Raja Ampat - Manta Mantra

[donsilcock]

Just came back from another two week trip to Raja Ampat. Had some great dives and one of the many highlights was the second of two dives we did at Manta Mantra in the Dampier Strait.

It really is an incredible site where, if you follow the rules, the mantas come to you!

 

[Zippsy]

It really is an incredible site where, if you follow the rules, the mantas come to you!

100% true. And the corrollary is also true... don't follow the rules and you scare them away. We had an idiot there the other day that swam straight up to the cleaning station and the mantas all left. Fortunately it was at the end of our dive anyway but he nearly got killed for his selfishness.

 

[Darnold9999]

100% true. And the corrollary is also true... don't follow the rules and you scare them away. We had an idiot there the other day that swam straight up to the cleaning station and the mantas all left. Fortunately it was at the end of our dive anyway but he nearly got killed for his selfishness.

Wow is that ever true! Last trip at Manta Sandy some idiot (actually 4 idiots) came back joking how they had jammed their camera into the mouth of a manta right on top of the cleaning station. I was on the next group to dive and spent almost two hours hanging out waiting for mantas to come back. Another dive boat's divers came, waited behind the line of rocks - no mantas, they left without seeing one. Came up to the surface and there were mantas everywhere. Just not going to the cleaning station. Was so pissed, but what can you do. These guys were told over and over not to touch the coral or harass the sea life but they ignored it and the guides could do nothing. They had been expressly told to "make sure these guys have a great time" by the owners. At least that is what I and others who complained were told.

Good that you had a great time.

 

[frogfish]

Can't wait to go back

 

[fbk]

Another dive boat's divers came, waited behind the line of rocks - no mantas, they left without seeing one

Sounds like my experience there.. waited for an hour and they never came. I swam off elsewhere so got picked up by the zodiac with 2 others, on the way back to the boat there were 3 mantas on the surface that they dropped us in on and we got to spend a bit of time with. Only mantas seen all trip, lucky us!

 

[gee13]

Not condoning the acts of the prepertrators but if the current drops at Manta Sandy they do disappear. I had a situation where it was all manta show then I got to swim up to the surface to have some time with them there - the rest of the divers had their fill and had left the site so I had them all to myself - but only for fleeting moments as soon as the current went they went as well. ..