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Diving During the Maldivian Monsoons

Published

13 years ago

January 18, 2012

By: Harvey Edwards

Maldives Promotion House – The seasons in the Maldives are dictated by wind direction. While we call them monsoons, to many people that also has connotations of rain and storms.

The Maldives has two main wind directions or ‘monsoons’. The Iruvai Monsoon comes from the NE, which is the direction of the Indian subcontinent and is generally dry and settled, as it passes over a large land area, and relatively small water. The Iruvai is said to start on December 10^th, and runs for approximately 4 months until April 7^th.

From mid-April the wind tends to come from the SW, picking up a lot of moisture as it moves over the Indian Ocean. Known as the Hulhangu monsoon, this monsoon actually started in India. As the air starts to warm up over the Indian sub-continent (North-hemisphere summer), the air mass rises sharply and there is a rush of wind to replace it, and as it is coming from the SW (moisture-laden ocean) it brings in the rain. Winds in the Maldives are generally at their strongest in May and the rain begins to fall. The Hulhangu monsoon is known as the wet monsoon because of this. This monsoon runs for approximately 6 months.

We must also take into account the changeover period between the monsoons. The wind can change frequently during this time. Just like an ‘Indian summer’ in other countries, these weather patterns change from year to year, but are fairly consistent in the long run. Four months for the Iruvai, six months for the Hulhangu and two months for the changeover period.

The Maldivian Nakaiy Calendar

Approximate Date	Nakaiy	Approximate Description
Dec. 10 – Dec. 22	MULA	strong winds, rough seas
Dec. 23 – Jan. 05	FURAHALHA	strong north-easterly winds, rough seas
Jan. 06 – Jan. 18	UTHURAHALHA	clear blue skies, strong winds, rough seas
Jan. 19 – Jan. 31	HUVAN	calm seas, blue skies
Feb. 01 – Feb. 13	DHINASHA	north-easterly winds, moderate seas, plenty of sunshine
Feb. 14 – Feb. 26	HIYAVIHA	seas are calm, days and and nights are hot
Feb. 27 – Mar. 11	FURABADHURUVA	frequent, short, sharp bursts of thunder and lightning
Mar. 12 – Mar. 25	FUSBADHURUVA	usually clear blue skies
Mar. 26 – Apr. 07	REYVA	if storm occur they may be severe
Apr. 08 – Apr. 21	ASSIDHA	begins with storm, then becomes hot and dry
Apr. 22 – May 05	BURUNU	begins with a storm and strong winds, then becomes calm
May 06 – May 19	KETHI	dark clouds, frequent rains
May 20 – Jun. 02	ROANU	storms, strong winds and rough seas
Jun. 03 – Jun. 16	MIYAHELIA	storms, rough seas and strong westerly winds
Jun. 17 – Jun. 30	ADHA	south-westerly winds and light rain
Jul. 01 – Jul. 14	FUNOAS	storms, rough seas, frequent sudden gales
Jul. 15 – Jul. 28	FUS	wet and overcast
Jul. 29 – Aug. 10	AHULIA	less frequent storms, calmer days
Aug. 11 – Aug. 23	MAA	generally calm
Aug. 24 – Sep. 06	FURA	isolated showers, usually dry with light north-westerly winds
Sep. 07 – Sep. 20	UTHURA	strong north-westerly winds
Sep. 21 – Oct. 03	ATHA	generally clear and calm with isolated showers
Oct. 04 – Oct. 17	HITHA	light winds, isolated showers
Oct. 18 – Oct. 30	HEY	strong winds from all directions
Nov. 01 – Nov. 13	VIHA	calm days
Nov. 14 – Nov. 26	NORA	light winds, some sun and showers
Nov. 27 – Dec. 09	DOSHA	light north-easterly winds

Climate

Take this all with a grain of sand. Large weather patterns affecting the Bay of Bengal for example will have a diluted effect in the Maldives. We are generally considered to be out of the cyclone belt but there have been some nifty storms with cyclones damaging islands forcing evacuations as the islands basically disintegrated due to the persistent pounding of waves in a different direction from normal.

Diving/Staying During the Monsoon

To understand this is to understand the geography of the individual atolls. Have a look at your hotel in regards to East/West.

The Maldives is the lowest country in the world; we’re basically sand banks with a few trees. The outer reef is a barrier reef which does a lot to protect the inner reefs from being smashed to pieces. The coral is usually stunted in the shallows as it gets incredibly strong surge and periodic pounding from waves. Ocean swells of 3 to 5 metres are not uncommon. The surge often gouges out huge grooves in the reef making it look a bit like a tin roof.

If the prevailing wind is coming from the south-west, and your resort is on the south-western side of the atoll you’ll experience the worst of it, or best of it depending on what you want. Villas located over the water can actually shudder when the wind and waves are strong. So it may pay to try to get a room on the eastern side of the island, but then you give up the sunset view. Storms are not common.

For diving this is not necessarily a bad thing. While the weather can be arse, and the winds strong, the wind is also creating the current to a certain extent. While it’s impossible to dive the outside channels when the wind is very strong, the days after can be exhilarating or terrifying to some.

Diving at the western side of the atoll during the SW monsoon you will experience predominantly incoming currents. This means the water is rising from the deep ocean and flowing into the shallow atoll. Viz is generally better, water slightly cooler with better chances to see pelagic. Viz can be 50 metres on a sunny calm day with a good incoming current.

Attention: Can you imagine if it gets worse with 3 to 5 metre swells? Seriously? When good dives go bad here, they can go very very bad, very very quickly. A diver can carry 5 different coloured SMBs, air horns, and mirrors, but if you get pushed outside the atoll in to the ocean when the conditions are like that, you will potentially die simply because the traditional Dhonis (boats) are not stable enough to pick you up. Dhonis are actually very good for the local conditions but most ‘tourist’ Dhonis have a huge wooden sun deck making them very top-heavy. The boat will roll if it attempts to pick you up. Please don’t kid yourself about your abilities to handle yourselves when things go wrong. The ocean is like any dramatic outdoor environment such as a desert, mountain, jungle etc. and conditions change. But these kinds of situations are exceptionally rare and dive centres in Maldives will avoid diving in such situations.

Diving at the eastern side of the atoll at this time you will experience predominantly outgoing current. The viz is generally worse, let’s say 12 to 15 metres. Lots of plankton, lots of fish and better chances to see mantas and whale sharks. The currents this time are going from shallow to deep water. When the currents are strong, it tends to drop at the end of the atoll and so caution must be taken here as well. Viz is poorer, you’re lower on air/deco at the end of the dive, a bad time to start equalising your ears.

Resort/Liveaboard

I have never worked on a liveaboard or safari boat. Resorts are varied in price and service. It all depends on your wants vs. your $$$. The more expensive the resort, the more service you receive in terms of equipment status (assembled/washed), free water, snacks, group size etc.

In a 5* Resort, you will pay approximately USD 100 per dive with rental equipment. Some resorts have Nitrox for free if you are certified. Resorts and diving centres are usually separate entities but they usually match each other in terms of price and service. The DC rents the location from the resort, which rents the location from the island owner. Don’t expect to pay USD 50 per dive if your room costs USD 1000 per night.

The typical schedule is 2 or 3 dives per day. Night dives are usually scheduled once a week but can be arranged depending on whether the DC has their own boats or leases from the island. In this case, the boat crew can be working nights doing supply runs. I suggest tipping boat crew USD 10 each if they change their schedule for you. Three crew per boat is USD 30. Tipping the diving staff is nice but not as important IMO.

5* is not necessarily better for diving. I’ve worked in two 5* and one 4* and dived with another 3*. The best for diving was the 3*, followed by the 4* and surprise, surprise the 5* came last. Many resorts are marketed as spas and retreats and the quality of divers can be a real mixed bag. If you’re on holiday, want to relax and maybe dive an afternoon or 2- that’s great.

If you’re a dedicated diver in a 5* resort it can be tricky as some of the best dives in the Maldives are also the most challenging, not all but some. Some 5* guests complain about having to swim (seriously), but they want the attractions that come with the current. Carrying a reef hook doesn’t mean you don’t have to swim against the current sometimes. So the 5* resort doesn’t go to these spots when the current is strong, sad but true. If you have the money, go private. It’ll cost a bundle but if you can share the costs with other like-minded divers, it’ll be worth it.

For price, you can’t beat the all-inclusive resort. Diving is probably not included, but you’ll save a ton on food and drink costs. The foreign staff will really appreciate any magazines, books etc. Anything really is OK, well maybe not a tatty newspaper, but you get my point. Doesn’t matter which language, most staff speak at least two and know other staff which speaks the language in question. They’ll be stoked and you can save your $$ tips for the Maldivian and especially Bangladeshi crews. Many boat crews are now coming from Bangladesh or Sri Lanka, the captain will be Maldivian. These guys make about USD 150 to 200 per month.

Liveaboards are for the divers who are coming to the Maldives to dive. Price will work out the same as 5* resort based diving, probably cheaper in the long run. You’ll cover more ground and dive more often and if you’re lucky to be diving with like-minded guests, you can pick and choose the sites you’re more interested in. If I was coming on a 10 to 12 day diving vacation holiday, I’d hit the safari boat first and then go to a 4* resort for a few days of R n R afterwards.

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Mischa Zverev returns to JOALI BEING to host tennis workshops in August

Published

1 week ago

July 18, 2024

m@ldives

JOALI BEING invites German tennis professional, Mischa Zverev, to host tennis workshops between 9th and 19th August 2024. Young guests are welcome to join the Ace Academy workshops this Summer, where they can learn to become tennis pros through a variety of class levels that focus on the fundamentals of tennis all the way up to exciting tennis matches. Zverev will also host a tennis workshop for teenagers from the local community, supporting youngsters with diabetes as part of the Alexander Zverev Foundation.

Mischa Zverev had achieved a career-high ATP singles ranking of world No. 25. At the 2017 Australian Open, Zverev defeated world No. 1 Andy Murray in four sets. Zverev began playing tennis at the age of two with his father, Alexander, a former ATP pro and his coach from who he drew inspiration. Zverev is the elder brother of Alexander Zverev, who was ranked by the ATP as high as world No. 2. Together, they were the first brothers to reach 3R at the same Grand Slam event since Byron and Wayne Black in the 1998 Australian Open.

The B’Kidult Summer Programme – Ace Academy Tennis Camp

The B’Kidult Summer Programme took flight on 1st July 2024, welcoming adventurers of all ages to embark on a shared journey of joy, discovery and connection. Mischa Zverev will lead two sessions of the Ace Academy camp in August; the first workshop on 15th August 2024 and the second workshop on 17th August 2024.These workshops will focus on hand and eye coordination, foot work drills and cardio. Guided by Zverev, young players can start their tennis journey on the right foot, to develop essential life skills and a love for the game in a fun, supportive environment. Along with boosting speed and agility, the tennis workshops will also foster resilience and teamwork. Youngsters can learn to command the court with confidence and share their progress with the rest of the family.

Community Wellbeing and Inspiration

Following a successful local community workshop with the Zverev brothers in 2022, JOALI BEING is excited to welcome back Mischa Zverev to further inspire a group of teenagers from a neighbouring local island. “I am deeply honoured to return to the island of wellbeing, where we have created moments of joy and inspiration together with the team, guests and local community. I am very much looking forward to sharing my passion and motivate youngsters once again. JOALI BEING is truly my favourite place on earth” says Zverev.

Multi-generational play and learning

At JOALI BEING, we cater to multi-generational travellers, a place where every individual discovers and embarks on a journey of transformation and transcendence. Making the most of its remote tropical island setting, B’Kidult weaves elements of nature into each space and activity, awakening the senses and fostering a closer relationship with the earth. From crystalline waters and warm sunshine to soft sands and lush palms, nature’s sensory gifts set the stage for a memorable family journey that unites discovery, learning and wellbeing. The Four Pillars of JOALI BEING: Mind, Skin, Microbiome and Energy are brought to life through experiential learning and active engagement. Mischa Zverev will be visiting JOALI BEING with his family and will experience an array of multi-generational activities that nurture connection; from culinary classes, herbology workshops, yoga and sound baths, to marine conservation, snorkelling adventures and transformational wellbeing.

Since JOALI BEING opened its doors in late 2021, the wellbeing island has continuously strived to support and inspire local communities. In November 2022, the Zverev brothers visited JOALI BEING as part of tennis star Aleksander Zverev’s recovery journey from a past injury. Together, they hosted tennis workshops for guests and children from a local neighbouring island, supporting youngsters with diabetes. The Alexander Zverev Foundation had then been launched to help young people with diabetes to avoid limiting themselves because of the condition. The foundation particularly supports children with type 1 diabetes and aims to help prevent type 2 diabetes by encouraging a healthy and active lifestyle. At JOALI BEING, the wellbeing island’s philosophy of “Joy of Weightlessness” had well resonated with Aleksander Zverev at every level during his stay.

JOALI BEING has villas from $2700 per night based on two persons sharing an Ocean Pool Villa on a B&B basis. Wellbeing Programmes start from $1,693 per person based on a five-night programme.

For bookings and further information, please contact reservations.being@joali.com.

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Kandima Maldives remains top choice for sports celebrities; hosts futsal camp with Ricardinho

Published

2 weeks ago

July 16, 2024

m@ldives

Growing in popularity as a holiday hotspot among sports personalities, active lifestyle resort Kandima Maldives with Ricardinho, holding the title of being named the best Futsal player in the World 6 times by the Futsal planet.

The legendary Ricardinho spent a week at the island resort from 30th June to 6th July, providing a once-in-a-lifetime experience for both local youths and Kandima guests.

During his stay, Ricardinho conducted an engaging three-day futsal camp, coaching aspiring players from the local Kudahuvadhoo Island. The camp was open to Kandima’s guests too and provided an amazing opportunity for participants to learn from one of the greatest futsal players of all time.

Throughout the event, Ricardinho actively engaged with visitors, playing matches with fans and futsal enthusiasts, and showcasing his expertise in a community setting. Guests had the rare chance to watch, learn, and interact directly with the futsal legend, making the experience truly anything but ordinary.

“We are honoured to welcome Ricardinho, the world’s top Futsal player, to Kandima,” said Tom van Tuijl, General Manager, Kandima Maldives “This collaboration aligned perfectly with Kandima’s focus on an active lifestyle. Our commitment to promote a fitness-oriented way of life in a tropical island setting and Ricardinho’s visit undoubtedly inspired our guests, especially families with young futsal enthusiasts, to embrace a more sporty lifestyle.”

Kandima is no stranger to hosting renowned athletes from around the world and the UK. In recent years, the island resort has already hosted premium league footballers Liverpool FC’s Joe Gomez, Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson Moraes, and freestyle football champion Lia Lewis for a holiday. Innovative in their approach to creating distinct and memorable sports experiences for guests, Kandima continues exploring fun and educational partnerships with esteemed athletes to impress fitness-oriented travellers.

“We are thrilled to partner with Kandima Maldives for this exciting football camp,” said Ricardinho.” It was a great opportunity to share my passion for the sport and engaging with the Kandima’s guests, local youths and staff. Together, we created unforgettable memories and inspired a love for football and an active lifestyle.”

For more information about Kandima Maldives and upcoming Uber Kool events, please visit www.kandima.com.

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Tennis pro Dominik Hrbaty to conduct training sessions at Sirru Fen Fushi Maldives

Published

2 weeks ago

July 15, 2024

m@ldives

Sirru Fen Fushi – Private Lagoon Resort has announced the arrival of tennis legend Dominik Hrbaty for an exclusive series of training sessions at their luxurious island retreat in collaboration with LUX Tennis Private Coaching Academy. From 6th August to 14th August 2024, guests at this breathtaking Maldivian resort will have the unique opportunity to train personally with Hrbaty, benefiting from his exceptional skills and expertise in the sport.

Born on April 1, 1978, in Slovakia, Dominik Hrbaty is celebrated worldwide for his illustrious career as a professional tennis player. Throughout his tenure on the ATP tour, Hrbaty achieved a highest singles ranking of 12 and doubles ranking of 14, capturing the hearts of tennis enthusiasts with 6 career singles titles and 2 doubles titles. His remarkable achievements include victories at prestigious tournaments such as San Marino, Prague, Auckland, Adelaide, and Marseille, among others.

“We are honoured to host Dominik Hrbaty at Sirru Fen Fushi,” said Wellness & Recreation Manager, Wilfred Suarez. “His presence underscores our commitment to offering unparalleled experiences that combine wellness, fitness, and the pursuit of excellence. Guests will have the extraordinary opportunity to learn directly from one of tennis’s most esteemed figures in our idyllic island setting.”

Nestled amidst the serene beauty of the Maldives, Sirru Fen Fushi offers a haven of luxury and tranquility. The resort’s tennis facilities boast a stunning court set beneath swaying palm trees, complete with floodlights for evening games, ensuring an unforgettable tennis experience day or night.

In addition to personalised training sessions with Hrbaty, guests can indulge in a range of wellness activities, including yoga on the beach, rejuvenating spa treatments, and exquisite culinary offerings featuring fresh, local ingredients.

Hrbaty’s visit aligns seamlessly with the resort’s philosophy of promoting overall well-being and personal improvement. His exceptional career achievements and dedication to the sport make him an ideal mentor for guests looking to enhance their tennis skills while enjoying a world-class vacation.

For more information on Sirru Fen Fushi – Private Lagoon Resort and to reserve your exclusive training session with Dominik Hrbaty, please visit www.sirrufenfushi.com or contact our reservations team at reservations@sirrufenfushi.com.