First Nitrox Dives

Manta Ray
Photo credit: Isabel

As a newly qualified Nitrox diver I did my first dives with it today. We went to 2 different dive sites this morning on the boat. The first was NELIVARU and there was a strong current but the dive was sensational, we saw MANTA RAYS!!! 

I was so excited I was smiling so much I kept flooding my mask! We also saw marble rays, morray eels, glass fish, tuna, and oriental sweetlips which are stunning! 

Marble Ray
Photo credit: Isabel

Dive Details

Maximum Depth: 17.6m

Location: NELIVARU

Bottom Time: 37 min

Water Temperature: 31oc

Viz: 20m

Tank: 12L NITROX

Air on surfacing: 70 bar

Safety stop: 3 min, 5m

Marine Life: Manta rays, morray eel, Wrasse, Blue-lines surgeonfish, Oriental Sweetlips, Empress Angel fish,  Batfish, Lionfish, blue faced angelfish and many more!

Me enjoying the dive

The second dive-site was DHARAVANDOO THILA and it was another beautiful dive; we saw an array of beautiful fish!

moray eel

pufferfish

Starfish

Parrotfish

Oriential sweetlips

Dive Details

Maximum Depth: 18.8m

Location: DHARAVANDOO THILA

Bottom Time: 46 min

Water Temperature: 33oc

Viz: 30m

Tank: 12L

Air on surfacing: 60 bar

Safety stop: 3 min, 5m

Marine Life: Morray eel, Wrasse, Blue-lines surgeonfish, Empress Angel fish,  Batfish, Lionfish, blue faced angelfish and many more!

In the afternoon I helped take some DSDs around the House Reef and took some photos for them.

Dive Details

Maximum Depth: 9.7m

Location: House Reef

Bottom Time: 22 min

Water Temperature: 32oc

Viz: 10m

Tank: 8L

Air on surfacing: 120 bar

Safety stop: 3 min, 5m

Marine Life:  Blue-lines surgeonfish, Empress Angel fish,  Batfish, Lionfish, blue faced angelfish and many more!

Orientation Dive

Today I finally got signed off as fit to dive again and did an Orientation dive on the House Reef this morning which was lead by another intern. We did 3 skills; regulator recovery, out of air, and mask clearing. We then had a 40 minute dive which, as usual,  was like swimming through an aquarium! I am like a kid at Christmas every time I dive here because there is just so much to see and it is all amazing! Thousands of beautiful fish, corals and much more! We then ended the dive with a safety stop and practicing deploying our SMBs. 

Dive Details

Maximum Depth: 11.5m

Location: House Reef

Bottom Time: 47 min

Water Temperature: 30oc

Viz: 25m

Tank: 8L

Air on surfacing: 130 bar

Safety stop: 3 min, 5m

Marine Life: Wrasse, Blue-lines surgeonfish, Empress Angel fish,  Batfish, Lionfish, blue faced angelfish and many more!

Anemone fish, House Reef
Photo credit: Zoe Osborn 

In the afternoon I had to lead the orientation dive and having only dived the house reef a couple of times before I was slightly concerned I may end up surfacing on another island! However it all went perfectly and I found the heart, the rings and Charlie's Head (the landmarks we navigate to) and did my skill demo and SMB deployment without a glitch! I was very pleased with the first orientation dive I lead! :)

Dive Details

Maximum Depth: 9.5m

Location: House Reef

Bottom Time: 35 min

Water Temperature: 30oc

Viz: 20m

Tank: 8L

Air on surfacing: 110 bar

Safety stop: 3 min, 5m

Marine Life: Wrasse, Puffer fish  Blue-lines surgeonfish, Empress Angel fish,  Batfish, Lionfish, blue faced angelfish and many more!

EANx qualification

Today I had to have another dry day as I am just getting over a stomach infection. Therefore I did my EAN diver course or Nitrox. I had to read the theory book, watch the video, do a knowledge review and then learn how to programme dive computers to nitrox and how to analyze the oxygen content of cylinders.

After that I took the exam and got 99%. Super happy with that and I am now a qualified EAN diver. :)

Illness and IDC practice

I have been signed off work for 2 days now and prescribed 4 medications because I have a stomach infection. :( I won't be able to dive for a few days but at least I can make a start on all the IDC theory and I still have beautiful surroundings.

I went into work this morning to help out for a few hours and we practiced doing skills. We assembled and disassembled our equipment as an instructor would, going through everything slowly and in detail as practice for our IDC. Our instructor made me laugh as he described a scuba tank like a bomb and our BCD like a balloon, not a great combination!

The other interns then went into the water to do the 24 skills circuit but I had to go back to my room and rest. I just hope I feel better soon because I can't wait to get in the water again!

First boat dive

This morning I arrived at the dive centre at 8am and swept all the floors, as presentation is paramount at the Four Seasons. I then was showed how to use the compressor to fill tanks with air and nitrox. 

As I was doing the 10am orientation dive I got my kit and the guest's kit ready and prepared the forms for them and the briefing. During the dive I did a demonstration of skills and then asked the guests to do them, I did regulator remove and replace, regulator recovery and mask clearing. Then one of the instructors lead the orientation dive around the house reef and I closed it.

Dive Details

Maximum Depth: 11m

Location: House Reef

Bottom Time: 36 min

Water Temperature: 28oc

Viz: 20m

Tank: 8L

Air on surfacing: 140 bar

Safety stop: 3 min, 5m

Marine Life: Morray eel, Wrasse, Blue-lines surgeonfish, Empress Angel fish,  Batfish, Lionfish, blue faced 

angelfish and many more.

In the afternoon I did my first boat dive here. We went to a reef wall 30 minutes away by boat and it was an incredible dive, I felt as though I was in an aquarium, I have never seen so many beautiful fish! The highlight of the dive for me was seeing a honeycomb moray eel which was just stunning!

Dive Details

Maximum Depth: 25m

Location: Reef

Bottom Time: 42 min

Water Temperature: 30oc

Viz: 30m

Tank: 12La

Air on surfacing: 60 bar

Safety stop: 3 min, 5m

Marine Life: Honeycomb moray eel, giant stingray, titan trigger fish, wrasse, Blue-lines surgeonfish, scorpion fish, lionfish and many more.

Unfortunately I did not have a camera with me on my dives, so please note that the images included are taken from Google to represent the species I saw.

First day working at Four Seasons Landaa

Today I had my first day working in the Dive Centre, I was amazed by the facilities, level of professionalism and excellent customer service the staff provide here at Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru and I am extremely proud to be a part of the dive team.

After a thorough orientation of the Dive Centre and an introduction to "SeaMarc" the Marine Discovery Centre we went for our orientation dive on the house reef. The dive was absolutely incredible, I have never seen so many beautiful fish on a dive, the reef is absolutely buzzing with life!

Dive Details

Maximum Depth: 11m

Bottom Time: 36 min

Water Temperature: 28oc

Viz: 30m

Tank: 10L

Air on surfacing: 160 bar

Safety stop: None

Marine Life: Morray eel, Wrasse, Blue-lines surgeonfish, Empress Angel fish,  Batfish, Lionfish, blue faced angelfish and many more!

I can't wait to dive again tomorrow! In the afternoon we had a chance to go and look around the Four Seasons Explorer luxury yacht which was incredible! Guests can stay on it and it cruises around the islands giving them the chance to dive off it or do various other watersports!

Photos coming soon :)

Landing at Landaa

Today I had to wake up at 4:30am to get a boat back to Male airport whilst it was still dark! While I was waiting I was looking at the fish off the jetty with the security guard when suddenly we saw a black tip reef shark just swimming underneath us! It was awesome to see, I just hope that next time I see one I am in the water with it!

After arriving at Male airport I then got a bus to the sea plane terminal and got a sea plane to Landaa Giraavaru at sunrise.

Sunrise seaplane

On arrival at Landaa I got taken to my room in a golf buggy as this island is much bigger than Kuda Huraa, then I was shown around the staff areas on the island. The facilities here are amazing, there is a staff gym, sports courts, games room, beach and even cinema!

Staff beach

It is my first day of work tomorrow and I get my uniform this evening, I can't wait to start now!