"As I embark on another dive trip I realize I owe David and the Ocean Dancer an apology for waiting so long to express how incredible my trip was. Ocean Dancer is the third Dancer I have been on and while all were great, Ocean Dancer is the best by far, but not just the Dancer fleet, they are the class
of the world. The boat is perfect and David is the ultimate host. It would take too long to describe David's attention to each diver and his knowledge of the Maldives. The crew is outstanding but they kept trying to do better every dive.

Thanks David and Ocean Dancer."

HO, Birmingham, AL
March 2006

The Republic of the Maldives is a dive destination unlike any I have visited previously. It is a true “Waterworld”, comprising hundreds of perfect, tiny, low-lying tropical islands, interconnected by innumerable seaplanes, speed boats, and ferries. The Maldives is a nation of striking contrasts; home to scores of luxurious self-contained resorts and world-class yachts, in the midst of a relatively conservative Sunni Muslim republic, located in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

Ocean Dancer is also unique. It is the most elegant live aboard dive boat on which I have cruised in my extensive worldwide travels.  David Mesnard, a French ex-pat and longtime resident of the Maldives, is the heart and soul of the vessel.  He designed Ocean Dancer, and supervised its construction in 2004 and 2005 on a beach in Kaafu Atoll in the Maldives. David now ably serves as the boat’s host and dive master.  While lending a French accent to Ocean Dancer, David strives to impart some of his extensive knowledge of the topside and submarine splendors of the Maldives to his guests.

The 100 foot-long vessel is quite spacious and beautifully appointed, and rides stably in the water.  All dive gear resides on, and all diving is done from, a 55 foot dive dhoni, constructed at the same time as Ocean Dancer, which accompanies it on its cruises.  This arrangement further ensures an uncluttered environment on the mother ship. Ocean Dancer’s on-board amenities include roomy cabins with seemingly unlimited tap water on the Dolphin deck; an elegant and comfortable salon and bar, alfresco dining in a protected area towards the stern, and a shaded lounging area toward the bow, all on the main deck; and two spacious sundecks, the lower including a small “spa” area, where a menu of massages is offered daily.

Food on board is varied, excellent, and plentiful. Ocean Dancer’s crew is mainly Maldivian, though crew members also hail from Sri Lanka, Nepal, and the Philippines.  The crew is capable, cheerful, friendly, helpful, and second to none. Captain Zareer sets the tone, always positive and smiling, with constant high fives and “First Class!” his favorite expression.

Our ten day cruise took us through generally calm seas to Kaafu, Ari, and Rashdoo Atolls, under sunny skies, with an occasional brief squall. The diving ranged from leisurely, current-less tours of “thilas” (underwater pinnacles typically topping out about 5 meters below the surface), to “kandu” (channel) dives often featuring exhilarating ripping currents. Visibility ranged from 100+ feet down to 30 feet, depending on the amount of plankton suspended in the water.  Sea temperatures were typically around 82° F.  Both hard and soft corals were beautiful and in excellent condition at some dive sites, and in suboptimal condition, presumably due to El Nino and resultant coral bleaching and death, at others.

In general, the dive sites were quite fishy, often featuring large schools of blue lined snappers.  The plankton-rich waters of Ari Atoll assured whale shark and manta encounters.  Thilas hosted healthy populations of varied colorful tropical species such as anthias, butterflyfish, angelfish, hawkfish, and anemonefish, as well as numerous different types of moray eels, relatively frequent and friendly hawksbill turtles, and an occasional green sea turtle. Eagle rays, sharks, and tuna often cruised in the blue.

One high point of our trip was a late afternoon visit to Dhigurah Fushi (Island) in South Ari Atoll.  Ahmed, one of Ocean Dancer’s most personable crew members, led us on this tour of his home island, where we were greeted everywhere by his smiling and friendly neighbors.  We also dined one evening at the Hilton Maldives Resort, a truly beautiful establishment in South Ari atoll, boasting, among other things, a glass-enclosed underwater restaurant and an exquisite topside wine and cheese “cellar”.

Following the cruise, a visit to the bustling capital city of Male, accompanied by my friendly and knowledgeable guide, Mohamed, concluded my trip. Sights included the Old Friday and New Grand Friday Mosques, the National Museum and Sultan’s Park, the Presidential offices and residence, and the fish and produce markets. It was quite an interesting finale to a fascinating, enjoyable, and memorable trip.      

Steve ("Seadoc")