A small reef shark spotted in a tidal pool at the coral beach
Near the reef pass, Lauren spots what she first calls a 'little nurse sharky' but then corrects herself, identifying it as a small reef shark in a shallow tidal pool. The water in these pools is strikingly clear, and the coral underfoot makes the beach sharp and uncomfortable to walk on. These kinds of casual wildlife encounters in tidal pools are a routine part of exploring reef passes in French Polynesia.
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Sharks are not mindless hunters, they are among the smartest animals in the ocean
Lauren pushes back on common fears about sharks. Sharks are not mindless creatures that just eat whatever is in front of them. They are actually one of the smartest animals she has ever been in the water with. In fact, it is common to strug
After 50-100 dives, the crew finally spots a tiger shark in the pass
After days of searching at the atoll, the crew finally achieved their goal. Lauren explains: "We probably dove that pass 50 to 100 times to find this one tiger shark. So, we did it." The sighting was brief but thrilling. Lauren estimated th
Tikehau pass: spotting tiger sharks by drone on the right tide
The pass at Tikehau already feels exceptionally full of life compared to other passes in the area, but there is a specific spot within it where tiger sharks appear, and they only show up reliably on a certain tide. Lauren had been launching