Join TGI Dive Instructor, Natalie Skipworth, as she shares the unique adventure and exhilaration of a wreck dive at Constance Halaveli.
Natalie Skipworth wreck diving at Halaveli, photo by Marco Care
Stepping on the dhoni, a traditional Maldivian fishing boat, the clear turquoise waters of the Indian Ocean stretch out before me.
The sky is blue and cloudless and although it’s only a short ride to the dive site, and I’m eager to enter the water, I almost wish the journey wouldn’t end.
Arriving at the wreck
All too soon we arrive and my instructor tells me it’s time to get ready. She jumps in to check the speed and direction of the current, and surfaces with a smile, telling us the visibility is amazing and the fish are keen to see us.
We grin like idiots as we gear up and look each other over, strapping on computers, checking weight belts and air gauges, making sure nothing will ruin this perfect afternoon.
Entering the water
The first breath underwater is like coming home for me. As we swim down and across, following the guide, the wreck looms into view. It should be threatening, sinister even, but this wreck has been put here deliberately, sunk by the dive centre specifically for divers to enjoy.
What you can expect to see
The abundance of life is incredible in such a short stretch, and within the first 10 minutes we’ve spotted white tip reef sharks, stingrays, a napoleon wrasse, and even a turtle or two.
This wreck is slightly deeper than most and the first person reaches their air supply reserve within 30 minutes. The guide signals us to do a safety stop and inflates her surface marker buoy.
Blowing bubble rings through her regulator to pass the time she points out fish of every colour on the teeming reef.
We drift along for 3 minutes, almost blinded by the reds, yellows, oranges, blues and greens of the sealife, and surface together close to the dhoni. One of the many advantages to diving in the Maldives is that the boat follows you.
Handing up our equipment with the help of the instructor, we climb the ladder back onto the boat, tired but happy.
Find out more
Read more about Constance Halaveli on our website or catch up on other articles of interest on our blog:
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