Hi! I am going to report the short trip of SEP. 8 to 12. The day 1 started with a check dive at Lankan Reef in the North Male Atoll. The water heaved pretty much but once we got the reef, we encountered with a couple of Manta Rays! Hooray! The 2nd dive was at Kan Thila in the North Ari Atoll. The number of Grey Reef Sharks was fewer than always, however, we got to see the school of Fusiliers and the Whitetips were resting in the bottom. The 3rd dive was Manta Night! We saw Nurse Sharks but Manta Rays. Bummer!
The day 2, the 1st dive of the day was at Fish Head in the North Ari Atoll. Because it was the new moon, the current was a little stronger. About a dozen of Grey Reef Sharks passed in front of us. Dogtooth Tunas, Spotted Eagle Rays were also seen. We could find the Flogfish again! I am glad it stayed here. The 2nd dive was at Fanka Thila in the South Ari Atoll. The place hit the strong current. Mackerel scads and Fusiliers were playing at the place where the strong current hit. We went around the reef, then found a school of Pigmy sweepers at the overhang. All Bluebanded snappers were evacuated from the current and hidden at the place with no current. We ended up drifting with the current and exit. The 3rd dive was at Omadhoo Thila. This is one of the points where to see soft corals, which is not that much existed in the Maldives. We could enjoy the real color of the colorful soft corals at the overhang with light. We can also the swim though. Plus, we saw the schools of Humpback Red Snappers, Yellowback Fusiliers, Scalefin Anthias, Flame Anthias, Black Pyramid Butterflyfish, False Moorish Idols, etc, etc.. We concluded this fantastic dive with encountering about 3 dozens of Dogtooth Tunas! It was so exciting. The last dive of the day was at Kudarah Thila. We checked up on the Whitetip Shark which was sleeping in his rocky bed. The Maldives Anemonefish healed us.
The air temperature was 26-33 deg.C. The water temperature was 28-29 deg.C. To be continued…
