Some Mantas

hi guys,

just wanted to share some impressions of my first dive with camera this year on the manta point. numbers are increasing slowly ... last week we had up to 12 rays together at a time. unfortunately only some were there, when i had the camera.

hope you like them.

Nice shots Serge,

Didn't get to see any whilst at Thudufusi last month, the water was a little too warm I was told. I bet the waters are solid with them now.

What was a little worrying was the number of dead Indian Ocean Triggerfish being washed up on the beaches. Was this due to the Typhoon / Cyclone that hit the area in late November? I know the jetty at Thudufushi was seriously damaged during one storm.

Having said that the reefs were still pristine and showing signs of really good recovery from the 'El Nino' bleaching in 1997.

Posted some images from the trip on my website for you to check out.

Dive safe.

Nige

More Photo's please.

Really interested to hear all about the Maldives and various dives that are must do.

hi nige,

thanks

no rays for you? sorry to hear about that ... yeah they were a bit late this year. dunno if it is the temperatures or something else ...

the dead triggerfishes have been an issue already in september if i remember well for some weeks and then now like a month ago again for a while. no its fine again. the fishery ministry here says, that it has to do with an algae they are not used to, which drifted here. we had about 2000 or something dead fishes each morning on the beach ... but these red tooth triggers are so common here, that they are still too many ... anyway, the dieing semms to have stopped.

Hi Serge,

Nice pictures. What lens are you using to shoot the mantas? I'm off to the Maldives in a couple of weeks so I am really pleased to hear that the mantas are back in town.

Hamish.

@pmooney: depends which atoll you're going to ... check the threads in destinations and trave ... there have been some discussions about the best manta spots and so on. more pics coming soon.

@hamish: all the shots are done with the tokina 10-17 (mostly at 10mm) where are you going to?

Serge,

Wherever they take us! I'm on Sea Queen again & the itinerary seems to be fairly flexible if its anything like the last time I was there. I have got access to a 15mm fisheye for my 5D & can't decide whether to use that or the 17-40mm I've used before. Really quite like the fisheye effect with mantas though...

Hamish.

fisheye and manta mix well. for cleaning stations take the fisheye ... you're gonna be happy for the wideness, when they almost bump into you.

see for yourself on this one ... even the fisheye might not be wide enough ... not a keeper, but i think good to make my point

Yes I see what you mean!

the best season to go somebody in Maldives ?

My plan is to go for Easter holidays, it is good season ?

when is easter this year ... middle-end march ... yep. should be still fine.

I will be there from 23/04 untill 30/04 at Chaaya Island / Dhonveli, Serge.

Αny information would be useful :-)