Dhigu Thila, Maldives

Dhigu Thila is a narrow submerged ridge located on the eastern side of Baa Atoll in the Maldives. Dhigu means long in Divehi, the local language, and is an apt name for this reef. Although many of the corals on the shallow reef top are dead, undoubtedly as a result of coral bleaching, there is a profusion of small fish such as anthias and damselfish. The sides of the reef drop away sharply to a sandy floor at a depth of around 35m, where resting white tip reef sharks can sometimes be seen. The steep reef walls have sea fans, black corals and an extensive labyrinth of caves and ledges that provide shelter to larger fish such as moray eels and groupers. At dusk, schools of feeding trevally pass over the reef, picking at smaller fish in dazzling displays of speed.

Fish doctor

A cleaner wrasse attends to an adult grey sweetlips at a cleaning station at Hani Faru in Maldives. During the day this cleaning station is frequented by mantas that come into the small bay to feed. But during dusk once the celebrities depart, its the turn of all the other regular citizens of the area. When a fish approaches a known cleaning station, cleaner wrasses will get to work grooming their 'clients', picking away at dead skin and removing pesky parasites. And unlike human doctors or salons the only payment they ask for is a tasty snack! Check out a previous post of a moray eel being cleaned in Negombo, Sri Lanka

Manta madness

Its 10am on August 5th, Hani Faru, South Malhosmadhulu Atoll, Maldives. A southwesterly wind blows across turquoise seas on a clear sunny morning, and divers and snorkelers from around the world have gathered in anticipation of something special. Its been nearly two months since my last dive and I'm as eager as a first time snorkeler on a tropical vacation. Two mantas are feeding in the bay, but its a relatively quite morning so far. Well at least by Maldives standards! Then a few more mantas appear, and as more plankton gets swept into the small shallow bay a few more appear, until we are surrounded by around 25 large manta rays. Oblivious to the divers the large rays jostle with each other, sometimes bumping into divers as they twist and turn in a feeding frenzy. Seven to ten mantas swim behind each other forming 'manta trains' with their cephalic fins extended in order to channel plankton rich water into their large mouths. It was magical. It was madness. Hope you enjoy the pictures!

Help save manta rays and sharks. Say no to shark fin soup, shark meat, manta ray meat and stingrays. 

Tales from a rainbow sea: Part II "Fish Tales"

Large schools of fish and pelagics are the highlights of Maldivian diving and schools of yellow snappers, red tooth triggerfish and fusiliers numbering in their thousands, reef sharks, napolean wrasses and manta rays were regular features at many dive sites. The Maldives are surely some of the worlds most fish filled waters!

Tales from a rainbow sea: Part I "Reefscapes"

Maldives Trip Report, January 30th-February 6th 2010:

Despite rough weather and at times poor visibility we are back after a fantastic week in the Maldives aboard the charter boat Noah. Ten friends, a boat to ourselves and our own itinerary amid picture postcard islands and turquoise seas teeming with marine life. Starting in Male' we endure a rough crossing through the Ariadhoo Channel and head to the northern part of Ari Atoll. At Orimas Thila, Fish Head, Maaga Reef, Ellaidhoo, Halaveli, Donkalu Thila and Maalhos Thila we encounter grey reef sharks, white tip reef sharks, manta rays, napolean wrasses, dogtooth tuna, giant trevally, turtles and large schools of reef fish that epitomize classic Maldivian diving. We even see a couple of sea snakes and a feeding manta on a night dive before crossing to Rasdhoo Atoll for dusk and dawn dives at Rasdhoo Madivaru in search of hammerhead sharks and other pelagics. Even though the hammers dont show up the dives are great with patrolling grey reef sharks, sleeping white tips, eagle rays and large dog tooth tuna. And finally we return to North Male Atoll, stopping by at Boduhithi Thila for a magical manta experience. Good company and good diving in the enchanting Maldives.

Magical Manta Moments

6th February 2010, 12:30pm: On the way back from Rasdhoo after a 7 day liveaboard cruise we stop at a manta cleaning station near Boduhithi Thila, in North Male' Atoll, for one last magical moment in the Maldives. In only 3-4m of water we encounter nearly a dozen manta rays feeding, playing and being cleaned. Cleaning stations, where large reef fish and pelagic species come to be cleaned by small wrasses and other fishes are one of the many amazing phenomena on coral reefs. Manta rays regularly return to favorite cleaning stations, and with the rays come the divers, eager to experience the magic of swimming with these gentle giants, and to get that one "perfect picture".

Magical Maldives

With nearly 1200 islands spread across the Indian Ocean, the Maldives is a true marine wonderland. Hard and soft corals, colourful reef fish and passing pelagics make diving in the Maldives a magical experience.

In the beginning............

Thought I will share some of my images and experiences with the other nitrogen junkies and landlubbers out there. Will update with new images as I go along so check back for new pictures and diving news. To start things off here's a picture of one of my favorite marine fishes, the oriental sweetlips. A common inhabitant on Indian Ocean reefs, its active primarily during the night when the fish disperse across the reef to feed on invertebrates, especially mollusks buried under sand. During the day its often found in small groups under ledges or sheltering behing rocks and make great subjects for photography.