Cybercaptain

Friday, March 09, 2012

Diving Nassimo thila

This morning we headed North for Nassimo Thila that was awarded four stars by Tim Godfrey back in the day when he wrote the book and is lauded as the best "thila" in North Male' atoll. The weather was a bit choppy and we jumped ourselves to the divesite that is next to Lankanfinolhu Island. The Island houses the swanky "Paradise" resort next to the "Soneva Gili" resort on the Lankanfushi Island (1000+ USD/ night).

BA chart 3323

The reef was easily identifiable as we got closer we could see the reflection from the sun. The current seemed slightly to be outward bound. Anyway, we geared up and made our descent on the West side of the 10m depth curve. We landed in the middle of the 10m thila plateau. Our first encounter was with a big stingray that seemed annoyed by our presence as it started letting out loud clicking noises it made with it's gills, after a while it realized we are not fazed by his clicking so it decided to blow this pop stand and swam away.

Mangrove whipray

We continued against the current in abt 15-20m depth and came to various pinnacles and caves, on the way we passed a Napoleon Wrasse. Fish was not so abundant as described but maybe it was because of the current, the swimming against the current was heavy and air consumption went up. Then we reached the NW corner of the reef and we drifted back south on the Western side.

Kashmir snappers

Lone Indian bannerfish with Kashmir snappers

Here we also saw many small caves and plenty of vegetation and a few big overhangs but the caves below did not house any surprising life. Did not see anything special except a few prowling Jacks. Back on the SE corner of the thila we were effectively out of air and we saw a big turtle munching on grass it ripped off the reef. The turtle was not shy at all and let me take some good potshots. Then it was time to make our ascent.

Maldive anemonefish

Giant clam

When we surface I could see a sports fishing boat nearby that is maybe testimony why the fish was not so abundant anymore. A bit surprising as this thila is also defined as a protected nature area. Definitely a good dive but I think yesterdays Kuda Haa had more to offer or maybe we just dove at the wrong time...

Oriental sweetlips cowering under an overhang

Brown+blotched sandperch

Clark's anemonefish and Threespot dascyllus

Napoleon Maori wrasse in distance

Frontal shot of a bannerfish

Longnose butterflyfish

Schooling bannerfish

Chocolate-dip chromis (?)

Maldive anemonefish and Threespot dascyllus

Magnificent firegoby

Saddled sharpnose puffer

Emperor fish veering away

Lots of small fish

Turtle

Thursday, March 08, 2012

Diving Kuda Haa

Looking at divesites Tim Godfrey have mapped out in his good book I settled to go to the Kuda Haa "thila" as it was the only one we had not yet visited. It was as far as Lion's Head at Thilafushi but a bit more north inside the atoll, just next to the Giraavaru Island. The reef is actually 8m underwater so finding it without a positioning system is not the easiest task. Actually we found it by seeing fish jumping out of water, it was a bit windy and waves were abt 50cm high so one could see the reef only when you were next to it.

BA chart 3323

Well, as we had arrived we ascertained the current direction that was slightly to the East and we plunged in at the Western point of the "thila". I descended to 15m off the top and started going East with the current, the reef was actually like 2 hillock with a saddle in between so at one point there was no current. Fish was aplenty and I could see preying Barracuda and Jackfish patrolling the waters around us, no wonder the fish was a bit jumpy.

Saddled sharpnose puffer

I think at the Western end I found a cave and inside I was chasing a big Emperor who ran away without me getting a good potshot of it and when I turned around I almost shat myself as I was looking at a monstrous grouper that was huddled in the back and gaping at me gaping at him. I managed to squeeze of a a few shots and then he swam away.

Yellowmargin moray

Giant moray

Undulated moray

As another curiosity I saw probably the biggest pufferfish I ever seen in my life, it must have been more than 50cm in length. There was also plenty of Emperor and Sleek unicornfish around including the usual pelagic small fish. I think we managed to circle the "thila" about two times before we ran out of air and had to abandon Neptunes Kingdom.