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Fantastic Dive Holiday Adventure In Maldives
Wednesday, August 26th, 2009
William Ungerman
Getting to the Maldives from the United States is an endurance test. LAX to Taipai, Taiwan (14 hours). Taipai to Kuala Lumpur (4 hours). Eight-hour layover and then 4 hours to Male, Maldives, straddling the equator in the Indian Ocean. Overnight in Male and then transported via launch to the Eagle Ray. Fortunately, Malaysia Airlines booked us a room for the layover in KL. On the way back, the travel ante was upped via a leg to Sri Lanka. No worries. It was all worth it.
From the minute we stepped aboard the 100-foot length “motor yacht” Eagle Ray until the day and hour we exited, the service was impeccable, in fact unsurpassed. We have been on thirteen previous liveaboards and this one beats them all. The crew was absolutely fabulous, attentive but never obstreperous or overbearing. They seemed to intuit every need. The head divemaster is Achmed Manik (although he prefers to be called only “Manik.”). He is a legend in the Maldives diving community. You can see his underwater photograph in Michael Friedel’s Maldives: The Very Best Of Michael Friedel. Manik was a true wonder. Attentive, caring and absolutely dedicated to his job. Not just a job for him, but an adventure. Each dive was like the pursuit of the Holy Grail. He marveled at every event on the reefs and walls. His enthusiasm was genuine and contagious, not that enthusiasm needed to be encouraged. There was plenty of stimulus.
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