In search of the world's last pristine seas


Still excited after just returning from three weeks aboard the newly-refitted National Geographic Orion travelling into the remote South Pacific in search of the last remaining pristine reefs on the planet.

In 2009, a small group of National Geographic researchers and scientists headed to the Southern Line Islands of Kiribati to investigate what was reputed to be the last truly pristine reefs left in the world.


Marine ecologist and National Geographic Fellow Enric Sala called the reefs of the southern Line Islands Shark Eden.

"They may be the most pristine coral reefs left on the planet," he said.

The result was the acclaimed video documentary "Shark Eden"

I was fortunate to be invited by Lindblad Expeditions National Geographic to travel with them on the first commercial voyage to the region to see this submarine wonderland for myself and I can tell you I will never look at another reef the same again.

The voyage began in Fiji and culminated in Tahiti and also included numerous stops including Taveuni, Tonga, Samoa, the seldom-visited Northern Cook Islands and the Tuamotus of French Polynesia.

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