FUN-travel: Amazing Maalhosmadulu Atoll – Maldives Dive & Snorkel Report – Day 7
December 16, 2016 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Amazing Maalhosmadulu Atoll – Maldives Dive & Snorkel Report – Day 7
- Today’s Dives – only 1…can’t do more than that because of flying w/in 24 hrs…more scorpion fish…beautiful coral…rated VG!
1st & only Snorkel – saw several schools…longfin bannerfish…white collar & black pyramid butterflyfish…striped surgeonfish…but the best…was Oscar the Octopus…who put on a nice show…changing colors and textures… to match the coral…pretty amazing!
- Also, reef is coming back as I saw yellow coral sprouting!
Dive Trip Rating – Steve has been diving for 45 years and gave this trip a 9+ rating due to the pristine & thriving eco-system…diversity of fish…reef activity…coral quality…turtles…variety of sharks…and manta rays…group cheers at dinner to a great dive trip!
Striped Surgeonfish
- He also said this is for intermediate to experienced divers.
Favorite Fish Finds…group all agreed that nurse shark sanctuary….manta rays at night…and the wreck dive were major highlights.
Clown Triggerfish
- Trip to Town on Dharavandhoo Island – 4:15…basically a chance to take a walk…same place we ferry over in our dhoni to get to the local airport…2 small stores…45 minutes and you’ve walked the entire island.
FUN-fact – The average temperature year round is a high of 84 and a low of 78.
Not so FF – Carpe Vita booking agent never told us (or anyone on the trip) that we were flying back to Male to catch our international flights until two days before our departure. In the mean time our flight time changed and we had to get off the ship at 4:15 am for a 6 am flight and then sit in the airport for 4+ hours! They just lost a whole lot of points…EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED…and a terrible way to end what would have been such a great trip. (as an aside… they changed the time we were to get off the ship three times… getting earlier each time, which did not work for me at all!)
FUN-travel: Amazing Maalhosmadulu Atoll – Maldives Dive & Snorkel Report – Day 6
December 9, 2016 by Susan Clarke · Comments Off on FUN-travel: Amazing Maalhosmadulu Atoll – Maldives Dive & Snorkel Report – Day 6
- Today’s Dives – total of 4…all drift dives with very strong currents…highlights = scorpion fish…a wall of yellow coral…(saw the video) actually a blend of …corn silk …mustard …lemon yellows….mixed with red-orange…apple green… and mauve colored coral. VG & VP (very good & very pretty)
Me & My Snorkel Yacht
1st Snorkel – not pretty coral…but some different fish…black/white thick striped dascyllus…powder blue surgeonfish aka Dory…2 unknowns…blackish bodies… one with tangerine trim outlining top and tail…other with lemon yellow.
Dory
2nd Snorkel – all the usual suspects….and orangespine unicornfish….brownish gray body with orange tailspins & anal fin…foursaddle grouper…varying shades of brown…looks like snakeskin…clown triggerfish…black upper body with large white spots on lower half…then heading out from the reef…a nice Tahitian Stingray…followed by a shark coming in! …the perfect end to my snorkel.
Pretty Parrotfish
- John‘s (San Jose) birthday celebration…after dinner & a few beers…he said “I’d come back here in a heartbeat. And I’d dive with Steve any day.” Turns out they were destined to meet…paired up as roomies…both from California… and their birthdays are one day apart.” How’s that for “dive karma?”
Today’s Snorkel Site
FUN-fact – Steve noticed me rubbing my jaw the 2nd day and suggested I needed a different mouthpiece which he just happened to have! You actually mold it to your bite so you don’t clench and my jaw magically stopped hurting. I love ya Steve!!