Diving for Pearls in Tahiti
When it comes to travel keepsakes, we absolutely believe that memories make the best souvenirs. But, when you set sail on a yacht charter vacation in French Polynesia, you can take home something really special that not only fits in your pocket but also comes with a splendid story that you won’t forget any time soon.
To capture this one-of-a-kind experience for yourself, follow your wanderlust compass to Tahiti’s exotic island-hopping paradise, where you can bask in naturally-beautiful surroundings and dive for black pearls in Bora Bora. We’ve even gathered some fun facts and useful tidbits of information about pearl diving in Tahiti to get you in the mood for a majestic underwater experience of your own before you go…
- Tahitian pearl farming dates back to 1966.
- 11 years later, photographer Erwin Christian and his wife opened the first pearl boutique on the island, which eventually leads to them establish their pearl farm.
- Pearl diving in Tahiti gained a considerable following in 2013 after making a television appearance in The Amazing Race.
- Tahitian pearl farms can usually be spotted throughout the French Polynesian islands based on their wooden, hut-like structures sitting atop the clear blue sea.
- The pearls come in a variety of sizes and shapes but they average between 9 and 12 mm.
- The size, shape, and luster quality of your pearl determine its estimated value. The larger and more perfectly sphere-shaped the pearl, the more valuable it is.
- There are actually five different colors of Tahitian black pearls: blue, eggplant, green, gold, and peacock.
- The complete cultivation and harvesting process for Tahitian black pearls takes two years.
- Bora Bora pearl farms are marked off with buoys and ropes strung together. There are also strings hanging down, which is where the oysters are attached.
- After diving down and bringing up your oyster haul of choice, then you get to select one oyster shell to keep.
Anybody can book a vacation in Tahiti and buy a lovely piece of locally-sourced black pearl jewelry to bring home as a souvenir, but if you’d rather depart this bucket list destination with something extra special that also comes with a wonderful travel memory, start planning your French Polynesian sailing vacation. Your hand-picked gem from the ocean is just waiting to be discovered!
Photo Credit:
Yannick Daligault flickr.com
Sean Safdi flickr.com/sseana1
Rcrbb1 flickr.com
Author Name:
Kaitlyn Nakagoshi
Contributor
Ian Pedersen
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