My 50th Dive 🎉

Rapa Nui offers unusually clear-water diving around the exposed summit of a remote volcanic island in the southeastern Pacific. Submerged lava formations create walls, arches, caverns, and rocky reefs inhabited by corals, sea turtles, moray eels, and subtropical reef fishes. The island’s extreme isolation has also encouraged the evolution of species with restricted geographic ranges, making its marine ecosystem scientifically distinctive. Much of the surrounding ocean has been protected within the Rapa Nui Multiple-Use Coastal Marine Protected Area, established in 2018 with provisions for Indigenous participation, artisanal fishing, research, and conservation. Above water, Rapa Nui National Park preserves the ceremonial landscapes and moai created by the island’s Polynesian society and is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Fun Fact: Rapa Nui lies about 2,182 miles (3,512 kilometers) from mainland Chile, making its reefs among the most geographically isolated inhabited-island ecosystems on Earth.