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Diving in the Maldives has it all...
65 million years ago the islands of the Maldives were part of a
huge volcanic mountain range. When the volcanoes ceased to be active
they submerged sinking at a rate slow enough that coral formations
could grow on their rims. This coral growth eventually became the
fringing reefs of the atolls. Recent surveys have discovered that
the depth of coral on the fringing reef is as much as 2100m (6400ft),
a remarkable statistic when you consider a coral massif may grow
just 2mm (0.08in) annually.
As the oceanic currents eroded the atolls' rims they created channels,
and today these channels provide some extraordinary diving. The
tides of the Indian Ocean flow in and out through the channels,
and in so doing concentrate millions and millions of microscopic
plant cells, tiny marine animals and larvae, collectively called
plankton. This rich soup provides food for many of the reef’s
inhabitants. In turn, creatures further up the food chain are attracted
from the ocean by the prospect of a good meal, and a rich and diverse
marine community builds.
Inside most of the atolls is a complex formation of reefs. A number
of these reefs are circular, enclosing a shallow lagoon, others
irregular and shallowly submerged. All offer interesting and usually
easy diving and excellent snorkelling. Some of the best diving is
on submerged reefs called thilas; usually located in the middle
of a channels, these rise from the atoll floor to within 10m (33ft)
of the surface.
Reef life is prolific, with over 700 common fish species and many
more still to be discovered and classified; invertebrate species
are reckoned to be in their tens of thousands. For the sharp-eyed
diver there are encounters with species like frogfish, leaf fish,
ghost pipefish and a multitude of nudibranchs. Whether it’s
the sight of the awesome manta ray, being face to face with a grey
reef shark or spotting a tiny brightly coloured flatworm, the Maldives
has it all.
Most dive sites in the Maldives can be grouped according to the
geological formation of the reef and are either Channels, Farus,
Thilas or Giris.
The Channel or “Kandu” as it is called in Dhivehi,
is the deep cut in the atoll rim that connects the waters of the
atoll with the open ocean. This is usually the first dive of the
day as it tends to be the deepest with some channels being narrow
enough to cross from one side to the other. The channel is home
to the larger species such as grey shark that feed on the smaller
reef life which, in turn, feeds on the plankton being carried
into the atoll by the ocean currents.
A Faru is a circular reef rising up from the ocean floor usually
lying in the ocean channels.
A Giri is a small area of coral, smaller than a thila that is found
inside the atoll.
A Thila is an underwater reef that has formed inside the atoll.
Thilas are oblong or circular in shape with the reef top at 6-10m.
Sometimes you can swim around the whole thila in one dive but, as
with all diving in the Maldives, the most action will be taking
place on the point of the current.
Diving in the Maldives: Diving Seasons
The southwest season
The diving on the west side of the atoll in the southwest season
is spectacular. You will regularly encounter large schools of pelagic
fish like sharks, eagle rays and tuna.
Another noticeable feature of the southwest season is that the
water temperature is usually one or two degrees lower that the usual
28† C (82†F). This has an effect on both the behaviour and sightings
of marine life, particularly the grey reef sharks and hammerheads
, which seem to congregate in larger numbers and in shallower water
at this time of year.
On the eastern side of the atolls, the southwest season is the
best time to see manta rays and whale sharks. Here your visibility
is not so good, but this is compensated for by the wonderful experience
of diving with these huge plankton feeders.
The northeast season
This is the Maldivian summer. The effect of the season change on
diving is dramatic. From November onwards the currents begin to
flow from the northeast, visibility is superb and there is lots
of action in the channels and thilas on the eastern side of the
atolls from the sharks and other pelagic species.
Currents tend to be stronger in January and then ease as we move
into February. From February the waters calm down and the surface
of the sea is undisturbed by any major wind or wave action. The
doldrums continue through March and April with easy diving and slack
currents. The end of May generally sees the change of monsoon season
back to the southwest.
Throughout the northeast season, pelagic species such as shark
and jacks are to be found on the current points on the eastern side
of the atoll. In addition, there is usually a cornucopia of reef
life. Manta rays and whale sharks, however, will only really be
found on the west side during the northeast season
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