I jump again around the planet. To the Indian Ocean, and the famous Maldives.
Back to my element and diving. After retrieving my dive gear in Cape Town, South Africa – I travel to Dubai, and finally onward to Male, Maldives. Ahh… Another long journey.
Here in Male I have a 5 hour layover before hoping a short puddle-jumper to an island resort. Lucky for me I find a great lounge in the Domestic terminal… it saves and revives me. Catching up on world events…. the Russian – Ukraine War news dominate. I hear Russian spoken about the lounge and meet/dive with many Russians during my stay here; a curious experience. How they managed to get here, where they go next? Most Russians here in the Maldives where already outside of Russia when their invasion of Ukraine was started. Will the world ever be calm again ?
I travel to Dharnvandoo, an island of the Baa Atoll’s. Tiny. Tiny. Tiny. The first thing that surprises me is that the Maldives are primarily Muslim. I didn’t know…?? I should have known in hindsight, but just never thought about it.
I always enjoy hearing the call to prayer. Walking past the Mosque’s. Noticing the many woman dressed in Burqa, in the hot tropical environment, permanently in a mask. Such a very different life.
Another mini airport in Dharnvandoo, and a late night pickup. Just 6 passengers on the flight. Hard to get lost here. My hotel is perfect for me, relaxed, mid-level luxury….not the over the ocean $1000/night Honeymoon experience. A real dive and local Maldivian life experience. Aveyla Hotel, and Liquid Salt Dive Shop; an air conditioned room and a working expresso machine. ---- all my needs are achieved!
Diving is a breeze here. We dive on a huge huge boat. Makes for setting up our kit, entries/exits, dive briefings… all easy to accomplish. Just a few divers most trips. Deploying my SMB most dives. Fun diving! 10 nights here… time to relax,,,I get in 20 wonderful dives here. Good viz, a few high-current dives – but nothing impossible. Diving Nitrox simplifying dive life for sure.
I meet several interesting people here. One in particular, Damian, working for UNESCO, helping the poor of the world. A water engineer expert. And a natural born leader. I am quite impressed with his achievements…makes me wonder about what I have contributed to the planet!! I’ll have to start working harder on that to catch up with him!! On a walk to dinner with my new friend, we stumble upon the local school and their outdoor expo. The topic is water purification systems! My new Engineer friend is 100% in his element!! Asking all the right questions, Wow…a special experience. They have 8-10 different water systems set up - sold around the planet…. They are comparing them, evaluating, explaining. Picking the right system for the right environment. Which filters can be replaced easily and cheaply? How do you test and demo the systems… How reliable is the supply chain? Brilliant experience!
Marble Spotted Rays, Anemone fish, tons of Anthias, Gray Reef sharks, Nurse sharks, Turtles, Reef fish, Octopus, Anemone, Moray. No Manta Ray unfortunately. It’s the wrong season. Baa Atolls are a World Bio-sphere Preserve, and a mega Manta Ray dive destination from late April-July… I’ll need to return one day for that!!!
After a rest day, and drying my dive equipment, I fly back to Male. The short flight is by Sea Plane, my first. An exciting flight, with perfect views of the Atolls of Maldives. Next up, adventure of the Maldives via a live aboard dive boat. Diving like crazy!!
10 days aboard the ‘Emperor Explorer’ live aboard dive boat. 4 dives per day, plus some snorkeling events with Whale Sharks and Dolphins. Aboard a dive boat, its dive, eat, sleep. There is not time for anything else.
I have a fantastic time. Not missing any dives the entire trip., Several crazy fantastic dives – Kuda Rha Thila being my favorite !! The waters where warm, so my 3m plus a jacket where perfect. Currents where not as-bad as predicted, so diving was typically easy. Most days the viz was just OK, but a few it was outstanding. I used a reef hook about 5-6 times to watch the sharks in current, but they rarely came close.
But several night dives with Nurse sharks, night dives with Manta Rays, the search for Nudibranch and Octo’s. Wow, and I’m just diving the Central Atolls,, and not even in season. One day I need to dive the Deep south of the Maldives around now (March), and the Baa Atolls around Oct/Nov. Always another trip.
A mix of Germans, Swiss, Austrians, Brits and 4 Americans make up the 24 paying clients on board this Live Aboard. I am fortunate and get adopted by the Brits and Austrians. I make new friends under Orange Sky’s, take a million dive photo’s. I share my photos with many of these new friends, and hope to cross paths with them again one day. You never know when you’ll meet on another adventure.
One last experience in the Maldives. I catch a taxi to downtown Male for a walk-about. A good reality check for what life in the Maldives locals is. Male is a true city, packed on a small island. Every inch with small allies and streets, tons of motor bikes, small cars. I explore the marina, the fish market, the fruit markets, a few of the parks. And,,,, I find a backpack patch here – my Maldives souvenir.
Another world famous destination visited,,, a curious Muslim island nation in the middle of the Indian Ocean. I leave the Maldives with 53 total dives. Each dive better than the last. The fish always seem Happy to see me 😊
One story I must add from my live aboard adventure on the Emperor Explorer.
- Wow!!! My first abandon ship experience!!! This is not a drill!!
Grab your passport and meet at the Stern !! We are listed to the Starboard about 10 degrees, taking on water faster than the pumps can handle!! … our Dhani (sister dive boat with all our gear, used everywhere in the Maldives) pulls beside, we climb aboard… just to be ‘safe’ … everyone is anxious, but the crew is doing a great job!! preparing for the worst.
The crew adjusts our dive plans.. and we kit-up and go diving … what else would you do while your ship is sinking ??
We have been moving to the closest island for the last hour!!! They have a plan.
After our dive,, we return to the main boat, they have added another pump from the near by island, pulling the floor hatch from MY cabin and the one next-door,,pumping.. and they have repaired the boat!! We will not be sinking after all!
The engineer says we are no longer at risk.
Yeah, just another day. Captain Don would be proud of the adventure!!! 😊
I am 😊
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