|
Log Date: Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
Entry By: Maldives Crew
|
|
Hi to everyone checking out the Captains log. If you were on board with us then we say a big Hi to you and if you are coming to the Maldives we look forward to seeing you.
We were thrilled to have another ten day snorkeling and diving trip that Zegrahm Expeditions had arranged. We were sad when the last one ended so it was really great to be able to visit some of the places again and do some more amazing snorkeling – our diving is always great here and we are sure that everyone who left from both of these trips will agree with that!
Jonathan and G, the fish experts and tour leaders from Zegrahm, who had been hosting the last trip, were ready and raring to go and keen to beat the massive amount of species that had been seen on the last trip. They knew several of the guests who were coming with us on this next adventure.
Joining us were Klaus, Betsy, Margot, Louis, Marilyn, Bob, Susie, Gordon, Lynn, Charlie, Freddy, Pam, Lynn, Joel and Jackie.
Our weather was good and our water is a toasty 82 degrees. The divers were happy in 3mm suits and the snorkelers, who spent more time in the ocean than the divers, were warm in anything from shorties to full 3mm suits.
Our trip started off with some windy weather however that only lasted a short while and after that was nice until the last day with sunshine and blue skies.
We started out week in North Male Atoll where we did some great snorkeling and good diving before crossing to South Ari Atoll. Our crossing was a little ‘rolly’ however everyone managed to relax and read a bit before getting back in to the water.
We dived and snorkeled Meerifenfushi which has some pristine coral and Angaga where everyone saw lots of fish and started to add to the numbers of different species seen already on this trip. Fish Head was a good dive with a feeding turtle so intent on eating that he didn’t mind everyone staring at him whilst he munched away! We went to Mirihi and Pineapple Island which have some great reefs and by now people were getting pretty good at actually naming the different butterfly fish they had seen. In the afternoon we arrived at Dhigura and went whale shark searching with success…. Once again we are pleased to say that those who had never seen a whale shark before have now seen one – or more!
The reef at Dhigura provided more great snorkeling with pipe fish, anemone fish, shrimps and gobies to name but a few. The diving on the thilas was wonderful and everyone was happy.
The local drummers from the island came on one evening and gave us a taste of local music which everyone at some point danced to.
When we left Dhigura we headed to a nearby island where we dived a wreck at Machmachu which was full of batfish and no ‘snaggage’ at all so it was very easy and relaxing to swim around inside the hold whilst looking at them. The snorkelers said the reef was wonderful too. We moved on up the South Ari Atoll stopping to see mantas at Madivaru which is always a treat as they are so graceful. Raadhiga Thila got a big thumbs up with its critters and immaculate table coral garden on top from divers and snorkelers alike. We missed a dive and had a BBQ on the beach after which everyone snorkeled the reef there.
We did a couple of dives at Dhonkalo where we did not see mantas on the first dive so did it again in some really “perky” current and saw a couple which was great. On this boat the current is described as “perky” as opposed to giving it a speed in knots…. If it is really, really perky you know you had better get out your reef hook and hang on to your mask! We also (amazingly) saw an ornate ghost pipe fish on both our dives there which is amazing as they were both juveniles and in that type of current are pretty brave. Spotting these little guys was virtually more exciting than seeing mantas – and certainly much more unusual.
We continued to move up the Atoll doing more great dive sights like Degha Thila, Panatone and Maalox Thila which were all great in their different ways. We did a couple of night snorkels which people enjoyed and one was full of flat worms swimming around which was pretty unusual and amazing to see. Our night dive at Maaya Thila was choc a bloc with different critters out feeding like white tip reef sharks, marble rays and lots of eels.
We had hoped to be able to go to Ras Doo and do a super early dive with the possibility of seeing hammerheads however the current was going to be outgoing so we were not able to do that sadly.
We did our last two dives and snorkels at Maaya Thila which is a great day dive and then at Hafza Thila where we saw some grey reef sharks.
It was a week filled with seeing some of the most amazing things the ocean has to show us, from whale sharks and mantas to ornate ghost pipe fish and comets.
Our crossing back was peaceful and after our cocktail party everyone went out to dinner in Male at the Thai Restaurant before coming back to the boat.
It really was a great week and we would like to thank everyone for joining us and for being such fun and lovely guests. I would also like to say that if Bob and Marilyn’s children are reading this that it is true, your parents were there at 7am every day to snorkel!
We hope you all enjoy your next adventure as from the sounds of the ones we heard about they are going to be pretty great. We are also proud to have turned out such a great navy seal dive team…. Nothing will ever worry you again wherever you next dive! A good job to all of you…
All the best and happy travels from the crew of the Maldives Aggressor.
|
