Where angels dwell

The ancient Greeks referred to Sri Lanka as Taprobane, meaning "garden of delights". Lying on white coral sand on the edge of Taprobane East reef this small wreck is a veritable garden of delights covered in soft corals. The wreck is also home to a multitude of fish life from thousands of glassfish that shelter among the tangled metal to schooling snappers, angelfish, butterflyfish, groupers and even a large humphead wrasse. Far from the shores of Colombo, clear water is the norm here with average visibility around 25m during the calm season. If angels lived underwater they would surely call this home. Maybe the mermaids do..............

Batman returns

A common inhabitant of reefs and wrecks, batfish often hang out in small groups, although large schools numbering in the hundreds can also be found. Most batfish can be seen swimming above open bottom and this species, the longfin batfish (Platax teira) is often found on wrecks and clear water reefs in Sri Lanka. They usually feed on small invertebrates such as juvenile shrimps and zooplankton.

Macro magic: colorful, curious critters

Overlooked, ignored and unappreciated its the small critters that actually make a coral reef tick. More abundant than many other species, cryptic fish such as gobies, blennies and sandperches scurry around the seafloor in their daily routines completely ignored by most divers. Small invertebrates such as nudibranchs are also among the most colorful reef species despite their small size. To really appreciate a coral reef you need to get up close and personal with its smaller residents. So the next time your diving, stop, look and meet all the neighbors!

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".

A new year and new discoveries

Its been a slow start to the 2009/10 west coast season in Sri Lanka. Bad weather has meant frustrating days on land or tough days out at sea. Coupled with work commitments I have not spent any time updating this blog but its time to start again. A new year brings new discoveries and new adventures!

After waiting for the sea to improve with no success we finally braved the swells to explore a new dive site off Mt. Lavinia. Beneath the angry swells on the surface there is calm as we descend into the unknown depths of the deep blue. At 36m we come to a hard-bottom habitat and there before us is an amazing and beautiful site; a dense forest of gorgonians. Giant sea fans more than 2m across lean into the current like giant dreamcatchers listening to the songs of distant whales and other denizens of the deep. Hundreds of blue triggerfish scuttle across the reef in their funny swimming motions like little pixies dancing in a mystical garden. Our time is short at this depth but we will return.............soon!