Diving reef West of Aarah Island

For this mornings dive we chose to go to an unnamed reef West of the Aarah Island. There are 2 reefs next to each other and in between there is a narrow channel. Once you get there on the spot you realize the channel is not so narrow, it is rather several hundred meters wide.

BA chart 3323

Google earth

The reef that was our target has on the west side an opening inside the lagoon and it was not very shallow either. We went in the channel to the opening to the lagoon to test the waters and discovered a South going current so we decided to drift south and keep to the south of the reef.

Philippine damselfish

Axilspot hogfish, juvenile

In we went and the dive started. The bottom was mostly sand here and the current grabbed us and we were gently floating by the reef in a Southerly direction. After awhile the corals became more plentiful and fish was more but not really ever abundant. The visibility was good but started to deteriorate once we got out of the channel current. 

Humbug dascyllus

Cardinaldish (?)

After awhile the current more or less subsided as we were in the lee of the reef and the visibility got worse as the current was pushing sand off the reef and it was almost like snowing. Also the corals got less and less and were more of the dead variety although there was still living patches and fish around. I saw a turtle shortly but he swam further away so was not able to make an acquaintance.

Weird red fish I saw only when I looked at the picture afterwards

Blue-green chromis

The dive was not an impressive one for an experienced diver but I could say a beginner might enjoy this. We spent 70 minutes underwater as the average diving depth was 11m and I still had 20 bar left to red margin. What I also saw a lot was many different Cod and Black saddled puffers and some Emperors. To my surprise I did not come across Moray eel but that does not mean there weren't any around.

Gold-striped emperor

Meyer's butterflyfish

Gold-striped emperor

Blue-and-yellow grouper

Diana's hogfish

Spot-tail sandperch

Golden chromis

Broad stripe fusilier

Bullethead parrotfish, juvenile, down left

Orangestripe spinecheek

Slender grouper under the rock

Black saddled puffer

Dash-dot goatfish

Black saddled puffer

Mushroom coral

Little fish

Threadfin butterflyfish

Yellow saddled goatfish

Lobster

Yellow saddle goatfish, up and Epaulette surgeonfish, down

Graeffe's seacucumber

Yellowhead butterflyfish

Humbug dascyllus

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

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

Turtle