We encountered some spectacular coral formations on only a couple of the southern dive sites and not until the end of the dives.
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I won’t say coral formation in Maldives are spectacular since I being better but it is slowly recovering from the coral bleaching due to El Niño few years ago.
To be honest, I don’t go Maldives for any coral. I go for the pelagic only. Coral in Maldives don’t interest me at all.
If you really want to see spectacular and colorful coral, you will have to go to Raja Ampat. But then there won’t be as much sharks there as compared to the Maldives.
I said on only 2 sites, and they were spectacular. My intention was to back up your claim that coral isn't a big selling feature on the south itinerary but that it could still be encountered and pleasantly surprise a diver.
I've been to Raja Ampat 3 times as well as numerous other Indonesian areas.
While I'm no expert, I still feel confident on being able to class some coral formations.
I'm sorry, no log, so can't help and unless the channel dive spit you out early, as happened to me, you'd have missed it anyway.
How was the Nauticam WWL lens handling underwater ? Was it negative buoyancy ?
Nice video and variety of subjects. Can you share some of the setting to shot with? I will be shooting with this same camera on my next trip.