Cybercaptain

Friday, February 24, 2012

Diving Bandos Island

Went in the NE corner and ventured East with the strong current in the beginning. The visibility was quite good but as the current became less, when we rounded the Island, the visibility deteriorated. At the start we "bumped" into a reef shark, the high light of the dive.

BA chart 3323, inset

Diving Banana reef

As my other deckhand hadn't yet seen Banana reef we went here again. Good dive and lots to see.

BA chart 3323, inset

Diving Club Med corner

We ventured out of the atoll and went for the Club Med Corner, actually the NE end of the Hulhumale' & Hulhule airport Island & reef. It was a nice dive, hardly any current and many things to see. At the end when we came up a huge school of dolphins passed us by and I had still my goggles on so I could watch them below surface for the first time of my life. I think I could even hear them talking in their high-pitched squeaks.

BA chart 3323, inset

Diving Maldive Victory

This day decided to go and dive the Maldive Victory. She was/ is a general cargo ship that sank in full cargo upon arrival Male' in 1981. For divers delight the wreck is still standing upright so it offers a lot to see. I have quoted the Maldives Victory history text below from here.

BA chart 3323, inset

Diving Hulhumale' North

This time went again to the Kudakalhu Channel but on the South side of it on the Hulhumale' Island reef. Went down about in the middle and drifted with the slight current into the atoll. Once inside the visibility turned quite poor but there was some caves, a few of them remarkably big, and lobsters hiding in their holes.

BA chart 3323, inset

Diving Banana reef

Banana reef is named after the shape it presents up from the air. It is totally submerged and a designated nature reserve so the fish life there is quite plentiful. We went down on the NE corner and ventured west.

BA chart 3323, inset

Diving Kudakalhu channel

Here we went on the S side of the Furanafushi Island and swam into the atoll along the Kudakalhu Channel.

BA chart 3323, inset

Diving Furana South

Chartlet from BA chart 3323, inset

Diving S of Banana reef

As an opening dive we decided to do the easy reef south of Banana reef in order to ascertain the equipment is working well as well as we are up to par after a long time on the dry. As agreed we left Kalizma at 0730hrs with all gear onboard.

Unfortunately everything did not go as planned, my dive watch ran out of battery and I forgot my camera on the surface support boat. On the other hand all dive gear was working perfectly.