Currents
Currents are the life-blood of the Maldives. They move in basically the same direction as the prevailing winds in a circular movement in the indian Ocean. Thus in the NE monsoon from Dec- April, the ocean current will be moving from east to west, and then reverses itself in the SW monsoon. Tropical ocean water is actually very poor in nutrients which explains why the visibilty is so great. The physical topography of the Maldives makes a little oasis in the big wet desert that is the Indian Ocean.
As the ocean water hits the wall of the atoll, it rises and flows in to the atoll via channels which are called 'kandu' (s). The cold, clear, deep water is mixed with warm surface water but it also carries deepwater nutrients which nourishes the reef and creates a short-lived food-chain. It pushes up zoo-plankton from the depths and the fish go to town. Diving the outer reefs at this time is really nice for pelagics such as tuna, sharks, barracuda, sailfish etc.
As the water moves across the relatively shallow atoll, it warms up and the visibility deteriorates. This is due to phyto-plankton (plant matter) and this in turn causes an explosion of zoo-plankton and a much bigger food-chain including mantas and whalesharks. Other pelagics are also present but much more difficult to see because of the reduced visibility.
Finally the water moves back to the deeper water from whence it came.
Currents are usually the strongest in the early parts of the monsoon seasons (Jan and May can be spicy) but this really only affects you around the channel entrances. Certain atolls boast stronger currents than others but as soon as it gets to 3 knots- thats enough for me to consider strong.
Caution Diving in strong outgoing currents can be a lot of fun but carries a whole lot more risk than incoming currents. Currents move at different speeds and different directions. Water with different temperatures/salinity levels tend to slide on each other with unpredictable results. It is very important to stay together as a group at a fairly consistent depth and distance from the wall. The water eddies according to the features in the wall and bottom features so suddent upcurrents/downcurrents can occur when currents meet at different strengths. Currents can reverse during the dive- this is especially worrisome when diving near the outer reef in big swells. You can NOT get back to the boat if you're swept outside the protection of the atoll wall. Briefings are there to be listened to and adhered to. In benign seas, this is not such a drama as long as all divers are capable of making blue-water ascents and safetystops. Expect a bumpy ride though and beware the sudden down current when you're out in the blue. The second caution concerns the setting sun. If you surface away from the boat in an unexpected position- ie. out in the blue when the sun is low in the sky, the boat can't see you.
End of story. Take extreme caution when diving the outgoing currents in the afternoon on the western side of the atolls.
Atolls & Reefs
Just like the Inuit and their different ways to describe snow, the Maldivians describe their reefs in different ways. The word 'atoll' itself comes from Maldivian origins. Opinions vary about the geological origins of the Maldives but in gross terms it's part of an underwater mountain range that extends from the Indian sub-continent a couple thousand kilometers south through the Indian Ocean. Only a bit of these mountains are above water and these are what we call atolls. They are roughly oblong or circular and vary in size.
The most popular (populated?) atolls for diving are the North Male Atoll and the Ari Atoll. There is excellent diving (arguably better) in other atolls but for sheer numbers of resorts and liveaboard itineraries, these are the most popular.
North Male is famous for its kandu or channel dives where there are some strong currents and loads of pelagic life.
Ari Atoll has more thilas or submerged pinnacles but also has its share of kandus, and also it is home to Maamigili in the far south of the atoll- home to the whale sharks.
Again, there is some excellent diving with a lot of variety in other atolls. An excellent reference book is Tim Godfreys DIVE MALDIVES Dive Maldives: A Guide to the Maldives Archipelago (Atoll Editions): Amazon.co.uk: Tim Godfrey: Books with detailed dive site maps and loads of information about diving the Maldives in general.
Kandu Water flows in and out of the atolls via channels or kandus. Shapes vary a bit but its roughly a wall which is rounded off at the corner. The corners are usually where the action happens regarding pelagics, but you have to be patient sometimes. Reef hooks are a good idea for many divers and sometimes a necessity on some reefs.
The coral is generally of a poor quality on the outside of the reef- lots of rock and some hardy corals. There is a distinct layer of different coral species as you go deeper. Often the outside reefs will have a series of overhangs at 20-25m which can harbour a wonderful macro ecosystem for the keen observer.
When you approach the corners the current picks up and can swirl around as different waters meet creating washing machines. On an outgoing current, the water tends to drop (sometimes quickly) at the end of the kandu and so care must be taken in these currents.
While lunar tide does have an effect on the strength of the current, it is more influenced by oceanic currents and so it can be difficult to predict true current strength and direction. I have had currents reverse direction in twice in a single dive along a wall. This can be confusing and potentially dangerous for large groups.
Oceanic current direction and strength plays a big part on the initial direction of the current. Sometimes the ocean pushes all the water in- but sometimes it rips the water out as there is a huge eddy being created. Imagine a river with rock formations. Eddies turn around in circles and so sometimes the water is seemingly going against the flow of the main body of water.
The bottom can be quite uniform or have large troughs which also affect current direction. The walls sometimes have (30-100m wide) bays- if youre drifting in a nice current and then suddenly the current seems to stop- proceed with a bit of caution and look for the fish. As you cross the second half of the bay the current turns in and hits the wall and rises. Swim out from the wall about 10m to avoid this up-current.
Diving kandus in the afternoon with an outgoing current should be treated with caution for reasons stated above.
Thila
These are submerged pinnacles often roundish but can be some strange shapes. They host an incredible variety of fish and coral in a very small area. The currents are weaker on thilas than in the kandus- except when you have thilas in the kandus!
Thila diving is a wonderful experience and should not be missed. The current hits the head of the thila and splits either side. There will be a small upcurrent happening as well right on the lip so better to get down a couple of meters to avoid being pushed up and over. You have to time your entries well in order to arrive at the right spot- no faffing about at the surface please! Once down, be patient and you will be rewarded with some nice pelagic action in the shape of tuna and jacks. Reef sharks will appear sooner or later once everyone calms down. I can happily spend an entire dive just at the head of a thila zig-zagging from left to right and seeing what different fish are just to the lef tor right of the main current.
Drifting along the wall of the thila are different species which you dont normally associate with current- lionfish, scorpionfish, morays etc. The backside of the thila is a bit boring IMO. Depending on the sixe of the thila, you may go back against the flow to the head of the thila again, then up and drift over the top towards the end of the dive.
Swim close to the reef in the current and use overhangs or rock formations to leap-frog your way forward if the current is strong.
There are plenty of other reefs- giri faru and depending on the makeup of the atoll, youll get a chance to dive them all.
Rain
It can rain very hard and unexpectedly at any time of year. February can be a month of sudden squalls but generally the rain some at the changeover period between the 2 monsoons April and Oct/Nov. This rain can be a real concern if you surface with a problem of some sort. Or again, with outgoing currents, it may prevent the boat from seeing you and you're swept out to sea. It can and does happen, but it's very difficult to find news about these sort of things. The diving industry doesn't like to talk about accidents, and the Tourism Maldives has decided that it doesn't do their figures any good either. I know of 2 resorts this year where 2 couples never came back from an afternoon swim for example. I had an unpleasant experience with a sudden storm on a house reef, with one diver who had cramped and couldn't swim. The best guides will cancel dives when it's iffy or change divesite to be close to an island.
Mantas
They tend to hang out more in the outgoing current side of the Maldives, as it's richer in plankton. Some divesites have groups of mantas because of the way the reefs conspire to trap plankton and so the mantas are actively feeding during the daytime. This is an awesome time to dive with mantas doing flips etc in the water. They will tolerate you if you're not being a pest. Don't touch them or try to ride them- that era has gone. It may well be the first and last time you see them while diving but have a little respect. Sometimes the manta is just cruising down the reef. If you provoke its interest, it may swing back for a second look but usually it just cruises on by.
More commonly during the day, we see manta cleaning stations. This is a section of reef where mantas (and other fishes) hover to get cleaned of parasite worms. The cleaner wrasse is there of course but many other wrasse, butterfly fishes will do the job as well. Some are shallow reefs, some are 20m+.
Most of the sites are called Madivaru (or Manta Reef). 'Madi' is ray in the Divehi language and 'varu' comes from 'faru' which is a type of reef. In the Ari Atoll, there will be approximately 20 'Madivarus' commonly dived. One very famous spot is Madivaru Rangali but this has declined in quality for mantas in the past years- probably due to intensifying diver pressure.
The pressure is from divers destroying parts of the reef little by little, day after day. All the little cleaner wrasse need a place to hang out and those places are in the coral. Most divers- and I mean most, will hold the reef, fin-pivot on the reef, or generally kick the crap out of the reef while watching the mantas. IM(grumpy)O, the worst is the photographer. It is never appropriate under any circumstances to hold the reef in order to take a photo. If you can't do it with buoyancy control alone, then you're not ready to get that shot.
The mantas are there to be cleaned and will tolerate divers who are quiet on the reef. I have a feeling that they think that we are there for the cleaning services as well. As soon as you make your true intention clear, they will swim off. As a rule of thumb, you have to be low to the reef- a reef hook is best for people who aren't comfortable being within a meter of the reef.
Mantas can also be found readily in certain lagoons with the right tide. Approached quietly, the mantas will normally continue doing what theyre doing and can provide great pictures so close to the surface.
Whalesharks
Hands down the best place to see them in the Maldives (or in the world) is at the southern tip of the Ari Atoll. This area is called Maamigili (after the island of the same name). The sharks are there year round, there are periods of a couple weeks now and again when you don't see them. The sharks are often at the surface making it ideal for snorkeling. If they are actively feeding, they will make figure 8s in the water for 20mins or more. Most often they are cruising the reef, and will tolerate people for a certain time and then dive off the top reef.
Research shows they are pretty much all juvenile males. Nobody knows why. Biggest that I have seen.... I think about 9m, but that was one time and it was huuuuge. Most I reckon are about 5-6m in length. Compare that to the whale sharks in other countries, and they're actually quite small- I saw one in the Philippines next to our banca boat and the boat was 15m.
There are definitely other opportunities to see whale sharks here in the Maldives, but Maamigili is the safest bet and it doesn't seem affected by changes in the monsoons.
If you're in it for the whalesharks, then choose your resort around Maamigili, then you're a 15-25min ride from the spot. If you don't see them one day, you'll probably see them the next. Don't be like one dickhead on tripadvisor that I saw complaining about the high price of whaleshark trips when he was on a resort in the North Ari Atoll which is over an hour away by fast speedboat.
Speaking of speedboats- easily the most dangerous animal in the Maldives are the speedboat captains. Either carrying snorkelers or dropping off divers from safari boats, they have been known to drive straight through and over people already in the water. For this reason I try to avoid diving at Maamigili Island where the boats tend to be the most numerous.
Diving here requires exact control and discipline. Divers swimming after whalesharks tend to breathe deeply and lose their buoyancy going to the surface. With so much boat traffic its impossible to realize which boats are coming from where. Take care when diving here.
Currents are the life-blood of the Maldives. They move in basically the same direction as the prevailing winds in a circular movement in the indian Ocean. Thus in the NE monsoon from Dec- April, the ocean current will be moving from east to west, and then reverses itself in the SW monsoon. Tropical ocean water is actually very poor in nutrients which explains why the visibilty is so great. The physical topography of the Maldives makes a little oasis in the big wet desert that is the Indian Ocean.
As the ocean water hits the wall of the atoll, it rises and flows in to the atoll via channels which are called 'kandu' (s). The cold, clear, deep water is mixed with warm surface water but it also carries deepwater nutrients which nourishes the reef and creates a short-lived food-chain. It pushes up zoo-plankton from the depths and the fish go to town. Diving the outer reefs at this time is really nice for pelagics such as tuna, sharks, barracuda, sailfish etc.
As the water moves across the relatively shallow atoll, it warms up and the visibility deteriorates. This is due to phyto-plankton (plant matter) and this in turn causes an explosion of zoo-plankton and a much bigger food-chain including mantas and whalesharks. Other pelagics are also present but much more difficult to see because of the reduced visibility.
Finally the water moves back to the deeper water from whence it came.
Currents are usually the strongest in the early parts of the monsoon seasons (Jan and May can be spicy) but this really only affects you around the channel entrances. Certain atolls boast stronger currents than others but as soon as it gets to 3 knots- thats enough for me to consider strong.
Caution Diving in strong outgoing currents can be a lot of fun but carries a whole lot more risk than incoming currents. Currents move at different speeds and different directions. Water with different temperatures/salinity levels tend to slide on each other with unpredictable results. It is very important to stay together as a group at a fairly consistent depth and distance from the wall. The water eddies according to the features in the wall and bottom features so suddent upcurrents/downcurrents can occur when currents meet at different strengths. Currents can reverse during the dive- this is especially worrisome when diving near the outer reef in big swells. You can NOT get back to the boat if you're swept outside the protection of the atoll wall. Briefings are there to be listened to and adhered to. In benign seas, this is not such a drama as long as all divers are capable of making blue-water ascents and safetystops. Expect a bumpy ride though and beware the sudden down current when you're out in the blue. The second caution concerns the setting sun. If you surface away from the boat in an unexpected position- ie. out in the blue when the sun is low in the sky, the boat can't see you.
End of story. Take extreme caution when diving the outgoing currents in the afternoon on the western side of the atolls.
Atolls & Reefs
Just like the Inuit and their different ways to describe snow, the Maldivians describe their reefs in different ways. The word 'atoll' itself comes from Maldivian origins. Opinions vary about the geological origins of the Maldives but in gross terms it's part of an underwater mountain range that extends from the Indian sub-continent a couple thousand kilometers south through the Indian Ocean. Only a bit of these mountains are above water and these are what we call atolls. They are roughly oblong or circular and vary in size.
The most popular (populated?) atolls for diving are the North Male Atoll and the Ari Atoll. There is excellent diving (arguably better) in other atolls but for sheer numbers of resorts and liveaboard itineraries, these are the most popular.
North Male is famous for its kandu or channel dives where there are some strong currents and loads of pelagic life.
Ari Atoll has more thilas or submerged pinnacles but also has its share of kandus, and also it is home to Maamigili in the far south of the atoll- home to the whale sharks.
Again, there is some excellent diving with a lot of variety in other atolls. An excellent reference book is Tim Godfreys DIVE MALDIVES Dive Maldives: A Guide to the Maldives Archipelago (Atoll Editions): Amazon.co.uk: Tim Godfrey: Books with detailed dive site maps and loads of information about diving the Maldives in general.
Kandu Water flows in and out of the atolls via channels or kandus. Shapes vary a bit but its roughly a wall which is rounded off at the corner. The corners are usually where the action happens regarding pelagics, but you have to be patient sometimes. Reef hooks are a good idea for many divers and sometimes a necessity on some reefs.
The coral is generally of a poor quality on the outside of the reef- lots of rock and some hardy corals. There is a distinct layer of different coral species as you go deeper. Often the outside reefs will have a series of overhangs at 20-25m which can harbour a wonderful macro ecosystem for the keen observer.
When you approach the corners the current picks up and can swirl around as different waters meet creating washing machines. On an outgoing current, the water tends to drop (sometimes quickly) at the end of the kandu and so care must be taken in these currents.
While lunar tide does have an effect on the strength of the current, it is more influenced by oceanic currents and so it can be difficult to predict true current strength and direction. I have had currents reverse direction in twice in a single dive along a wall. This can be confusing and potentially dangerous for large groups.
Oceanic current direction and strength plays a big part on the initial direction of the current. Sometimes the ocean pushes all the water in- but sometimes it rips the water out as there is a huge eddy being created. Imagine a river with rock formations. Eddies turn around in circles and so sometimes the water is seemingly going against the flow of the main body of water.
The bottom can be quite uniform or have large troughs which also affect current direction. The walls sometimes have (30-100m wide) bays- if youre drifting in a nice current and then suddenly the current seems to stop- proceed with a bit of caution and look for the fish. As you cross the second half of the bay the current turns in and hits the wall and rises. Swim out from the wall about 10m to avoid this up-current.
Diving kandus in the afternoon with an outgoing current should be treated with caution for reasons stated above.
Thila
These are submerged pinnacles often roundish but can be some strange shapes. They host an incredible variety of fish and coral in a very small area. The currents are weaker on thilas than in the kandus- except when you have thilas in the kandus!
Thila diving is a wonderful experience and should not be missed. The current hits the head of the thila and splits either side. There will be a small upcurrent happening as well right on the lip so better to get down a couple of meters to avoid being pushed up and over. You have to time your entries well in order to arrive at the right spot- no faffing about at the surface please! Once down, be patient and you will be rewarded with some nice pelagic action in the shape of tuna and jacks. Reef sharks will appear sooner or later once everyone calms down. I can happily spend an entire dive just at the head of a thila zig-zagging from left to right and seeing what different fish are just to the lef tor right of the main current.
Drifting along the wall of the thila are different species which you dont normally associate with current- lionfish, scorpionfish, morays etc. The backside of the thila is a bit boring IMO. Depending on the sixe of the thila, you may go back against the flow to the head of the thila again, then up and drift over the top towards the end of the dive.
Swim close to the reef in the current and use overhangs or rock formations to leap-frog your way forward if the current is strong.
There are plenty of other reefs- giri faru and depending on the makeup of the atoll, youll get a chance to dive them all.
Rain
It can rain very hard and unexpectedly at any time of year. February can be a month of sudden squalls but generally the rain some at the changeover period between the 2 monsoons April and Oct/Nov. This rain can be a real concern if you surface with a problem of some sort. Or again, with outgoing currents, it may prevent the boat from seeing you and you're swept out to sea. It can and does happen, but it's very difficult to find news about these sort of things. The diving industry doesn't like to talk about accidents, and the Tourism Maldives has decided that it doesn't do their figures any good either. I know of 2 resorts this year where 2 couples never came back from an afternoon swim for example. I had an unpleasant experience with a sudden storm on a house reef, with one diver who had cramped and couldn't swim. The best guides will cancel dives when it's iffy or change divesite to be close to an island.
Mantas
They tend to hang out more in the outgoing current side of the Maldives, as it's richer in plankton. Some divesites have groups of mantas because of the way the reefs conspire to trap plankton and so the mantas are actively feeding during the daytime. This is an awesome time to dive with mantas doing flips etc in the water. They will tolerate you if you're not being a pest. Don't touch them or try to ride them- that era has gone. It may well be the first and last time you see them while diving but have a little respect. Sometimes the manta is just cruising down the reef. If you provoke its interest, it may swing back for a second look but usually it just cruises on by.
More commonly during the day, we see manta cleaning stations. This is a section of reef where mantas (and other fishes) hover to get cleaned of parasite worms. The cleaner wrasse is there of course but many other wrasse, butterfly fishes will do the job as well. Some are shallow reefs, some are 20m+.
Most of the sites are called Madivaru (or Manta Reef). 'Madi' is ray in the Divehi language and 'varu' comes from 'faru' which is a type of reef. In the Ari Atoll, there will be approximately 20 'Madivarus' commonly dived. One very famous spot is Madivaru Rangali but this has declined in quality for mantas in the past years- probably due to intensifying diver pressure.
The pressure is from divers destroying parts of the reef little by little, day after day. All the little cleaner wrasse need a place to hang out and those places are in the coral. Most divers- and I mean most, will hold the reef, fin-pivot on the reef, or generally kick the crap out of the reef while watching the mantas. IM(grumpy)O, the worst is the photographer. It is never appropriate under any circumstances to hold the reef in order to take a photo. If you can't do it with buoyancy control alone, then you're not ready to get that shot.
The mantas are there to be cleaned and will tolerate divers who are quiet on the reef. I have a feeling that they think that we are there for the cleaning services as well. As soon as you make your true intention clear, they will swim off. As a rule of thumb, you have to be low to the reef- a reef hook is best for people who aren't comfortable being within a meter of the reef.
Mantas can also be found readily in certain lagoons with the right tide. Approached quietly, the mantas will normally continue doing what theyre doing and can provide great pictures so close to the surface.
Whalesharks
Hands down the best place to see them in the Maldives (or in the world) is at the southern tip of the Ari Atoll. This area is called Maamigili (after the island of the same name). The sharks are there year round, there are periods of a couple weeks now and again when you don't see them. The sharks are often at the surface making it ideal for snorkeling. If they are actively feeding, they will make figure 8s in the water for 20mins or more. Most often they are cruising the reef, and will tolerate people for a certain time and then dive off the top reef.
Research shows they are pretty much all juvenile males. Nobody knows why. Biggest that I have seen.... I think about 9m, but that was one time and it was huuuuge. Most I reckon are about 5-6m in length. Compare that to the whale sharks in other countries, and they're actually quite small- I saw one in the Philippines next to our banca boat and the boat was 15m.
There are definitely other opportunities to see whale sharks here in the Maldives, but Maamigili is the safest bet and it doesn't seem affected by changes in the monsoons.
If you're in it for the whalesharks, then choose your resort around Maamigili, then you're a 15-25min ride from the spot. If you don't see them one day, you'll probably see them the next. Don't be like one dickhead on tripadvisor that I saw complaining about the high price of whaleshark trips when he was on a resort in the North Ari Atoll which is over an hour away by fast speedboat.
Speaking of speedboats- easily the most dangerous animal in the Maldives are the speedboat captains. Either carrying snorkelers or dropping off divers from safari boats, they have been known to drive straight through and over people already in the water. For this reason I try to avoid diving at Maamigili Island where the boats tend to be the most numerous.
Diving here requires exact control and discipline. Divers swimming after whalesharks tend to breathe deeply and lose their buoyancy going to the surface. With so much boat traffic its impossible to realize which boats are coming from where. Take care when diving here.
