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Catherine Strong travelled on our 'Mantas, Dolphins & Coral Reefs - A Maldives Cruise' holiday and submitted this entry to our writing competition.
Manta Ray, Maldives
Swimming with Manta Rays
Many, if not most, participants on our February 2014 ‘Mantas, Dolphins & Coral Reefs - A Maldives Cruise’ holiday had dreamed, for some years, of swimming with a Manta Ray. Even seeing one, would probably have been enough for some! They were in luck! Having seen and swum, briefly, with a single Manta on Day 3 of the holiday, most were satisfied that they had achieved their goal ... but their Manta experience was about to get much, much better! Day 6 started much like every other day - morning tea/coffee on deck in delicious, wrap-around tropical warmth before a pre-breakfast snorkel. But Day 6 was different. Tour leader, Chas, told the group that he knew of a reef where Mantas might be feeding at this time of year. ‘Nothing guaranteed,’ he stressed, as coffees and teas were quickly finished off, and everyone hastily disappeared below deck to collect their snorkelling gear ready to board the dhoni.
Chas was right - the Mantas were there. Within 15 minutes of arriving at the remote reef off Faafu Atoll, the dhoni crew had seen the tell-tale ‘wings’ (wing-shaped pectoral fins) of about a dozen Manta Rays off the reef. Everyone who wished to slipped quickly into the water and, one by one, the Mantas approached the group, like giant marine butterflies, the epitome of elegance and - apparently effortless - underwater grace. The Mantas barrel-rolled, swam in tandem and in groups, circling and diving around and underneath everyone. Tour participants enjoyed over an hour (some stayed with the Mantas for an hour and a half!) in the water watching up to 7 feeding Manta Rays at a time. Everyone in the water got superb views, at times within touching distance, of these most elegant of fish - their individual markings, the cephalic fins, and their eyes as they swam past. An unforgettable, wonderful morning ... and all before breakfast!
Watch: Manta Rays video
Swimming with a Whale Shark
On Day 4 of our February 2014 Maldives Cruise, our group had a chance to swim with a Whale Shark off South Ari Atoll. It was the highlight of the holiday for a few: a lifetime’s quest realised! Juvenile male Whale Sharks come every year to the shallow waters off South Ari Atoll. No one is certain why they congregate here at this time of year, but it is thought that they are probably in the shallow water to benefit from its warmth. Our group found a single Whale Shark, about 19-foot long, and many of the group slipped into the water in an attempt to see and swim with it. It was a hard swim to reach and stay with the shark but, for those who did, its beautiful counter-shaded skin patterns were easily visible in the clear, shallow water.
Watch: Whale Shark video
View images from this year’s Maldives Cruise.
Many thanks to: Barbara and Graham Smart, Shaun Milner, Rachael Black, Brian Jones, John Stannard and Dave Barnes for allowing us to use their footage and images.
Read more about our 'Mantas, Dolphins & Coral Reefs - A Maldives Cruise' holiday.