| Maldives May 2014
on 15/05/2014
(Click on thumbs for larger image)
Yeah, all luggage turned up. 1st time in the last 3 holidays away. Got greeted at the airport and then taken to our boat MV Virgo and was treated to an amazing sunset on arrival. The boat is accompanied by a smaller boat to dive from which is great as it gets close into the dive sites, and also disappears between dives to fill cylinders, so you don't end up listening to the compressor.
| | |  MV Virgo | |  Dive Donny |
The water was warm and clear and the reefs were good (not quite as colourful as the Red Sea but still amazing.
Three great dives on the first day, and a possibility of a fourth if the Manta rays are about in the evening.
It gets dark at 6 and the crew switched on a big light at the back of the boat to attract the plankton which in turn attracts the Manta which feed on the plankton.
Wow! We where told to keep quiet and keep things out of the water until the Mantas settled. So around 7pm the shout went up to kit up as we were going diving. The plan is to 'plant' your touches to attract the plankton just like the big light and then let the Manta's come to you.
| | | | | | | | | | | | Big wow! So much so that after dinner we went back out to snorkel with them until the early hours of the morning. | | |
Next day back to the normal mundane diving...
We travelled between dives (great being on board a floating hotel!)..
Then to top Tuesday off we had a BBQ on the beach of an uninhabited island, the crew had headed over beforehand to set things up, including sandcastles of a Manta and a whale-shark.
Then some more of the same (diving that is)
Between dives we went looking for whale-sharks and found one to snorkel with:
And more diving (with sharks)...
Then another night dive, no Manta rays this time. Unlike any other night dive we have done, we jumped in and where treated to an endless display from the sting rays and nurse sharks, which although big eat shrimp and have tiny mouths. Not only did the sharks swim in between the divers, but occasionally you got side-swiped in the head by them as they swam past. Here are some photo's...it's frustrating when your taking a photo of a ray and a shark photo bombs it and vice-versa.
Looking up at then end of the dive there where about 15 sharks circling.
Oh and then more diving....
And thanks to our dive guides:
 Atuph | |  Darja | |  Chris with Lilly |
Great week and some awesome dives but we did have to leave the boat.
However we did not leave the Maldives just yet...
|  Male | | Book Festival | |  Fish Market | |  Fruit & Veg | | | | |  Scuba Minion |
And then onto Maafushi one of the local islands for a few days.
Both Male and Maafushi are Muslim and hence no alcohol, but we survived...
| | | | | | | | | |  Towel Origami |
It was not all sea and sunshine, last day saw a downpour
For such small islands there are a huge number of motorbikes.
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