sessions were part of the global experience combined with an interactive lecture about the local marine wildlife and conservation actions.
(Photo: M/Y Seawolf in Fakarava with Boat International)
Photo exhibit and charity
Being always dedicated to marine conservation issues, Tahiti Private Expeditions donated photos to The Shark Truth non-profit organisation in Vancouver BC to build educational materials for the local Chinese community in order to raise awareness about the threats facing sharks and ban shark fin soup.
Humane Society International and the Jane Goodall Institute China's Roots & Shoots Beijing programme teamed up with the Beijing Zoo from August to December 2011 to promote shark protection with a photo exhibit that showcases these magnificent creatures. Tahiti Private Expeditions donated shark photos for use during the event. One of them was selected as the support material to advertise the event.
Spending most of our time so close to the ocean, we are dedicated to contribute more in 2012 to shark conservation actions and to the non-profit organisation 'Yacht Aid Global' (http://www.yachtaidglobal.com).
End of June and most of July are the best time of the year to dive the South Pass of Fakarava atoll (North East of Tahiti island). While Fakarava is part of a UNESCO biosphere reserve along with 4 other surrounding atolls, the South Pass hosts a yearly incredible encounter. Thousands of groupers come in the pass to breed. While a frenzy is naturally happening, some sharks make the most of the situation and feed, totally unaware of the divers watching the scene. The ideal time to witness such a spectacular scene while diving is around full moon: 
The first humpback whales have been spotted around the islands of Tahiti and Moorea. Their yearly 6,000 km / 3,500 miles journey from the Antarctic is leading them to French Polynesia to breed and give birth close to the shores of our islands. Tahiti and her islands have been a sanctuary for marine mammals since 2002. They are therefore protected and whale watching is regulated by law. However, when performed with a professional and if the conditions allow, swimming with the whales is possible and offers a once in a life time experience. All it takes is patience to find the perfect time and your snorkeling gear to join the whales in the water! 
Our company is very involved in ocean conservation, especially in that of the sharks, which are critally endangered worldwide. Our team makes a point in bringing our clients awareness about the challenges these animals are facing and the threats for the ecosystem. Therefore, we have proudly donated 40 shark pictures to Shark Defenders and the non profit organisation PEW Conservation Trusts in order to use them as a communication support and as part of their educational material. One of these photos is currently exhibited at the University of Beijing, China. The purpose of the exhibition is to educate the Chinese people about the ocean, marine sustainebility and shark conservation. Several thousands visitors are expected.
A couple of years ago, we started offering our clients the option of experiencing diving in a different manner. Diving with a rebreather involves that the diver makes no bubbles and breathe enriched air in O2 (Nitrox) most of the time. Around our islands where marine life is abundant and diversified, it is an amazing way to feel like a fish with no bubble noise around you. Once divers get used to these new sensations, they usually become addicted! Tahiti, given the warmth of the water and excellent visibility year round, is the perfect place to give a try to rebreather diving. This is not only restricted to keen divers but also to anyone who would like to see more wildlife and enjoy longer dives.
Over the past few years, our services have been requested in other areas of the South Pacific to guide and film our clients during their trip. This involved Vanuatu, Fiji and the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
