MSNBC is running two really, really nice pieces on diving. The first piece focuses on Tahiti. Calling it the “most romantic place on earth,” Cindy Sawyer admittedly has problems choosing the right words to describe the island paradise. Starting her trip on Tahiti, she moves to Bora Bora, and ends at Moorea. During her trip, Sawyer dives a geolette; scrambles over lava tubes; sees an army of eagle rays glide past; watches a stingray feeding frenzy; and swims with a team of 30 blacktip sharks. Wow. Does it get any better than that? Don’t forget to check out her list of must-dives and topside attractions in the area.

MSNBC’s second piece focuses on the Great Barrier Reef, and is written by Cindy’s husband, Ty. (What a life.) Ty begins his trip diving the most well-known site on the Great Barrier Reef — Cod Hole on Ribbon Reef #10. From there, he moves on to Osprey Reef, where he sees several hammerheads circling, as well as a pod of orcas! The next day he goes on a shark feeding dive, where he sees a “disappointing” number of (“only about 40 or 50”) whitetip and gray reef sharks; the day after that, members of the dive boat see mating cuttlefish, a minke whale, and green sea turtles. He ends his trip off Lord Howe Island, the southernmost coral reef in the world, which – as you might imagine – yields amazing diving and provides closure to a remarkable story.

Both of these trip reports are extremely well-written and descriptive. I got lost inside them for quite a while. And it is my firm belief that if Nick Hanna had read either of them before compiling his list of the world’s Top 10 Dive Sites, he might’ve shifted his rankings somewhat.

[Thanks, Dad!]