Trip Report Carpe Vita Real Time Review: March 7-18, 2021 Trip to Maldives Deep South

[Dan]

Day 5
Dive 12 at Mundo Kandu, NE of Laamu
Another channel dive with relatively mild current, therefore no shark, but we saw Eagle Ray, schooling Snappers, Green Moray.

Bottom depth was 85 ft (26 m) with 57 minutes of dive time.

 

[NootFish]

(Sorry, I mis-spoke on the depth, it's 30m or not quite 100 feet.) I was just looking it up a few days ago to make sure.

Re: diving locations, IMO Maldives is the one of the safest destinations right now, and for someone who has a full month to dive, offers a good ratio of price to diving. Galapagos is $$$$ and 3.5 weeks of diving there would be so expensive, and I don't feel safe in South America right now.

(I've had 2 doses of Moderna vaccine.)

 

[Dan]

Dive 13 at Fushi Kandu, next to Dive 12 site. Same condition as Dive 12.

Bottom depth was 96 ft (29 m) with 48
minutes of dive time.

Then we cruised for 3.5 hours NE to Thaa atoll.

 

[Dan]

Dive 14 at Dhiyamigili Corner. That was a very strong current without much action, except for seeing a small turtle after unhooking the reef hook.

During dinner time the crew setup a flood light on the back deck to attract planktons & hence, whaleshark. Sure enough after an half hour of dining, someone yelled “Whalehark!” and everyone vanished from dining room and watched the 7m whaleshark scooping the planktons gathering under the floodlight. Some people jumped in & snorkelled. I just kneeled down on the back deck & sticked my GoPro underwater. After 3 dives, hot shower
& dinner, I did not feel like to jump back into the water & snorkel with the whaleshark. I have seen them many times before.

 

[JustSurfaceInterval]

I that also considered as "Shark Feeding"?

 

[Dan]

I that also considered as "Shark Feeding"?

The kind of shark feeding “dive” that I like to do when I’m 80 years old. Just sit on my lawn chair and watch the show from above water.

 

[Dan]

Two whalesharks hanging around with us now.

 

[Mike1967]

Two whalesharks hanging around with us now.

 

[Dan]

Day 6
Dive 15 at Olhugiri, B. Thaa Atoll
Another channel dive, but not much to see, except a Peacock Flounder, which I almost gig it with my point as I wanted to stabilize myself after unhooking my reef hook to start drifting to the shallow. The fish was blended really well with the rock.

Bottom depth was 100 ft (30 m) with 58 min dive time.

 

[Dan]

Dive 16 at Kurali Kandu, S. Meemu Atoll. Saw Marbled Ray & Eagle Ray at the beginning. It’s supposed to be a manta cleaning station site, but no manta was there. Ended up doing muck diving. Got Kodak moments if Shrimp & Goby and Ornate Ghost Pipe Fish.

Bottom depth was 53 ft (16 m) with 66 min dive time.