My Holiday

November 2010I joined a two weeks live-aboard to Hanifaru Bay which is a part of the Baa atol of the Maldives. Goal is the encounters with Manta's who come here in great numbers because of the special circumstances of large numbers of plankton trapped in the funnel like lagoon. Hanifaru Bay has become the world's largest Manta Ray feeding destination.

Location

The 1.190 islands, of the Maldives, any of them quite small, lie to the southwest of India, scattered across 56.000 square miles (90.123 km2). About 80 islands are exclusively for tourist resorts, 200 are occupied by fishermen, and only a handful have any level of urban environment. The capital, Male, boasts a population of 70.000. Hanifaru Bay is a marine protected uninhabited island located in the Baa Atoll of the Maldives. It lies in the Arabian sea and is part of the Indian Ocean.

Geography

The iconic Maldives island is pure white sand fringed by palm trees and lapped by a turquoise sea. Elevation rarely exceeds six feet above sea level, and 80 percent of the nation is less than three feet in elevation. If the current rate of global warming continues, the entire Maldives could disappear under water in just a century.

Language

The national language is Divehi (related to Sinhalese of Sri Lanka); The business language is English.

Climate

Warm all year, but monsoons do change seasonal expectations. The Southwest Monsoon, May to October, marks the rainy season. The Northeast Monsoon, November to April, is the dry season and best for diving. Air temperature year-round is mid-to high 80°Fs (26,5° C), and the water temperature a balmy 82°F (28°C) to 86°F (30°C). Best: January April Good: August November (likely to encounter mantas) Wet season: May July Best for big animals: January March Best currents: August November.

Diving conditions

The biodiversity and sheer quantity of reef fish are major attractions of these islands. Visibility is quite good, but tidal movements significantly affect water clarity. An incoming tide sweeping in from the Indian Ocean can bring 120- to 200-ft )36 – 60/mtr) water clarity, but seasonal plankton blooms or an outgoing tide can drop clarity to 50 feet (15 mtr). Because strong currents are normal when diving in the Maldives a surface marker Buoy and dive computer are mandatory. Gloves are (in contrast to many other locations) strongly recommended. These are used to hold on to rocks (not coral !) if we experience strong currents.

Time difference

+5 hrs GMT