We know. The week before your first whale swim, you're not lying awake thinking about how well your fin foot pocket fits. You're thinking about Humpback Whales, Orcas, or Tiger Sharks.

But here's what we've noticed after a lot of expeditions: the guests who feel calm and capable in the water with the wildlife aren't the ones with the fanciest gear or the biggest lungs. They're the ones that know themselves really well (their capabilities, how they like to travel, what they want out of the trip), and they come prepared for it.

We read somewhere that organising yourself is just "over-preparing, so you can go with the flow." That's about right for anything involving wildlife and Mother Nature.

So here's everything. In roughly the order you should do it.

Okay, so you’ve been captured by this magical island for it’s epic humpback whale interactions… and maybe, if you’re lucky, you’ve booked a few days in the water with them (or booked an ocean expedition with us!).

Whilst we’re not going to promise you that our ‘To-Do’s in Mo’orea’ will top coming eye to eye with one of the earths oldest mammals, but we will remind you that you’re standing in one of the most beautiful corners of the planet, and there is so much beauty to explore beyond the reef (sorry, we couldn’t skip the Moana reference, could we?).

This is the list we give to our expedition guests each year, and we’re hitting ‘publish’ in the hopes that someone like you, might stumble across it, and discover this beautiful island on a deeper level than most. Enjoy!

Feeling nervous about getting back in the water in Sydney following recent shark incidents? Not sure how to stay shark-safe as a snorkeller or freediver? You’re not alone.

It’s understandable. Shark bites receive major media coverage because they are unusual, they are scary, and they play into long-held cultural narratives. The shark is the ultimate ‘villain’ and the ultimate clickbait.

We believe that there IS a healthy way to coexist with sharks, still taking part in snorkelling, freediving and the ocean activities we love, whilst taking steps to understand and manage the risk of shark encounters. After all, ALL activities in nature come with their own risks.

So we’ve decided to share with our community the steps WE take to manage shark risk, as professional freedivers and as a commercial dive operator.

This guide explains our approach to shark safety for freedivers and snorkellers, and it can be applied to all regions and countries.