Dive Review of TOPdive/Intercontinental in
French Polynesia/Moorea

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TOPdive/Intercontinental: "Top Dive Moorea from a 35 plus year recreational diver", Jul, 2016, by Douglas C. Spencer, CA, US ( Reviewer 5 reports). Report 8991.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	I am writing this to share my experience with other divers. It is an excellent operation. I have been an active scuba diver for 35 years with over 1000 plus dives and world wide diving experience. I have noted a few recurring negative observations regarding the Moorea diving experience. I have now dived at this location and with Top Dive 2X and feel very positive about my experience. First-the Top Dive Dive Masters are outstanding in every way. While dive profiles are adhered to, it is due to the wide variance in the divers' experience. The staff are French and and Polynesian and are wonderfully warm and helpful (in my view both of these cultures 'invented' scuba diving. The front office headed by Marie was a beautiful young lady and very friendly and had me set up very efficiently. I was fortunate to dive with Frank multiple times. Frank is an outstanding teacher and was really helpful with new (and experienced) divers. I learned several tips just listening to his observations to other divers. He worked really hard to ensure I was able to see all the available dive sites. He was really patient with new and experienced divers. He is a wonderful guy and very hard working. I was also fortunate to dive with locally raised dive master Matahi. This gentleman has 'serious eyes.' There were only 2 divers on the dive I participated on and we saw sea life and species that I could not believe. I thought for a moment I was in Indonesia. In addition to the usual pelagics, we saw schools of Jacks, shrimp, eels, and some of the larges turtles I ever saw. Finally, I was able to dive with local legend Guillaume. He has been at the shop longer than Top Dive has been in existence. He was extremely knowledgeable and patient. He helped a diver with an ear problem masterfully. The reward for our patience was the magical spotting of more than 8 huge Lemon Sharks. He also has another business and can take families on sunset cruises. I was also fortunate to dive with his lovely spouse and she was a delight to dive with. As far as ocean life, my observations are that the usual Black Tips are everywhere, Lemons can get up to 17 feet and are a regular site. Frank is a brave man and feeds a huge eel with his hands. The eel is like a dog. We were fortunate to go to the Tiki drift diving site 2X and spotted 2 large Grey Sharks. It was whale season and while we did not spot any, we gave it a million dollar effort. Also of note, the coral seems to be making a nice comeback from bleaching damage. There are a lot of macro sitings and the dive guides have great eyes for helping recreational divers. I intend to repeat this location and would recommend it as an excellent family land based dive operation. Next time I intend to combine it with Top Dive Fakarava.
Websites	TOPdive Intercontinental
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Pacific/Carribean/South America/Channel Islands/French Polynesia/35 years
Closest Airport	Moorea	Getting There	Pappete to Moorea
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy	Seas	calm, surge
Water Temp	77-78°F / 25-26°C	Wetsuit Thickness
Water Visibility	70-300 Ft/ 21-91 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Dept limits and time. All reasonable.
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	Squadrons
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities
UW Photo Comments	I am not a photographer. All photographers seemed very satisfied.

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Dive Review of TOPdive/Intercontinental in French Polynesia/Moorea

TOPdive/Intercontinental: "Top Dive Moorea from a 35 plus year recreational diver", Jul, 2016,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of TOPdive/Intercontinental in
French Polynesia/Moorea