Trip: Marvelous Maldives
Date: March 19th – 27th 2022
We decided early on to mitigate the Covid risk , that we would take the direct British Airways Heathrow/Mali flight instead of the far cheaper flights via Doha or via Sri Lanka.
As usual there was a 90min delay due to insufficient baggage handlers.
As we the arrived late into Mali we then had to wait 3 hrs for our water taxi to “Emperor Atoll” our home for the next week. Emperor Atoll is the smallest boat in the Emperor fleet. A bit tired , but functional and safe with great food. All twin cabins have en-suit bathrooms. The diving was from the “Dhoni” , compressors , cylinders and dive equipment. The only negative point was that the dive ladder needed attention.
The diving certainly did not disappoint , every dive was spectacular. Well worth the angst of negotiating Covid and BA.
Nitrox 32% was available free for everyone certified to use it.
I have been to the Red Sea 19 times over the years and seen the fish numbers decline over those years. The Maldives was certainly like the Red Sea was 30 years ago , fish city.
Primarily we went to get up and personal with the sharks and they didn’t disappoint.
The diversity of fish life was truly amazing. Grey reef sharks, white tip reef sharks, nurse sharks , whale shark , trigger fish , eagle rays , snappers , bat fish , clown fish , antheus , lion fish , crayfish , octopus , turtles etc etc too many to mention.
What’s not to like about diving in a rash vest and leggings , water temperature 30°C and visibility 30m?
The weather was a little windy so I think the crew had a job trying to find interesting and safe dive sites. The itinerary said we should be okay to dive in current. The majority of the diving was not that arduous but we did use reef hooks to hang in the current to shark watch. Most or the reefs or pinnacles were easily accessible , drop down to 8 – 12m
and then drop down to a plateau or drift along , then usually ascending to the top of the reef for pick up.
So, after 6 days diving and 15 dives we had to say goodbye to the wonderful paradise of the Maldives , diving North Mali , North Ari , South Ari , Felidhe (Vaavu) and back to North Mali to disembark.
Uneventful flight back and only 35 mins from landing to getting through passport control, customs and out the door.
A truly memorable trip
Sue Mitchell and Mark Carter
