Maldives.....Olhuveli View Resort

Our paradise resort in the Maldives was called Olhuveli View Resort located in one of the southern most atolls of that long chain of islands. Water is the most precious commodity on the island especially drinkable water which cost around $US 2 per large bottle. The mineral water was imported. Food was also quite expensive as all are imported.

I added fresh food to the dining table through some of my fishing activity.

There were plentiful fishes around the atoll.

Top Photo: D2 and me in our most common attire daily...next to"our" boat.

Lower Photo: Ourselves and our dearest new friend Ms Okabe from Japan.

She captured some shots of us during deep scubadiving.

Maldives....ScubaDiving

These are actual photos taken from our Kodak underwater camera as well as by our friend Okabe on her camera. The top picture was sent by airmail to us from Japan ...with a letter from Okabe recollecting her fond

memories of our trip. She too made the dive that day.

The cables attached to the sea bottom were aids to ascent mainly.

We dived to a depth of 0ver 10 metres, taking our time to enjoy the unique scenes before us, giant manta rays above us, sharks around us, all kinds of big and medium size fish frolicking amongst the coral reefs.

D2 had agreed to take this plunge into the depths of the unknown on one condition...that I should be holding onto her hand throughout the entire dive....come what may! I agreed as I had no other choice.

In the end whether she held onto my hand or vice-versa was inconsequential as it was apparent to me, at least, that she did not show

any sign of panic beyond the initial rookie fears. She took to the underwater world quite sublimally. I was greatly RELIEVED!

It took more than COURAGE to go to that depth on your very 1st attempt at ScubaDiving...and she accomplished that without any problems. On surfacing, her instant feedback was nothing short of the Superlative. Much later, when I asked if she would want another diving

experience her response was, " WHEN? ".
Photos

Top: D2 and me during our ascent. Picture by Okabe (Japan)



Centre: We are diving into the depths of the Ocean.



Bottom: I took this picture of Okabe earlier while we were snorkelling

Maldives.....Snorkelling !

The waters in the Maldives are probably one of the best in the world for snorkelling and diving.
There is plenty of cool, clear water where safe skin diving can be done. As you can see from the


top photo, I did not put on any diving shirt or suit. In the lower photo, D2 had on a long-sleeved shirt more as a protection against scrapping the corals on the reef.
Water temperature is really good for even children to have a go at this activity.
I brought along our own snorkelling gear from home.
Otherwise, one can still rent from the dive centre.

I started learning snorkelling on my own, back in the mid 1960's, when there was a small group of us who used to dive either in the Southern islands and at Pulau Ubin.

On one of those southern diving trips to Sisters Island, I could have and should have drowned had I not developed a knack of NEVER to PANIC, even in extreme conditions and situations...a personal trait that has saved me from CERTAIN DEATH many, many times....since then.
I will likely recount all my TRUE -LIFE ESCAPADES at this blog site. THEY ARE NO ORDINARY RUN OF THE -MILL INCIDENTS.
I can only thank my Heavenly Guardian for my still being here to tell my story.
Cross my fingers but I hope not to encounter any more death-defying situations from now on.
I have had more than what most normal persons would have experienced in one lifetime and many of those unfortunate ones did not even live to tell the tale.

Maldives....Pre -Diving

We had booked a deep sea dive for the two of us. It will be at a popular dive site off our resort. But the earlier sessions were carried out right at the dive centre located close to the long jetty, by the beach. This was a not the usual scenario back home which requires learners to have compulsory lessons in a swimming pool before they can go to open water diving.
The instructors here were confident in teaching one to dive... all in one day. I strongly believe them. D2 can be their testimony to that....all in one day, from learning about the diving equipment to be used, to using it comfortably and safely, and gaining deep water confidence.

The photos showed us in our boat heading for our dive site.
On board, we had a fellow traveller from Japan, a very nice
girl called Okabe. She was travelling alone...most adventurous!
Okabe was with us for this dive and she snapped a couple of underwater shots of us.
I had a Kodak deep water camera too and did likewise for her.

PA.....MALDIVES !

The Maldives consist of about 1190 coral islands that stretch 820 km from North to South and 120 km fro East to West. One visit and visitors will be addicted to the irresistible charms and sea magic of the islands. It has often been described as" the last paradise on Earth" in most travel brochures. I would strongly concur. The major earning power for their economy is the revenue generated from tourism.


photo: After our diving adventure...all smiles !

D2 and I decided that we should check out the place for ourselves in November 1995. We headed for one of the furthest resorts situated at the southern tip of the chain of islands. It took us nearly 3 hours to get there from Male, the capital city by a fast cruiser. But...boy was it worth the long sea journey when we arrived. Before us was paradise! Or at least it was that close! Pristine, tranquil beaches with pure-really pure white sand, swaying palm trees in the gentle sea breeze, brilliant turquoise lagoons and the wealth of marine life as we walked along the jetty, with fellow travellers going goo-goo and ga-ga, as they pointed excitedly to the numerous varieties of fishes swimming about everywhere.
The best was yet to come....below the surface of the resplendent sea!
The fabulous coral reefs got me hooked and I made a decision to somehow coax my dearie D2 to learn Scuba Diving there and go where
she has never been before. That was a feather in my cap. She, a non-deep sea type, actually went diving with me into the depths of the deep ocean, surrounded by huge sharks, stingrays, giant fishes and other denizens of the deep.
Owl's Recommendation: A visit to Maldives and scuba diving not to be missed !