Maldives Bleaching?

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 22:49:00 +0100, "John Davies"
<exhims@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

>Considering going next Feb and I have been searching the web. A few stories
>about bleaching of the coral, etc. Has anyone recent experience of the
>area?

There is January and yes there is a lot of bleaching in the shallow
areas but equally there is a hell of a lot of new soft coral growth
and loads of fish life.

To be honest if you want hard coral then there are better places but
if you want big stuff then the Maldives is still great

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 22:49:00 +0100, "John Davies"
<exhims@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

>Considering going next Feb and I have been searching the web. A few stories
>about bleaching of the coral, etc. Has anyone recent experience of the
>area?

There is January and yes there is a lot of bleaching in the shallow
areas but equally there is a hell of a lot of new soft coral growth
and loads of fish life.

To be honest if you want hard coral then there are better places but
if you want big stuff then the Maldives is still great

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 22:49:00 +0100, "John Davies"
<exhims@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

>Considering going next Feb and I have been searching the web. A few stories
>about bleaching of the coral, etc. Has anyone recent experience of the
>area?

There is January and yes there is a lot of bleaching in the shallow
areas but equally there is a hell of a lot of new soft coral growth
and loads of fish life.

To be honest if you want hard coral then there are better places but
if you want big stuff then the Maldives is still great

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 22:49:00 +0100, "John Davies"
<exhims@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

>Considering going next Feb and I have been searching the web. A few stories
>about bleaching of the coral, etc. Has anyone recent experience of the
>area?

There is January and yes there is a lot of bleaching in the shallow
areas but equally there is a hell of a lot of new soft coral growth
and loads of fish life.

To be honest if you want hard coral then there are better places but
if you want big stuff then the Maldives is still great

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 22:49:00 +0100, "John Davies"
<exhims@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

>Considering going next Feb and I have been searching the web. A few stories
>about bleaching of the coral, etc. Has anyone recent experience of the
>area?
>JohnD.
>

I was there a few years back, and yes after the big bleach in '99 most
of the hard corals were lost, but even in 2002 the soft corals had
returned in abundance, also the fish stocks were superb, LOTS of white
tipped and black tipped reef sharks, BIG Rays, Whale shark and
turtles.

Besides I just loved being able to stroll down the beach, wade out in
the lagoon and then swim through the coral wall and drop down 110 feet
and do a nice wall dive.

Be aware though that the current can be strong, so drift dives are the
norm.

I went to Filetheyo and dived with Werner Lau, I done my Nitrox Course
with them, (NRC/IANTD), the nice thing was that they then gave you
free Nitrox for the rest of your holiday. They also allow you to dive,
then at the end their computer works out the cheapest package for you.
For instance you may have a frenetic few days of LOTS of dives and
then a few days before and after when you may only do 2 or 3 dives a
day, so the computer 'allocates' you an unlimited package for the busy
days, and a 3 or 4 day package to fit the outside days. - They are
very professional outfit (they have a webcam outside their dive
center).


Regards

Rob

Vulcan Bomber (101 Squadron)

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 22:49:00 +0100, "John Davies"
<exhims@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

>Considering going next Feb and I have been searching the web. A few stories
>about bleaching of the coral, etc. Has anyone recent experience of the
>area?
>JohnD.
>

I was there a few years back, and yes after the big bleach in '99 most
of the hard corals were lost, but even in 2002 the soft corals had
returned in abundance, also the fish stocks were superb, LOTS of white
tipped and black tipped reef sharks, BIG Rays, Whale shark and
turtles.

Besides I just loved being able to stroll down the beach, wade out in
the lagoon and then swim through the coral wall and drop down 110 feet
and do a nice wall dive.

Be aware though that the current can be strong, so drift dives are the
norm.

I went to Filetheyo and dived with Werner Lau, I done my Nitrox Course
with them, (NRC/IANTD), the nice thing was that they then gave you
free Nitrox for the rest of your holiday. They also allow you to dive,
then at the end their computer works out the cheapest package for you.
For instance you may have a frenetic few days of LOTS of dives and
then a few days before and after when you may only do 2 or 3 dives a
day, so the computer 'allocates' you an unlimited package for the busy
days, and a 3 or 4 day package to fit the outside days. - They are
very professional outfit (they have a webcam outside their dive
center).


Regards

Rob

Vulcan Bomber (101 Squadron)

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 22:49:00 +0100, "John Davies"
<exhims@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

>Considering going next Feb and I have been searching the web. A few stories
>about bleaching of the coral, etc. Has anyone recent experience of the
>area?
>JohnD.
>

I was there a few years back, and yes after the big bleach in '99 most
of the hard corals were lost, but even in 2002 the soft corals had
returned in abundance, also the fish stocks were superb, LOTS of white
tipped and black tipped reef sharks, BIG Rays, Whale shark and
turtles.

Besides I just loved being able to stroll down the beach, wade out in
the lagoon and then swim through the coral wall and drop down 110 feet
and do a nice wall dive.

Be aware though that the current can be strong, so drift dives are the
norm.

I went to Filetheyo and dived with Werner Lau, I done my Nitrox Course
with them, (NRC/IANTD), the nice thing was that they then gave you
free Nitrox for the rest of your holiday. They also allow you to dive,
then at the end their computer works out the cheapest package for you.
For instance you may have a frenetic few days of LOTS of dives and
then a few days before and after when you may only do 2 or 3 dives a
day, so the computer 'allocates' you an unlimited package for the busy
days, and a 3 or 4 day package to fit the outside days. - They are
very professional outfit (they have a webcam outside their dive
center).


Regards

Rob

Vulcan Bomber (101 Squadron)

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 22:49:00 +0100, "John Davies"
<exhims@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

>Considering going next Feb and I have been searching the web. A few stories
>about bleaching of the coral, etc. Has anyone recent experience of the
>area?
>JohnD.
>

I was there a few years back, and yes after the big bleach in '99 most
of the hard corals were lost, but even in 2002 the soft corals had
returned in abundance, also the fish stocks were superb, LOTS of white
tipped and black tipped reef sharks, BIG Rays, Whale shark and
turtles.

Besides I just loved being able to stroll down the beach, wade out in
the lagoon and then swim through the coral wall and drop down 110 feet
and do a nice wall dive.

Be aware though that the current can be strong, so drift dives are the
norm.

I went to Filetheyo and dived with Werner Lau, I done my Nitrox Course
with them, (NRC/IANTD), the nice thing was that they then gave you
free Nitrox for the rest of your holiday. They also allow you to dive,
then at the end their computer works out the cheapest package for you.
For instance you may have a frenetic few days of LOTS of dives and
then a few days before and after when you may only do 2 or 3 dives a
day, so the computer 'allocates' you an unlimited package for the busy
days, and a 3 or 4 day package to fit the outside days. - They are
very professional outfit (they have a webcam outside their dive
center).


Regards

Rob

Vulcan Bomber (101 Squadron)

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 22:49:00 +0100, "John Davies"
<exhims@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

>Considering going next Feb and I have been searching the web. A few stories
>about bleaching of the coral, etc. Has anyone recent experience of the
>area?
>JohnD.
>

I was there a few years back, and yes after the big bleach in '99 most
of the hard corals were lost, but even in 2002 the soft corals had
returned in abundance, also the fish stocks were superb, LOTS of white
tipped and black tipped reef sharks, BIG Rays, Whale shark and
turtles.

Besides I just loved being able to stroll down the beach, wade out in
the lagoon and then swim through the coral wall and drop down 110 feet
and do a nice wall dive.

Be aware though that the current can be strong, so drift dives are the
norm.

I went to Filetheyo and dived with Werner Lau, I done my Nitrox Course
with them, (NRC/IANTD), the nice thing was that they then gave you
free Nitrox for the rest of your holiday. They also allow you to dive,
then at the end their computer works out the cheapest package for you.
For instance you may have a frenetic few days of LOTS of dives and
then a few days before and after when you may only do 2 or 3 dives a
day, so the computer 'allocates' you an unlimited package for the busy
days, and a 3 or 4 day package to fit the outside days. - They are
very professional outfit (they have a webcam outside their dive
center).


Regards

Rob

Vulcan Bomber (101 Squadron)

On Fri, 28 Jul 2006 22:49:00 +0100, "John Davies"
<exhims@dsl.pipex.com> wrote:

>Considering going next Feb and I have been searching the web. A few stories
>about bleaching of the coral, etc. Has anyone recent experience of the
>area?
>JohnD.
>

I was there a few years back, and yes after the big bleach in '99 most
of the hard corals were lost, but even in 2002 the soft corals had
returned in abundance, also the fish stocks were superb, LOTS of white
tipped and black tipped reef sharks, BIG Rays, Whale shark and
turtles.

Besides I just loved being able to stroll down the beach, wade out in
the lagoon and then swim through the coral wall and drop down 110 feet
and do a nice wall dive.

Be aware though that the current can be strong, so drift dives are the
norm.

I went to Filetheyo and dived with Werner Lau, I done my Nitrox Course
with them, (NRC/IANTD), the nice thing was that they then gave you
free Nitrox for the rest of your holiday. They also allow you to dive,
then at the end their computer works out the cheapest package for you.
For instance you may have a frenetic few days of LOTS of dives and
then a few days before and after when you may only do 2 or 3 dives a
day, so the computer 'allocates' you an unlimited package for the busy
days, and a 3 or 4 day package to fit the outside days. - They are
very professional outfit (they have a webcam outside their dive
center).


Regards

Rob

Vulcan Bomber (101 Squadron)