Maldives Continued....

December 21-27th, 2010: Chaaya Reef Elliadhoo


More pictures from the Maldives...


The best part of this trip was by far the giant Manta rays.  They were the most beautiful creature to watch under the water... they looked like they were flying when they swam by.  We were able to snorkel with them for an hour in the middle of the ocean on some coral reef.  It was pure magic.  


At first when they swam at you with their mouths open while they fed, it was intimidating.  A whole person could easily fit into their mouths, but not to worry they eat plankton.  A couple of Mantas would feed right outside our hotel room every morning as well.  But the Manta we snorkeled with were some of the biggest the local staff had seen, to see them rave about the size made the trip special for everyone. 


We were actually on the look out for Whale Sharks but didn't find any.  We did find some other nice friends under the sea :)  

Our hotel

Almost there

The plane... so fun!

To get to our hotel, the fastest way was by plane, sea plane!  The views were out of this world.  The Maldives amazes me, it is made up of so many islands or atolls and the underwater world is just out your door.  Really makes the "one with nature" come true.

Manta rays, Whale sharks, octopus, reef sharks, turtles... some of the BIGGEST sting rays and all sorts of rays we have ever seen.  Actually everything we saw, was the biggest we had ever seen.  This was a place you really got to see underwater life untouched by humans...

Lion Fish

Eel

So many eels we had to stop taking pictures of them.  I think this picture turned out the best.

Trigger Fish

Manta Ray

My absolute favorite sea creature, until I meet the Whale shark!

Open Wide--Could swallow me whole with that mouth :0

The most beautiful creature under water-- flying by...

Manta Ray Feeding

Fishes

Reef Shark, they were everywhere, even when we snorkeled

We fed the sharks one night, thankfully it was the last night.  I wouldn't get back in the water after we drove out 5 minutes from the hotel and unloaded chum into the water... we saw 6-7 foot sharks in a feeding frenzy,  MANY. OF. THEM.  But when we dove/snorkeled, they were like this small reef shark.

More fishes

My friend, Mr. Octopus

He followed me for 2 minutes... catch the video at the end

Hello! Came up so close to me :)

30th birthday!!

Octopus video

Another eel

These guys hung out all around our hotel, they were huge!

They fed them every evening... thankfully

Dirk made a friend :)

These guys were HUGE, they were swimming around while we snorkeled.

They could have easily weighed as much as me, probably because the hotel fed them...

Just liked this picture, turned out good with the light.

I can't wait to take a class and touch up my underwater pictures.