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Dive Review of EAGLE RAY in
Maldives

EAGLE RAY, Mar, 2009,

by ERNIE PLOURDE, CT, USA (Sr. Reviewer Sr. Reviewer 9 reports). Report 4700.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 3 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 4 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling 4 stars
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 3 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments It was a long flight from the northeast and we were picked up by staff at the airport, loaded into the dive tender and taken to the ship, about a 20 minute ride.They do not allow you to bring alcohol into the country so drink what you have on the plane. We did a check out dive the first day to make sure all gear was working properly. Detailed dive briefings were given before each dive in the dining room. Up at 6:00 A.M. do a dive before breakfast, have breakfast, do another dive, have lunch, another dive, then dinner. You could do a night dive most nights if you wanted to. Before the morning dive you were offered coffee, tea, juice, cereal, hot and cold, cookies etc. After the dive it was eggs to order, beans, hot dogs, fruits etc.Most of the main meals were some kind of fish but there was also pasta, beef and all the trimmings, basically the food was pretty good.Except for meals you were charged for all drinks including bottled water. A beer was $3.00, as was a glass of wine, no spirits. The diving was on air, deep with lots of currents, reef hooks are a must. Your dive usually ends because you are going into deco, not that you are out of air! We saw a few whale sharks, white tips, dolphins, turtles etc. but the high point was definitely the mantas. There were schools, all you needed to do was find their cleaning station, hook yourself in and wait. When they came in they would come so close you could touch them. They would just keep circling over your head letting the cleaner wrasse do their thing, absolutely awesome! On one dive as I was waiting my turn to get back on the boat, they came by in a big line, 22 were counted, mouths wide open as they fed on the plankton at the surface, luckily I still had film (I shoot video) I could see right down their throats, like something out of National Geographic! The whale sharks were usually spotted from the surface, you raced after them in the tender boat and jumped in with snorkel gear when you got close, pretty exciting. The problem was there were many boats with the same idea. We had dinner on the beach one night and mingled with the guests from the other boats in the area. We shopped on remote islands and in Male, what a contrast, over populated, congested etc, but a good experience. The crew put on a show for us one night with dinner above deck, also lots of fun. The crew was very attentive and courteous. All things considered, it was a great trip with many good memories and 12 reels of film, highly recommended.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 501-1000 dives
Where else diving TAHITI, HAWAII, FIJI, GALAPAGOS, BELIZE, GRAND CAYMAN, BONAIRE, ROATAN, CURACAO, ST.LUCIA, ETC
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas calm
Water Temp 78-82°F / 26-28°C Wetsuit Thickness 1
Water Visibility 60-80 Ft/ 18-24 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions These were more like suggestions than anything else.
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas Squadrons
Dolphins Schools Whale Sharks > 2
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 5 stars
Large Pelagics 5 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities 3 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 4 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments There were charging tables on the boat. On the tenders there was room for your camera but nothing special.The mates carried your camera for you if you wanted and transported and rinsed them after the dive.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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