The Central Atolls MaldivesText and photos by Brandi Mueller 16 X-RAY MAG : 78 : 2017 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO travel Maldives A spectacular night dive saw massive nurse sharks hunting at Alimatha Pier of Vaavu Atoll (above); PREVIOUS PAGE: Manta at the manta cleaning station, Moofushi Beru I was not planning to go on the night dive. It was the first night of the trip and I was a little tired, I already had my camera batter- ies charging and was all settled in with a book for the night after a fabulous first day of diving with turtles, sharks and tons of fish. But Fernando, our dive guide, told me I had to go. Usually, when the dive guide says you have to go, you better go, so I put my camera back together and I was ready in record time. The dive site was Alimatha Pier at massive nurse sharks. They were in front Vaavu Atoll. We did our giant strides of me, behind me, and above me. into the black water and immediately Then a stingray glided over the sand we were greeted with a ripping current. like a magic carpet flying by, right next They said to bring reef hooks if you had to me. Hunting trevallies were making them, which I did not, so after getting use of our lights, whizzing by us and to the bottom I found a rock to hold making that whooshing sound before on to. Getting comfortable, I looked devouring the fish our lights lit up for around. There were giant white shad- them. All the while the current was rush- ows against the inky black water. ing by, making it hard to stay in one Moving my light around, I saw them— place. A pair of fire dartfish Schooling bluestripe snapper (above); Hawksbill sea turtle (top right) 17 X-RAY MAG : 78 : 2017 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO Maldives Aerial view of the Maldives from the plane (above); Clown triggerfish (right) The dive took place on a slop- The Maldives ing bottom that went from about Flying into the Maldives feels like 10-15m (30-50ft) and then there was you are flying over blue for ages. a steep drop-off. The drop-off was to Endless sapphire stretches on my right, and at one point, I looked and on. Around the time the pilot in that direction toward what would announced that landing was about be open blue if it were not pitch to begin, specs of green ringed in black, and my lights just barely lit up white started showing up. Stretching the white bellies of more sharks than 760km (472 miles) from north to south I could count. My entire view was and 120km (75 miles) east to west, a wallpaper of nurse sharks, ghostly there are over 1,200 picture perfect white shark-shapes in the black. It did islands in 26 atolls. It is hard to deny not even look real. the romance of these tiny green When our air was nearing empty, specs of palm trees with sugary white and we were forced to leave the sand beaches surrounding them, sharks, and we came up from the most of which are uninhabited. Not dive cheering. Still high on adrena- to mention the diving is said to be line, we looked up at a million stars incredible. on the moonless night in the middle A destination that has been on of the Indian Ocean and we waited my bucket list for years, it is hard to for the dhoni, a traditional fishing not dream of visiting these far away ing in the Maldives was going to be boat re-purposed for diving, to come islands in the Indian Ocean. I had fantastic. and pick us up to take us back to a certain giddiness as the plane Leaving the airport, I found some the Blue Force One, our home for landed in Malé and stepping outside of the crew, and as we set off to the the week. I was so glad I went on the of the cold plane into the equatorial boat, I realized the airport had a night dive. humidity, I knew my next week div- pier. We did not even have to drive 18 X-RAY MAG : 78 : 2017 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO travel Maldives At 42m (138ft) by 12m (39ft), Maldives Blue Force’s liveaboard, MV Leo (right) is the perfect place to spend a week. It has two hot tubs, three sun lounge areas, a spacious and comfortable salon, and large decorative passenger cabins; The hallway with blue mood-lighting led to most of the cabins (left); Hot tub on the bow (above); Lounge area and bar area (top right) This award-winning boat has hangout places after been voted one of the top live- the day of diving aboards in the Maldives multiple was complete was times, and for good reason. It is a lounge next to the 42m (138ft) by 12m (40ft) and has upper deck bar, which four levels. There are two jacuzzis, had some tables and three areas for sunbathing includ- chairs and there was ing the entire top deck, as well even a foosball table as a beautiful salon with a large onboard (my favorite!) TV, comfy couches and plenty The rooms were of space. One of the favorite amazing too. My bath- room was larger than most entire cabins on anywhere to get on the boat. We other liveaboards, and I was just jacuzzis and large sea view win- simply crossed the street and got in one of the normal rooms. The dows. on the dhoni, which would take boat has a master suite, master The boat can take 22 pas- us to the liveaboard, our home for cabin and a junior suite as well. sengers and has a crew of the next week. My bathroom had a large shower, around 16. Twenty-two sounds with optional rainshower head, like a lot of people, but the The liveaboard plenty of room to move around large boat never felt crowded. The Maldives is a pretty big buck- and a large sink with drawers In fact, I often found myself the et-list destination. If you are going for storage. The rooms were also only person on the sundeck or to do it, you might as well do it in very spacious, the beds were in the salon as there was plenty style, and the Maldives Blue Force comfortable, there was good of room for us all to spread out or pour a glass of wine. One is definitely that. It is, by far, air-conditioning, and each cabin and get a little bit of that feeling Three meals a day were served the most beautiful, spacious and had its own TV, although I never like we were on our own private buffet style outside but protected comfortable liveaboard I have once turned mine on. Some of yacht. The crew kept everything from the sun or rain. The outdoor ever been on—a true luxury yacht the suite cabins had full bathtubs, spotless and they were always dining area was a lovely place to made for scuba divers. and three had their own in-room there to help get dive gear ready drink coffee in the morning and Beautiful salon area of the MV Leo liveaboard; Sundeck (right inset) 19 X-RAY MAG : 78 : 2017 EDITORIAL FEATURES TRAVEL NEWS WRECKS EQUIPMENT BOOKS SCIENCE & ECOLOGY TECH EDUCATION PROFILES PHOTO & VIDEO PORTFOLIO travel Maldives Sea turtle descends after taking a breath All diving takes place off the at the surface (above); Anthias with dhoni (right), not the main boat, grouper resting on a small shipwreck off making it easy to get to dive des- Kuda Giri Reef (top right); Anthia fish (right tinations. Gear is stored and tanks inset) can range from 4-12cm (1.5-5in) are refilled on the dhoni too. watch the sun rise before our first dive small details that made diving or have that glass of wine and watch with Blue Force such a fantas- the sunset. tic time. Dhoni diving Day 1 All diving took place off a dhoni, the On arrival day we spent our local name for multi-purpose boats time getting settled on the with motors or sails. Original dhonis of the diving was drift diving. So, the boat and meeting our ship- resembled traditional Arab sailing ves- dhoni was perfect to drop us off at mates. After a lovely dinner, sels, and ours was designed perfectly the dive site and then pick us up, most of us headed to bed for diving. The 18m (60ft) vessel would wherever the current took us. early to recover from the jet pull up along the main boat and we One delightful touch was that staff lag of our long journeys. But we were even a turtle. Not bad for the first were able to easily board just by step- gave us clean dive towels to take up bright and early the next morning dive. ping across one boat to the other. All on the dhoni every morning. Having for our first day of diving. of our dive gear was left on the dhoni separate towels for diving from those Kuda Giri. The boat then headed to and tanks were filled there. When the in your room is always a nice feature, Kurumba.