Caves 'n' Corals
All photography on this site by Estelle Sandford
Diving in the Maldives - Kuredu 2008
After being badly held up at Gatwick with a 2 hour delay, meaning we got away after midnight and the airport was pretty much deserted as we were last flight out, we finally arrived 10 hours later at Male. The seaplane transfer was pretty painless and we were soon landed on Kuredu. Once we'd got our room key, it was fast track to the dive centre to ensure we were down to dive on the next day - no point in wasting any time!! I got a free towel for being a repeater and we both put down for an orientation dive the following morning before settling into our beach bungalow and having a nice meal in the restaurant.
An early start for breakfast and we're soon on the House Reef doing our first dive of the holiday. A pleasant 28 degrees centigrade in the water meant it was very comfortable in a 3mm suit and the visibility was rather nice as well. Lots of the usual reef fish, plus several lion fish and morays. There is a wreck about half way along the house reef and a few fish asleep in there. Second dive of the day saw us out on one of the dhonis to Kanihura Corner where we saw more morays, a sting ray and a turtle, plus no shortage of the usual reef fish.
Booked onto 2 tank boat for today and off to Fushivaru Corner. There was a lot of jellyfish on this dive so got a few minor stings. Lots of moray eels again, plus some really big napoleon wrasse. We ended up on the thila, which is a manta cleaning station, although none there this time. Second dive saw us on Maagiri South, which is a pretty little reef and had lots of the usual fish. In the early evening, we went for a sunset dive to Kuredu Caves and there was no shortage of turtles there in the caves and on the shelves and some moving around to get air. The current was running quite hard so we were unable to do a second sweep of the caves so carried on along the reef until low on air and ended up well past the water bungalows!
Another 2 tank boat and off to Anemone Thila (new site) which was very pretty and covered in anemones on the top reef. Found a turtle in a cave and took pictures of the usual reef fish. Second dive was Kuredu caves minus the current from last night. Again loads of turtles and reef fish.
Booked onto a 3 tank day boat for today. First dive was Fushivaru Kandu, a channel crossing dive to try and see some big fish. Saw white tip reef sharks, eagle ray and sting ray in the channel but too far away for decent photos. Second dive was Palm Beach Outreef which was a pleasant reef dive. Lunchtime we moored up next to a deserted island - would normally have eaten on the island, but it was threatening to rain so we were served food on the boat and then went for a walk around the island after. On the way to the next dive, we had dolphins chasing alongside the boat. The third dive was on Tinga Giri, where we found a couple of turtles, quite a lot of lobsters and plenty of reef fish.
2 tank boat for today and off to the wrecks known as The Shipyard - Skipjack 1 and 2. Yet again we were accompanied by dolphins on the ride to the site. Some current so we started on the wreck lying on the seabed for shelter and then went to the upright one. Unable to hide behind the upright one so carried on the dive on the reef and saw an octopus and scorpion fish. Second dive was on The Peak where we saw more scorpion fish, eagle rays, morays (including a striped one) and plenty of reef fish. In the evening we did a night dive on Bodu Giri and got lots of life - cuttlefish, shrimps and crabs, shark, lion fish and nudibranches.
2 tank boat again and off to Maagiri South for the first dive. The plan was a channel crossing, but the current had other ideas so this was the backup dive. Lots of the usual reef fish. Second dive was Kuda Giri where we had quite a noisy dive so suspect there might have been some dolphins not too far away. Found a turtle having a good old chew on the corals. After lunch, we went for a third dive on the house reef - the rains we'd had the day before had turned the visibility a bit, but there was a fair amount of life about to view.
2 tank boat again and off to Kuredu Express for a nice fast dive to see the sharks and eagle rays that were there today. Second dive was on Fushivaru Thila and this time we got one manta on the cleaning station, but he wasn't hanging around for a photo session. We went to the Far East Restaurant for a lovely meal that evening rather than the usual buffet meal.
2 tank boat again and off to Fushivaru Thila looking for mantas, but no such luck today. Lots of the usual reef fishes though. Second dive was on Kahlifushfaru Corner (KFFC) and again lots of the usual reef fishes. Lazy afternoon spent sunbathing/snorkelling today.
2 tank boat again and off to Latheef. Saw a manta on the surface on the way to the site. Pleasant dive with lots of reef fish. Second dive was on Kuredu Express and lots of life today with sharks, turtles, napoleons, porcupine ray and no shortage of reef fish. Afternoon dive was on Hinnavaru Outreef, which is a locals island. Pleasant dive with the usual reef fish, but sadly the locals use this as a bit of a rubbish dump so there was quite a lot of rusty rubbish about.
Today was a special days diving as we were on an all day boat to another atoll, which lies around 2 hours ride to the north of Kuredu and is called Noonu Atoll. The first dive site was known by the liveaboard, but previously undived by Prodivers and was called Shark Point as is a shark cleaning station. Plenty of current and also plenty of sharks, sting rays, eagle rays, lobsters, lion fish and lots of reef fish. Second dive was Orivaru where we saw some of the most impressive table coral going and totally intact as this atoll doesn't yet have a resort on so is only usually dived by the liveaboards, although it won't be long as one opens in a few months. Saw an octopus and scorpion fish and took loads of photos of the coral. After lunch, the last dive of the day was called Raafushee - it was a pleasant dive, although nowhere near as nice as the first two dives. Our diving was filmed by Prodivers from this trip and we've a souvenir DVD from it.
Back on the 2 tank boat and off to Kuda Kandu for a channel crossing. Current wasn't very strong so we didn't have too much trouble doing a return along the channel as well, but there wasn't so much life without the current. Saw a couple of eagle rays, sting rays and manta rays and a few big napoleons, but no sharks. Second dive was on Kuredu Express where we saw several sharks and turtle and plenty of reef fish. The afternoon dive was on KFFC again and it was alive with life today - saw a porcupine ray, sting ray and lots of reef fish.
2 tank boat again for the last day and off to Kuredu Express for what was probably one of the best dives of the week. Lots of sharks, eagle ray, turtle with very defensive remora fish, sting ray and porcupine ray. The eagle ray appeared to get 'stuck' in the current and remained above our heads while we were holding on at the corner for what seemed like ages. Second dive was Kuredu Caves which started out slow as we saw no turtles at all on the first lower sweep of the caves, but on the second and third sweep there was plenty of them on the shelves and swimming about. The last dive of the holiday was on The Peak (which was Colin's 100th dive as well) and it was a lovely final dive which ended with a nurse shark asleep in a cave. Lots of other life as well including sting ray and napoleon.
Our no dive day before flying home and a stroll around the island followed by a lovely massage.
And that's it, we're off home - we got a gold seaplane this time though!!
Many thanks to Prodivers who as per previous trips looked after us fantastically.
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Last modified:
February 28, 2008