Trip Video - Maldives, February/March 2024

[CWK]

Were the shark dives in the south all deep? How was the Emperor Explorer?

Maldivian law restricts scuba diving to a minimum of 30m, which I don’t think of as being deep. Some of the video is quite dark because of cloud and rain.

The EE had 26 guests on my cruise, which means that there are quite a lot of people in the water. On the whole, I didn’t find the crew to be above average. Admittedly, we got off on the wrong foot when they dropped my luggage into the sea whilst transferring it from the dhony to the LOB (and the staff lied to me about it).

 

[CWK]

Another great, short & sweet video. Well done @CWK!

Did you encounter the Tiger Shark in a site other than Fuvahmulah?

Thanks.

I saw at least one tiger on all three dives at Fuvahmulah but don’t recall seeing tigers anywhere else on this trip, however I recall that someone else saw a tiger in Gaafu Alifu atoll. Note that the EE doesn’t dive the tiger site in Hulhumale.

 

[Dan]

Maldivian law restricts scuba diving to a minimum of 30m, which I don’t think of as being deep. Some of the video is quite dark because of cloud and rain.

I agree with you. If you just do a quick dip to 40m with 32% Nitrox, that just gets you to 1.6 Oxygen partial pressure. I've done it a few times when I saw something interesting, like Zebra Shark in Palau, Trip Report - December 24-31, 2017 Palau Trip Report and Mola Mola in Bali, Diving Manta Bay, Nusa Penida

I dove deeper than 30m once when I was on Emperor Leo to look at a wreck propeller that was at 33m, the British CD gave me grieve. If they don't want me to go 33m, just don't take me to that wreck.

Maldivian CD on another liveaboard, was more relax about it. I went down to 35m in Fuvahmulah to have a quick closer look at a Tiger Shark, he didn't say anything about it.

 

[CWK]

There is more than one way to view diving below depth limits.

On the EE cruise, two divers went to 43m on a blue water dive to look at a hammerhead. On the next blue water dive, the CD explained that the deepest diver in the group essentially sets the ceiling above which the hammerheads will not ascend. Therefore divers who descend below 30m are keeping the hammerheads away from the rest of the group and will have their diving privileges revoked for the rest of the day.

 

[Dan]

There is more than one way to view diving below depth limits.

On the EE cruise, two divers went to 43m on a blue water dive to look at a hammerhead. On the next blue water dive, the CD explained that the deepest diver in the group essentially sets the ceiling above which the hammerheads will not ascend. Therefore divers who descend below 30m are keeping the hammerheads away from the rest of the group and will have their diving privileges revoked for the rest of the day.

I understand that. I've done several bluewater dives in Socorro, Cocos, Malpelo, and Galapagos. I'm referring to hard bottom depth where the Zebra shark sleeping and the Mola Mola being cleaned, not in the bluewater. You will need to bring shovel and dig out the sand to get any deeper than the 33m where the Kuda Giri Wreck's propeller sat on.

 

[CWK]

I understand that. I've done several bluewater dives in Socorro, Cocos, Malpelo, and Galapagos. I'm referring to hard bottom depth where the Zebra shark sleeping and the Mola Mola being cleaned, not in the bluewater. You will need to bring shovel and dig out the sand to get any deeper than the 33m where the Kuda Giri Wreck's propeller sat on.

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You said:

Maldivian CD on another liveaboard, was more relax about it. I went down to 35m in Fuvahmulah to have a quick closer look at a Tiger Shark, he didn't say anything about it.

It was not apparent to me that you were well versed in blue water diving.

 

[Dan]

You said:


It was not apparent to me that you were well versed in blue water diving.

Tiger Shark is not skittish like Hammerhead, as you see in my video below. They just swim around us. One of them actually went to the shallow to pick up a fish carcass. I was actually at about 5m off the slopy bottom, which was probably around 40m deep as you see in the video, not in the blue water. Some of the divers were deeper than me, watching Silvertips, which also were not skittish.





Blue water diving is diving where you don't see the bottom, as what I did in Elphinstone, as shown, below. You just hang in mid water column and let the sharks come to you, not chasing them, as you see in the video.






Since you are well versed in blue water diving, please educate me the correct definition of blue water diving.

Thanks!

 

[rcaqua]

Jawdropping, bravo!

Could you give a bit more detail on your itinerary....?

Best,

Rene

 

[Karlstumke]

I agree with you. If you just do a quick dip to 40m with 32% Nitrox, that just gets you to 1.6 Oxygen partial pressure. I've done it a few times when I saw something interesting, like Zebra Shark in Palau, Trip Report - December 24-31, 2017 Palau Trip Report and Mola Mola in Bali, Diving Manta Bay, Nusa Penida

I dove deeper than 30m once when I was on Emperor Leo to look at a wreck propeller that was at 33m, the British CD gave me grieve. If they don't want me to go 33m, just don't take me to that wreck.

Maldivian CD on another liveaboard, was more relax about it. I went down to 35m in Fuvahmulah to have a quick closer look at a Tiger Shark, he didn't say anything about it.

I think I dived 27% in FMH...as you say...they are relaxed at 35 m+ and allow a quick dart down to see something.... not sure I totally agree with the 30m max as I think you should be able to dive t the limits of to what you ae trained + comfortable. It has however kept number of dive accidents down quite a bit in Maldives and I guess thats their primary concern.

 

[CWK]

Tiger Shark is not skittish like Hammerhead, as you see in my video below. They just swim around us. One of them actually went to the shallow to pick up a fish carcass. I was actually at about 5m off the slopy bottom, which was probably around 40m deep as you see in the video, not in the blue water. Some of the divers were deeper than me, watching Silvertips, which also were not skittish.





Blue water diving is diving where you don't see the bottom, as what I did in Elphinstone, as shown, below. You just hang in mid water column and let the sharks come to you, not chasing them, as you see in the video.






Since you are well versed in blue water diving, please educate me the correct definition of blue water diving.

Thanks!

My experience of tigers in the wild that have not been conditioned by feeding is that they are quite shy.

When you said that you went to 35m to have a closer look at a tiger, I thought it would be on a blue water dive. I would never in a million years have thought that would happen at a baited shark dive at Tiger Zoo. To me, dropping to 35m to have a closer look at a tiger during a baited shark dive would mean that you have ignored safety protocols.

I don't find it at all necessary to provide a defination of blue water diving, which I consider self explanatory.

From my perspective, the Elphinstone video is indicative of a videographer who chases subjects. You are welcome to a different interpretation.