Posted by Rashdoo is a small island, a speedboat ride away from Hulumale. It’s the capital of the Alif Alif Atoll and pretty much a very, very small speck of sand in a massive ocean. Like all the inhabited islands in the Maldives, there are dive shops, guest houses, a selection of very average restaurants, and water.
The diving is breathtaking on a good day. Madivaru corner is a special treat. The home to patrolling reef sharks all year long, it is also known for the occasional hammerhead. My luck of course means the hammerheads were there a day before and a day after I dove the site. The currents in the Maldives are tricky, fickle beasts. They either move from the open ocean into the quiet atoll via channels. These tend to be nutrient rich currents that means they are usually accompanied by all segments of the marine food chain. The outgoing currents are challenging because if they are strong, it is possible to be swept out into the open ocean, and then it’s a bit of a swim to get back to the boats. But in either situation, I am constantly reminded of the fact that I am terrestrial and the smallest of Damselfish can outswim the current on most days.
Madivaru corner is just at the edge of the reef surrounding the island of Madivaru and borders the channel there. This means currents all the way, but it’s these currents that lead to spectacular visuals. Anchored to the top of the reef with small reef hooks to keep from floating off in the current, we get to see a host of sharks that call this reef home, patrolling their territory. They are curious but keep a respectful distance, as do we. This is their home. We are barely peeping toms, looking at their living room through the windows. The scene will often change to add on eagle rays gliding past in the current with near incredible visibility in the water. Finally, after struggling with the current, the hook, my buoyancy, a camera rig that feels heavier with every shot, I manage to get my settings right to get this wide angle shot. As we all breathed down our air to the mandatory lower limit of 50 Bar, we moved down to unhook ourselves from the reef and swim/drift back to the boat. Right where I had hooked onto the rocks, sat an absolutely gorgeous Leaf Scorpionfish (vide infra). And a petulant moray eel, that I couldn’t, rather didn’t take a picture of.
The fun thing about Rashdoo is a yacht anchored just off the island. Beer can only be consumed outside of the inhabited islands in the Maldives.
Cheers.