Our holiday to Vilamendhoo actually started yesterday, when we brought our cats, Maja & Loeki, to the cat hotel - for the first time in their young lives. As always, Maja fearless and Loeki a little scarred, but curiosity took the upper hand quickly. We are sure they will be fine, but miss them already now ...
Pakking the car in the afternoon and heading for Frankfurt Airport. Despite the distance it, again, only takes 2¼ hour. Hopefully we parked in the correct place, as we had prebooked our parking tickets - we'll see in 2 weeks on our return.
Checking in at Condor was fast and as we, as always, are way too early, the boring waiting can start. And omg what is Franfurt Airport a boring place.
20:30 hours, finally, we are in the air. The plane is quite old and not very comfy, but as we both slept quite easily and, given the circumstances, good, there is little to report from the flight itself.
10:something hours we land on Male Airport. It takes some time before our luggage is spotted, but at least all has arrived. A few counters later we are at Trans Maldivian, for the last part of the trip.
Unfortunately they had some delayed planes in the morning, so it took untill 13:30 hours before we boarded the Twinotter Water Plane to leave for our little paradise for the next 2 weeks.
After a short stop at Vakarufalhi we arrived at Vilamendhoo. Looks good! Room 215 was assigned to us, and Petra already knows that that is not the best room ... . Arriving at the room it shows why. The room is great, but the view is not that great - quite blocked by the mangroves. Later that day we checked at reception if we could change rooms. "Sorry, we are fully booked. Maybe 2 days later".
Time for dinner. A beautiful restaurant, free seating and delicious food. Our waiter is Ahmed.
Time to sleep now, as we are both very tired.
March 7th - The first morning
Hmmm .... why is Jos already standing under the shower? And aaaggghhh ..... why did he swtch on the airco? Jos is actually still asleep, and Petra is obviously also not awake yet! Outside it is pooring rain.
After we got up we first checked out the jaccuzzi. Lovely, a warm bubbling tub to wake up in :-) Time for breakfast. After which we round the island to see how it really looks like. Around the corner - the assumed better location - is quite busy, so we decide to stay in 'our' room and not change.
Further down the island the beach is getting smaller and smaller. Concrete blocks and sand bags 'deorate' the view from the Beach Villa's. Yes, we are happy to had decided to upgrade to Jaccuzzi Villa's. Staying at the Beach Villa's would have been less than half the paradise experience.
Around the other corner we return to 'our side' of the island, where the beach and view are perfect again. So these people booked and paid the same Beach Villa as the people at the other side .... quite a difference in experience for the same price! So some are lucky and some less lucky.
On the way back to our room we stop by the Dive Shop to pick up the paper work to sign in. A quick jump in the ocean and lunch time has arrived. In the early afternoon, after a siesta, I did some snorkeling (w/o Petra, who had sun burn). Later in the afternoon to the Dive Shop to sign in. "You have a Yes?" That's correct, and a Doctors Statement confirming that there is no issue and I can dive w/o restiction. We are explained the Check Dive is short, but for free?! We'll see tomorrow what that means.
After a nice cocktail, signing up for the Full Moon Dinner, at the last night of our stay, and a delicious dinner we returned to our room. Looking at the stars from the jacuzzi before we go to sleep ... the first day had come to an end.
March 8th - Check Dive
// Sleepin sleeping sleeping. Unbelievable, after years - especially the last 2 - of sleeping very bad, I seem to be unable to wake up. We used to think it was due to the diving, and that Nitrox would reduce the need for sleep. But now, without even a minute of diving, I keep sleeping sleeping sleeping [actually I hed just started my new medication: Humira, which is very efective!] //
// Daddies ... Vilamendhoo had just been upgraded. New restaurants, improved rooms, you name it. But most of all: new wood! So everything smelled as dad used to smell when we were young, when he returned how from the mill/workshop. Nice and familiar. //
Before we enter the water for the Check Dive we get the usuall dive shop tour. A quick peak on the sign in papers shows that we aren't surrounded by novice divers, all have 100+ to 300+ dives!
In the water I was the first to do the usual routine .... no, the mask needs to be removed completely - not just flooded. And now Petra. Same. The complete mask had to be taken off! Why are Sylvia (Dive Guide) and Petra looking at me like that? Oeps ... we also need to do some Buddy Breathing. No problem.
After another 5 minutes looking at the rest of the groupe performing the same routines, and a small tour over the House Reef, we ended the dive and practiced using the Surface Marker Buoy (SMB). The first time both of us ever used them. I was almost caught in the line (way to long) and Petra lost the Buoy immediately (there was a knot in the line).
Jos: 31 [min] / 16.5 [m] | Petra: 30 [min] / 16.5 [m]
Just before we jumped in we already signed up for tomorrow: Brocken Rock & Kuda Thila, a 2-tank dive.
(Lunch was again very good)
March 9th - Brocken Rock & Kuda Thila
We both didn't sleep that well. My back hurted, and that was exactly the issue that had gone.
For the first time we had to hurry a little. 2-Tank dives leave earlier (gather at 7:50, leave at 8:00), so we arrived at the restaurant early. "We open at 7:30 sir". Okay, okay, we'll wait. At 7:25 we entered and after a good, but quick, breakfast we picked up our gear at the room and headed for the Dive Shop. Oeps, forgot to bring our wetsuites. Quickly back to grab them. So afterall the slowest couple on the boat.
And now the 1st, real, dive. Descent was problematic for Petra, so couldn't clear her ears and due to that she had to swim against the current a little longer before she could hide from the current behind the reef. After first catching our breath, we could start for our tour around the small Reef Block. It still looked very pretty, but we were both a little too restless to fully enjoyi it. On the top of the reef at the canyon (the "Brocken" part) we saw many of the other divers nicely hanging in the current, while being hold by their Reef Hooks. For us the dive had ended, as we were out of air.
During the safety stop we both employed our SMB. Petra's regulator was caught in the line, so she shot to the surface after the buoy.
Jos: 48 [min] / 24.1 [m] | Petra: 45 [min] / 23.2 [m]
After the hour surface interval our second dive: Kuda Thila. Nice and easy, little current and a beautiful reef. We found a Stingray in a cave and 2 Octopuses. A very nice dive indeed.
Jos: 59 [min] / 30.2 [m] / Petra: 58 [min] / 26.5 [m]
After lunch we started the afternoon lazy with a siesta, after which we did some snorkeling and repared Petra's wetsuite. Ending with a cocktail.
March 10th - Chase for Manta's
Fairly early (15 minutes later than yesterday) we leave with the boat (the fast glassfiber one) to the West of the South Ari Atholl, to Rangali Madivaru (used to be known as Hukuru Elhi Faru), the local Manta Point! We arrive after an hour an fifteen minutes, cruising a perfect flat sea.
Under water it looked familiar. Even the group of Blue Striped Yellow Snappers is still there after all these years ... although a little smaller. And what about the Manta's? Are they still there? After an half an hour in the dive, still no Manta ....
And than, out of 'thin water' one flies by. It seemed to be the frontrunner. A beautifull Manta show on the Cleaning Station is what follows!
Jos: 62 [min] / 16.5 [m] / Petra: 61 [min] / 15.5 [m]
Jos: 62 [min] / 14.6 [m] / Petra: 62 [min] / 14.3 [m]
The 3rd and last dive of the day is at Angaga Thila. From the boat Angaga Island looks very nice, and under water it still looks good. A White Tip Reef Shark swims past, followed by a Stingray. On the top of the Thila we find an Octopus a Hawksbill Turtle, busy eating. As a bonus we find a sleeping baby WTR Shark. It wakes up due to all the divers on the reef, swims a round and returns underneath its small rock.
Jos: 61 [min] / 25.9 [m] / Petra: 61 [min] / 24.7 [m]
A very nice day on the Indian Ocean!
March 11th - Tsunami
After a lovely long night of sleep (no morning boat dive on our program today) we walk over 'our' beach to the sea. The sea is sooo calm and clear today. First a delicious (and big) breakfast and than to the Dive Shop to sign in for a House Reef dive. Just to 2 of us, we are really looking forward to it.
A few minutes past eleven we enter the water at enterance 4, just in front of the dive shop. Omg, what is the water clear today. The group of Jacks, the white sand and the blue water. It is magnificent. Like flying through air.
Descending further we find the current against us and turn left (no point swimming against the current), and the beauty disappears. Still nice things to see though: a school of Batfish, a Giant Moray Eel and an Octopus as bonus. When exiting (exit 3) we are smiled at by the Clownfish. A lovely dive.
Jos: 69 [min] / 26.2 [m] / Petra: 69 [min] / 24.4 [m]
Back in our room, we just finished lunch, we get an SMS from Patrick: Heaviest Earthquake in East Japan in over 140 years, 8.9 on the Richter scale, Tsunami Alerts in the Pacific. It's now 6 years that we were in the South Ari Atoll for the first time, just a few months after the horrifing Tsunami of Christmas 2004. The images reapear ... Brrrr. "Luckily" it can't hit the Indian Ocean this time as it is on the otherside of the globe.
While enjoying siting on 'our' beach and staring over the ocean, our neighbour walks out holding his laptop. "It's freezing cold at home and I want to show my sister our beach and view ... ha ha". We had seen them talking to the laptop earlier.
// The tabwater tastes quite good. It is made by reverse osmoses, so should be safe to drink. It is noted somewhere that it's advised to drink bottled water. At $4,00 a bottle that would be my advise as well //
// Finished my 1st book: Martin Bril - Meisjes //
// Decided to keep buying bottles. Better safe than sorry as getting ill is not an option for me due to my medication //
March 12th - Kudu Rah Thila
While walking to the Dive Shop a British couple pops up beside us. "Are you on our boat?". "No idea, we are going to Luck Hell". "I think they changed that". Hmmm, let's check. The Japanese/Chinese (?) Diveguide (Russian we learned later) was holding the list. "Kudu Rah Thila" it said, and we were on as well. So they were right. And no problem, as this is one of my "Really must do this holiday dive sites".
Arriving at the dive site Luba (she, Russian) and Emmanuel (he, German?) had trouble finding the dive site. After sailing a few times up and down they found it. Emmanuel did the current check: "Moderate to strong". It is going to be hard work than!
Descending was quite smooth with little current, so Petra could clear slowly. Once on the reef the current picked up. Hold and crowl it is than. Once we found a good spot, next to eachother, to hold, we saw a giga Guitar Ray cruising by at 45 to 50 meter depth, so far below us. I descent to 29 meter to get as close as possible for a good shot. What a big animal compared to the WTR Shark (~1.5m) swimming by. After that I began to struggle. Mucus in my throat and a beginnig headache (worked to hard obvisouly). Luckily we could hide behind a reef block and catch our breath.
// Next time we go to the Maldives we should make sure to bring a Reef Hook! It must be soo much more relaxing to hang in the current and look around, rather than fight it and hold to the sharp rocks //
We look around for another 20 mintues in the shade of the current, and than drift of in the blue for our safety stop. Another 48 beautiful minutes added to our "Memory Stick".
Jos: 48 [min] / 29.3 [m] | Petra: 47 [min] / 27.2 [m]
Back at the Dive Shop we decide for 3 easy dives tomorrow: back to Manta Point!
The day ends as it should on a holiday: Nice food, being lazy, staring over the blue sea, reading a book and sipping a cocktail.
March 13th - Manta's : Lucky again
Today we have to get up early again, as have to be at the Dive Shop at 08:00. Our Dive Guide is Illy. What a relief, a guide that laughs and seems to enjoy his work. This time we use the wooden boat. Slower, but much bigger and due to that more comfortable. Captain's name is Jack (yeah, right). Also the crew is all smiles this time.
The first dive is like immediately hitting the jackpot. Manta's fly by all around us. This never gets boring! Back on the boat Illy cries "who cares about 60 minutes max dive time when you have such a dive", with a big smile on his face. Yes, he is definately not Swiss.
Jos: 65 [min] / 21.3 [m] | Petra: 65 [min] / 19.2 [m]
The second dive has a good start as well, but after about 30 minutes the current turnes and the Manta's are gone. A big Napoleon as bonus at the end of the dive though.
Jos: 61 [min] / 16.8 [m] | Petra: 62 [min] / 14.3 [m]
The lunch was (too) small, as it was the previous Full Day @ Manta Point. And as last time we will complete the three dives at Angaga Thila. And again it is a good dive: A WTR Shark cruises by, two are sleeping on the sandy bottom below us and 2 Tuna shoot by. On the reef we see 2 Octopuses, some Turtles and at the end I find the sleeping baby WTR Shark .... still under the same rock.
Jos: 60 [min] / 29.9 [m] | Petra: 60 [min] / 28.0 [m]
Yes, a fabulous Full Day ..... will we join again next Wednesday?
// Finished my 2nd book: Karin Fossum - De Waarschuwer //
March 14th - Kudhima Wreck
After a relaxed breakfast, during which our waiter Ahmed explains that many people from the other side of the island want to eat at our side because his colleagues at the other side are somewhat lazy, we leave for Machchafushi Island Resort where in 1999 the MV Kudhima was sunk in its House Reef. Our dive site of the day.
The hoped for Eagle Rays and Nurse Sharks weren't home today. A Stingray and a huge Stone Fish (not seen yet by dive guides Luba and Sylvia) and lots of glass fish were. When heading for the House Reef to end the dive we passed an nice school of Batfish. During the safety stop we hang in the middle of a school of Bannerfish.
Jos: 60 [min] / 31.2 [m] | Petra: 60 [min] / 29.9 [m]
// On our way back to Vila Sylvia told us about her previous location: Cocoa Island in the South Male Atoll ("$3000,-- a night .... those people are crazy"). There was little coral over there (best is in the South Ari Atoll, where we are now), but plenty of Sharks (30 - 40 Grey Reef Sharks on Cocoa Thila) and Eagle Rays. Maybe something for a next holiday ..... if we can find an offerdable Island in that Atoll. //
In the early evening we made a nice night dive on the House Reef (exit 4 to 5), after having spend a lazt afternoon on the beach.
Jos: 61 [min] / 15.5 [m] | Petra: 61 [min] / 14.6 [m]
March 15th - Vilamendhoo Thila (Eagle Rays)
This morning Illy is joining us again as guide (good). Vilamendhoo Thila lies, as the name already reveals, just off the Resort. So after 5 to 10 (very slow) minutes the boat arrives at the dive site. Dolphines .... would we still see them under water? You never know.
After having checked the current Illy jumps in to join us. We descent to the bottom of the Atoll (appr. 30 meters). At this depth the Channels connect the inside of the Atolls with the open sea, where water flow past the Islands and sandbanks after which it drops for many (100+) meters. Due to the currents at these inlets/outlets these are the places where the big fish action can be expected. While hanging on the Channel edge we see a few WTR Sharks passing by.
From there we follow the Thila inwards the Atoll. And yes .... man it has been a while, but there they are: Eagle Rays. First one, then another four. So elegant and so close. Agghh, pushed the wrong button on the camera, so didn't record anything ... and they were sooo close. Luckily they turn around and this time a can capture one of them quite close up. What a beauty!
Jos: 52 [min] / 31.7 [m] | Petra: 51 [min] / 30.1 [m]
The other divers, except Wolfgang, missed all the action. Wolfgang's buddy had finished his air quite early in the dive and surfaced with Illy, while Wolfgang teamed up with us. The rest of the group didn't bother staying deep and were hovering the reef, or already back on the boat.
As we returned early, after hardly a boat ride, Petra suggested to do the House Reef again before lunch. Of course!
So after a quick safety interval in our Jacuzzi we went back to the Dive Shop. Illy advises us to try exit 2. Once in the water we noticed there was quite a lot of current, so after only 10 minutes in the dive we already passed exit 3. At that time the current disappeared, so we could slowly continue to exit 4, right in front of the Dive Ship. On route we saw many nice things, among which a Spinny Lobster and a Boxing Mantis Shrimp.
Jos: 62 [min] / 25.0 [m] | Petra: 61 [min] / 23.4 [m]
After that busy morning we decided for a lazy afternoon. Tomorrow we are joining the 2-tank .... who knows what that will bring.
March 16th - AA Thila
Today a 2-tank dive on the menu. Starting with AA Thila (this used to be called Maaya Thila, but as that was very confusing as the world famous dive site in the Northern part of the Ari Atoll has the same name, they changed it to AA Thila), and than Ranveli Thila. Dive Guides are Sylvia, Hussein and 2 newbies (the last part wasn't clear, but as one of them did a current check this was our assumption).
On AA Thila we see our first (and maybe last?) Grey Reef Shark of this holiday. The reef is very beautiful and due to the small current we could nice drift along it.
Jos: 56 [min] / 26.5 [m] | Petra: 55 [min] / 25.0 [m]
After the mandatory 1 hour interval we go for Ranveli Thila, Vilamendhoo's neighbouring Island. The Thila is at the other side of the island. After a briefing from Hussein (a little practice can't hurt) we arrive. From the boat we already saw the sea swirl so no surprise there was a lot of current on the dive site. Next that there were many thermoclines, the first from warm to cold .... bbrrrrr. Due to the current there were little options: either hold on or fly away. Due to the depth of the dive site we were using quite some air. After about 45 minutes we called it a day and followed the French couple for the Safety Stop.
Jos: 49 [min] / 31.7 [m] | Petra: 49 [min] / 30.5 [m]
Back at the Dive Shop we decided to tomorrow, once again, go play with the Manta's. After a nice afternoon of doing little and reading a book, we wlked back to the Dive Shop to sign up for Fridays 2-tank dive. Oh no, they are going to that wreck ... something we both didn't look forward to. Join to Kuda Rah Thila than ... ? After some discussion between us we decided to try to change the 2-tank to 7th Heaven. Last diving day, haven't been there yet, etc etc. Hussein was already off to make it happen. He checked with Emmanuel, who was also okay with the change (jippie).
// Finished my 3rd book: Manon Pauw - Jetset //
So nice, a 2-tank on Friday, maybe backed up with a House Reef. We'll see. But first a cocktail and dinner.
March 17th - The French Boat (Manta's)
While checking in in the morning we were told we were on the "French Boat". The four persons next to us "O, but we are Dutch?!". Midden Limburg we found out later. But okay, there were a lot of French on the boat. Plus the 4 Dutchies, plus 2 Italians, and us. So pretty packed.
Our Dive Guide for the day was French and called Yannick. After he checked the current for the first dive he brought us the bad news: "Small outgoing current, second dive will be incomming". Shit. That means NO Manta's .... . And unfortunately that was true. We stared in the blue the whole dive ..... but NO Manta's.
Jos: 61 [min] / 20.1 [m] | Petra: 60 [min] / 18.6 [m]
During the safety interval we saw people snorkeling. I picked up my fins, put on my mask and jumped in. YES! The Manta's are back. So we enter the water with big hopes. I hear a banger in front of me. A WTR Shark. Nice, but not what we are looking for. But, behind the Shark, there it is. The Manta is flying right at us. After that we enjoy an ammazing Manta Show for an hour. 4 -5 of them keep on circling over us. Again and again and again. Yannick was right, the current had turned back to out going .... we were sooo lucky (and happy).
Jos: 65 [min] / 15.1 [m] | Petra: 65 [min] / 15.5 [m]
The last dive of the day was themed: Look for the Frogfish. Yannick knew its location, give or take a meter and with a little luck there were still 2 of them. A small Yellow Clown and a Green one. We looked, and looked .... and looked. 15 Divers scanned the Wall up and down, and left to right, but NO Frogfish. We did see 2 Marbles (2 baby Yellow Boxfishes).
Jos: 60 [min] / 26.5 [m] | Petra: 60 [min] / 24.7 [m]
Back at the Dive Shop we sign in for tomorrows afternoon dive (our last one): X-Roads .... a Channel Crossing.
March 18th - 7th Heaven
After a warm night - it's never cold here but last night was realy hot, high humidity we guess - we prepare for our last day of diving of this holiday.
Our bag is packed, the tip for the roomboy ($10) lies on the bed, just a few minutes for the restaurant to open. A quick breakfast and than to the Dive Shop as the boat already leaves at 08:00 for the 2-tank dive. And hopefully we are not back too late as our afternoon dive is already at 14:00. But okay, these 2 dives first.
The first dive with Yannick and Luba is a nice one. The visibilty is not that good, and the soft coral is not fully open, but we do see another Grey Reef Shark. We end the dive on the reeftop, hanging in the current, looking at the many fish.
Jos: 52 [min] / 28.7 [m] | Petra: 52 [min] / 28.4 [m]
As I asked for a dive site change the second one was quite a distance: Lucky Rock. And lucky it was. Two Guitar Rays, a few WTR Sharks, a few Stingrays, some big Jacks and a lot of small stuff. If we ever come back to the South Ari Atoll, this is a must do again dive site!
Jos: 60 [min] / 29.6 [m] | Petra: 60 [min] / 30.5 [m]
We had forgotten that lunch on Fridays start later, so we had to still hurry a bit to be on time for our 3rd and last dive. Hmmm .... 15 minutes later would have been well in time also, so we didn't had to hurry.
This third dive is obviously "The Dive to Do"! Only 7 divers, but 3 Dive Guides to join: Illy, Emmanuel and Mike. So this is their way of having fun.
Under water we followed the Atoll bottom at 30 meter, just at the edge - to be sure not to be "swallowed" and flushed into the Atoll. Emmanuel did the trick with the bottle, and there the Jacks come looking as well as some WTR Sharks. A little later a gigantic Napoleon, a huge Grouper and a Stingray. As we already had 2 deep dives behind us today, we had to start ascending as we were running out of No Deco Time. Little later the current picked us up and pulled is in the Atoll. A short, but beautifull dive had ended. Time for a Kurumba Colada ... we desirved it!
Jos: 40 [min] / 31.1 [m] | Petra: 40 [min] / 29.9 [m]
The waiters have nicely decorated a few tables. We pick a table outside. The table in front of us is full of flowers. Happy B'Day it reads. There is our waiter, Ahmed. He askes us, in a strange way, whether we don't want to sit inside. We decide to stay outside and head for the buffet. Ahmed looks a little dazed. He walks towards Petra and takes her to a beautiful decorated table in the corner. Aha, hence the strange behaviour. He smills full of proud when he sits us down. Quickly run to the room for the camera!
A little later the young German couple - they have the B'Day Table - comes passed our table (he looks like Junkie XL). "Also a Birthday?". "No". "Honey Moon?". "No, just a happy waiter". Maybe not my most tacktfull reply. Anyway, they leave and we can go to the buffet.
March 19th - Full Moon
Our last day, so no diving adventures to tell about. Slow breakfast, lazy day at the sea reading a book ..... just waste time. At 17:00 to the Dive Shop. Check the bill, stamp the Logbooks. Chat with the staff. To reception - quickly back, as I had forgotten the tip for the boat crew and tenders - where we found the bill to be slightly higher than anticipated (what's new). But as the Dive Shop bill was transfered to reception yet, we couldn't pay yet, so to the Sunset Bar for a ..... Vilamendhoo Sunrise.
It was almost seventhirty so we headed for the other side of the Island for our Full Moon Dinner at the Wok Restaurant. This really was a perfect end of a perfect holiday. Sitting outside, over the lagune, lovely food and romantice soft live music.
On our way back, passed reception, we did the credit card trick: Close your eyes and sign .... the damage is a worry for later. Strange, all guest say "Thank you" after settling their bill .... surprisingly I find myself doing the same.
A last night on the Island. Tomorrow at 09:10 our Water Plane leaves for Male International Airport.
March 20th - Back Home
During our last breakfast we take in the last views (and last delicious items from the buffet). We say goodbye to our waiter, Ahmed and leave the restaurant.
// Finished my 4th book: Tatiana de Rosnay - Die laatste zomer //
The flight to Male is a smooth one, same as the check in for our return flight home. Our plane has to wait for another plane that's in our way - Male Airport is too small for Taxi Lanes and it is starting to get a busy place. There we go ... the long flight home has started. Despite a take off delay of 45 minutes we land spot on time in Frankfurt. Three hours later we are home.
The next morning we picked up Maja & Loeki. The sun is shining ... it will be a beautiful spring day in Maastricht.
