This dive was planned to be an easy drift dive at depths
from 30 m to 10 m starting in the north of the atoll (bottom of dive plan), drifting with the current southwards towards the open ocean (at the top of the dive plan). Upon reaching the tip of the atoll, the intention was to hook left out of the current and try to go up onto the atoll where sometimes Mantas are found.
In the event…….
A shallow negative descent to about 15m into a school of sharks (again!) – we were checked out by White Tips and
the occasional reef shark and then we came across a Turtle
grazing on the bottom, completely unconcerned at our presence
even when quite close up
or circling overhead
The current now picked up and we drifted south towards the ocean, passing numerous fish / corals along the way
numerous Red Toothed Trigger Fish
A Grouper
a Blue Faced Angel Fish
a Honeycomb Moray
An ordinary Moray (asleep)
A very large puffed up Puffer Fish
a Potato Cod
a shoal of Angel Fish hiding under an overhang
a rather nice sponge
a Granulated Sea Star
and Schooling Banner Fish. When we got to the end of the atoll, we found that the current suddenly reversed with quite some strength and so we chose to drift back rather than fight it to get onto the top of the atoll – so no Manta Rays again! but a long (59 minute) easy dive with plenty of air left in the tank at the end.
The weather out to sea is apparently quite poor and it is said that the Dhoni has difficulties in bad weather so we are staying in this area overnight and will try to head south and west in the early morning.
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