Turtle, French Polynesia, 1997
Photograph by David Doubilet
Like a baby bird embarking on its first flight, a just-hatched turtle, flippers outspread and eyes wide, swims just below the ocean's surface in the waters of French Polynesia. In addition to a dazzling variety of wildlife, including several marine turtle species, the archipelago's rich lagoons spawn a treasure available in few other places: black pearls.
