After becoming the youngest Blue Card-certified diver for the National Park Service, Rachel Moore worked in research and underwater television production. A detour into modelling did nothing to quell her passion for the ocean, so she took up underwater photography and for the past 12 years has travelled around Mexico, Central America and the Galápagos
My favourite place in the world is Mo’orea. It is a small, tropical island in French Polynesia and the sister island to Tahiti. It’s special for countless reasons, but one of the biggest is that it is a birthplace and sanctuary for humpback whales. Every year, they leave their feeding grounds in Antarctica and make the long journey north to the warm and sheltered waters of French Polynesia to give birth, mate and rest.
The whales that come to French Polynesia are part of a unique sub-population that migrates to a specific section of the Antarctic Peninsula, while other humpbacks travel to different breeding grounds, such as Tonga, Australia, New Caledonia, Peru and Mozambique.
Seven years ago, I swam with my first whale in Mo’orea, and it changed the course of my life. Nothing compares to having an animal the size of six to eight African elephants look you in the eye and choose to share space with you, especially a mother. I cannot think of another species on Earth that would allow their baby to interact or play with a human. But in Mo’orea, these enormous beings meet your gaze with a calm that stays with you. Once a mother trusts you, she may allow her calf to play at the surface while she rests below, sometimes hours at a time. The trust required for that moment is almost impossible to understand.
One of the things I love most about humpbacks is their natural curiosity. When they look at you, they truly see you. Many animals will throw a fast glance and continue on their way, but humpbacks often change direction to take a closer look. If you’re lucky they will choose to interact and even play and that kind of encounter is powerful and, honestly, addictive.
In French Polynesia, all whale swims must be done with a licensed operator and a local guide. Groups are limited to six guests. You can join half- or full-day trips, or even week-long expeditions. I always recommend visitors do at least three days in the water to give themselves a better chance of a meaningful experience. Only three boats are allowed near a whale at one time, and the hours when whale swims are permitted are regulated.
To reach the whales, we have to leave the lagoon. Swimming with whales inside the lagoon is not allowed, because that is where they seek shelter and rest. The open ocean begins just beyond the reef, and whales can be anywhere from very close to the barrier reef to several miles offshore, though most encounters happen within a mile of the reef.
Swimming with whales changed me so deeply that I now plan my life around their return each season. I have just completed my seventh season, and I have been hosting expeditions for five years. I bring people to meet these whales and to learn from Dr Michael Poole, who I met during my first season. He has been studying humpbacks here for 38 years. He helped write the legislation that protects them and created the first whale swim tours in 1992. His work continues today through photo identification, genetic sampling and the study of whale song. He is one of the leading experts on humpback whale acoustics and I feel very fortunate to have learnt from him.
Beyond the connection with the whales, Mo’orea itself feels like a dream. The water is warm and unbelievably clear, which makes it accessible even for people who are not adrenaline seekers. It is a beautiful destination, and the people are some of the kindest I have ever met. The team who created the film Moana came here for inspiration and the island in the movie is based on Mo’orea. It is not hard to see why.
Peter Howarth has been the style director of British GQ and the editor of Arena, British Esquire and Man About Town. He is the co-founder and CEO of London creative agency SHOW and managing director of Secret Trips
