UNDERWATER ADVENTURE

For beginners and experts, the Maldives must surely rank amongst the best dive destinations in the world. The combination of the diversity of marine life and the clean, clear water cannot be found anywhere else, a view echoed by many pioneers of diving. It is therefore quite logical that the first tourists to the Maldives were keen divers looking for a new destination before moving on to other discoveries. What is more surprising is that they keep coming back.
Diving and snorkelling in the Maldives is a specialty common to all the resorts. All have diving bases and experienced, fully qualified instructors. All equipment required for diving is available at the resort, and there is no need to bring any equipment. However, any enthusiasts who prefer to bring their own kit will be welcome to join the rest should they wish.
With a teeming variety of marine life at depths starting from one metre onwards, there is a sight for everyone, from waders on the beach to snorkellers on the reef to scuba divers below. With very few exceptions, almost all resort islands have a "house reef" which is literally a stone's throw away, allowing day (and night) dives all year round.

• Requirements
• Diving conditions
• Precautions while diving
• Diving for beginners
• For experienced divers
• Types of dive
• Diving Safety
• Famous Ship Wrecks

Requirements
In order to scuba dive, divers need to bring their log books or other evidence of certification. All internationally recognised certification is accepted. Divers holding PADI "Open Water" or equivalent certification and fewer than 20 logged dives need to dive with an instructor. Beginners will be able to obtain Open Water certificates (or equivalent) if they follow the beginners' courses, regularly conducted on every resort.
In addition, some diving instructors require a medical certificate (normally from the diver's doctor) confirming his/her medical fitness to dive, and insurance policies normally require divers to sign a declaration of fitness to dive.

Diving Conditions

Most diving trips take place in North and South Male Atolls and in Ari Atoll. The water temperature remains warm and comfortable (27-30 deg C) throughout the year though with minor variations locally and seasonally. A wetsuit is not necessary, though some people wear a thin suit until acclimatized to Maldives waters. Visibility is also clear all year round, though plankton blooming around early May can reduce visibility on the outer reef from about 40 metres (130 feet) down to about 20 metres (65 feet). The richest concentrations of plankton are usually on the eastern side of an atoll, which is where you will find the most fish.

The northeast monsoon which arrives in January, brings clearer water to most parts of the atoll. In the clearest conditions you can see up to 70 metres (230 feet) below as you float over the reef edge, giving a sensation of vertigo when one looks out into the open ocean. Tidal movements are also very important in determining visibility levels. Incoming tides bring clear water but outgoing ones carry sediment and can sometimes decrease visibility on the fringing reef and lagoon, and reef outlets nearby. Rougher weather, usually in the southwest monsoon from May to October, sometimes restricts boat dives but resorts still provide opportunities to explore the house reef.


Precautions while diving

Coral reefs are not dangerous places, but there are some points divers new to any region should bear in mind. Sharks can be seen regularly. Most sharks are not interested in humans, which are not part of their normal high-protein diet (unless provoked or cornered). However, if you see the 'threat display' (hunched back, nose up, pectoral fins down), it is wise to leave the scene slowly and quietly. The most common types in the Maldives are the nurse, white tip, reef black tip, grey reef and silvertip sharks. Barracuda are no danger to humans in clear water but annoying them is not a good idea. The moray eels have very sharp teeth, but they, too will keep clear unless provoked.
Predators who rely on ambush can be a problem for those who stumble about the reef rather than just look at it (a good reason to learn to stay neutrally buoyant). The scorpion fish has excellent camouflage and care should be taken to avoid accidentally touching its poisonous spines. Stonefish, are extremely well camouflaged, and care should be taken when walking on the sea floor. Brightly coloured lionfish floating in mid-water also carry poisonous spines. Fire coral gives a nasty sting, as can some cone shells that deliver a sharp dose of poison to divers who try to collect them. Marine life should be seen but not touched, and those who stick to this simple philosophy should enjoy a lifetime of happy tropical dives.


Diving for beginners
The Maldives is an ideal place for beginners to learn to scuba dive. The resorts have experienced dive instructors and all the facilities to teach. Lessons are conducted in shallow water with progression to deeper waters as students learn the various techniques. Most dive schools follow PADI certification or equivalents.
It certainly beats sitting in a swimming pool or the bottom of a murky pond.
For those who wish to progress from Open Water Diver to Dive master or beyond, there are certification courses conducted under PADI supervision.


For experienced divers
A wide variety of dives is possible, including sheer drop-offs, drift dives, night dives and some limited coral cave diving. There are enough sites around any resort to provide new experiences every day. Regular visitors enjoy diving the same spot in different seasons to see how life on the reef changes with time and tide.
Most aquatic life is seen within 1 to 26 metres, so decompression dives are not necessary. Drift diving is encouraged as a conservation measure, as it is less damaging on coral and underwater structures.


Types of dive
In addition to miles of wall diving on the outer edges of the various atolls, there are submerged pinnacles (known in Maldives as "Thila") made up of a large coral structure jutting up out of deeper water. These rise to up to within just a few feet of the surface, and serve as havens for marine life, from fish fry to large sharks and rays.
Another interesting area is the crevice which forms a channel from the ocean into the reef (called "Kandu Olhi"), where current and nutrient flow produce enhanced coral growth, thus attracting a host of reef and pelagic fish. Here large group of manta rays and sharks are a common sight. Sometimes, hammerheads or whale sharks make seasonal appearances. These channels are best seen when drift diving during an incoming tidal flow.
A dive inside the atoll's inner reefs will provide a glimpse of the sheer variety and biodiversity within the reef community. Here, all varieties of soft and hard corals can be seen amidst myriad colours of swarming fish. Even the apparently bare coral sand at the bottom of shallow lagoons provides a habitat for crabs, garden eels and aggressive trigger fish. There are no empty niches and, if one is found, it is quickly occupied.

Wreck dives in the Maldives offer nowhere near the range and variety of Truk or Saipan, but the few available attract many divers. The best known, the "Maldive Victory," is all that remains of a cargo ship which sank off Male' after hitting the reef. Shortly after the sinking, the wreck was invaded by divers seeking to salvage as much cargo as possible, and much remains to this day (mainly because there is not much use for 100,000 bags of cement soaked in salt water). Another recently popular wreck dive is on a small freighter sitting in 23 metres (80 feet) of water near Halaveli Resort. The wreck has become famous for its population of large Marble Stingrays that swirl on the sandy bottom around the wreck, seeking attention and (mainly) food from the local dive instructors who feed and handle them.

Wreck dives in the Maldives offer nowhere near the range and variety of Truk or Saipan, but the few available attract many divers. The best known, the "Maldives Victory," is all that remains of a cargo ship which sank off Male' after hitting the reef. Shortly after the sinking, the wreck was invaded by divers seeking to salvage as much cargo as possible, and much remains to this day (mainly because there is not much use for 100,000 bags of cement soaked in salt water). Another recently popular wreck dive is on a small freighter sitting in 23 metres (80 feet) of water near Halaveli Resort. The wreck has become famous for its population of large Marble Stingrays that swirl on the sandy bottom around the wreck, seeking attention and (mainly) food from the local dive instructors who feed and handle them.
Shark feeding under water is an activity which, while strongly discouraged by the authorities because of the dependency it creates in these unpredictable predators, is still an attraction. Here, the diving instructor feeds sharks who swarm around him seeking food. While safe under controlled conditions, this is not something to be attempted by visitors. Manta feeding is not as dangerous and has now become a popular feature in many islands' dive programmes.


Diving Safety
Drift diving is the most common type of diving in the Maldives. It is easy and safe when conducted properly and gives divers the opportunity to see more fish life, coral and rock formations than could otherwise be seen.
The outside reef s and channels are the staging points for these thrilling dives but care should be taken when diving in a current. Currents can change rapidly in strength during a dive and at some locations, especially during spring tides, the dive may have to be aborted in the interests of diver safety.
Diving with an ingoing current is generally safer than an outgoing current. If there is a strong current flowing out of the Atoll, divers should take extreme care. Divers have been lost in the past but fortunately increased safety practices have reduced the risk of accidents.
If diving in a channel with a strong outgoing current, divers need to stay close to the reef and shallow on the outside corners, then swim across the reef corner away from the main current flow to the lee of the reef. This may not always possible, such as when diving at a thila. A knowledgeable dive master and competent boatmen are essential at these times.

Guidelines
A few basic guidelines can make a dive safer and more enjoyable when diving in a current.

 

* Ensure you check your equipment and your buddies so you can begin your dive immediately.

* Do not stay too long at the surface when you begin your dive.

* Descend quickly to the reef.

* Never try to swim against a strong current. Stay close to the reef using your hands if necessary to pull yourself along (hold only dead coral and look before grabbing the reef).

* Never dive alone and follow the buddy system procedures.

* The visibility is usually good so do not under estimate the distance.

* The maximum depth is not to exceed 30 meters.

* Make all your dives no-decompression dives.

* If you should not see your boat after surfacing, a surface balloon, or "parachute" makes you visible from a distance. This is a mandatory accessory for each group of divers at most dive schools. Inflate your parachute if a long way from the boat or making an open water safety stop.