Diving coral bommies: what to expect on overgrown Pacific patch reefs
The morning after anchoring, several boats in the group dive the bommies in the area. These are patches of coral that rise from 70 to 100 feet below the surface up to the waterline. Lauren Landers Sailing notes that a lot of the coral was overgrown with algae, which is a sign of reef stress, but the dive is still worthwhile simply for the experience of exploring underwater. It sets realistic expectations: not every Pacific dive will be pristine, but there is value in getting in the water and understanding what is there.
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Learning Pacific marine life after years of knowing only the Caribbean
Snorkeling in a small creek just in front of the boat, Lauren Landers Sailing finds small coral heads and strikingly beautiful blue giant clams. The observation leads to a broader reflection: after years of knowing Caribbean fish and marine
A juvenile blacktip reef shark found dead in a fish trap net gave the boys a close-up look
During a day of snorkeling, attempted spearing, and watching a hammerhead feed from the drone, Ian and Tara came across a shark tangled in the nets of a fish trap. The shark had already died in the net, so Ian pulled it out of the water so
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