Electra Gillies is a freelance journalist specialising in travel and the environment.
The first time I visited these enigmatic islands that stretch over the Indian Ocean I was nine years old. I had recently dripped ink on round pieces of blotting paper in science class at school on a grey and drizzly afternoon in England. As I watched the dark blue ink spread out to a lighter turquoise towards the edges I was reminded of an eye or the perfect colour of sea, but I had never seen an ocean like this. That of course changed on my first flight into Hulule Airport, Maldives. As far as the eye can see there are perfect droplets of reef ranging from indigo to palest aquamarine and a shock of white sand where the islands were fully formed. I was captivated.
There are 1192 islands in the Maldives which are spread over 90 000 square kilometres in 26 atolls. However only 1% of this vast area is land. It is truly a symbol of paradise especially for those who worship the idyllic desert island dream and are devotees to the wonder of our seas. After frequent visits as a child this dream came to an end for twelve years before I revisited my playground of the past. It had become a recreation ground for four times as many people in the last sixteen years and now boasts eighty eight resorts. It has become a Mecca for scuba divers and honeymooners alike. With less than fifty years before the ocean is due to reclaim them back for herself. I wanted to see if they would remain eternally enthralling and enchanting in the light of rising tourism before being transferred to a sunken memory and a myth like status of Atlantis.
To fly in is always a breathtaking and unique experience of nature at its best. This probably accounts for the fierce competition of bagging a window seat for both landing and take off. Immediately memories of folklore like names came flooding back such as 'Manta Point' and 'Kurumba', places I had visited or was not allowed to dive on. However the biggest surprise must have been on landing when the true extent of the development and sophistication hit me. Gone were the days of haphazard transport and lack of fresh salads. The islands have been developed in a restricted and luxurious way.
However the true reason I came was about to be realised. Gone were the days when I would be snorkelling around watching the diving bubbles disappear. Coincidentally one of my first dives was on Manta Point, which is a relatively shallow dive. It is simply a few rock outcrops on the seabed where the Manta Rays come and clean themselves. These areas are known as 'cleaning stations'. This is because of the sucker fish that wait to surround the ray and clean the outside. The Mantas will also rub themselves against the rocks to clean themselves.
The Manta Ray was often called the 'Devil Ray' by sailors due to what look like two horns coming from the side of their heads. However they are gentle and elegant creatures who are far from frightening. There is little else to see but Mantas at the dive site, but we did also come across a rather lost looking stone fish in the middle of the sand. It is definitely worth visiting one of these points of which there are many dotted amongst the atolls. It is an underwater ballet that is a fascinating and relaxing experience. The only drawback is the sheer number of divers who want to observe the show. It is therefore best to go on an early morning dive when the visibility is best and numbers are low.
Most of the sites in the Maldives are very easy to dive on. The reefs are 'cliff reefs' which means that they drop off very suddenly at the edge of the house reef, therefore drift diving is normal where the current simply carry you around the edge of the reef. It is the ideal place to learn and for less experienced divers due to the tranquil and indulgent diving amongst the islands. The Aquarium is one of the most beautiful underwater experiences you are likely to have. The bountiful colour envelops you completely and is one of the places that are playfully referred to as 'fish soup'. Vivid colours encircle you from all angles as tropical fish of every shape, size and colour.
One of the most stunning experiences of diving on these reefs is the feeling of being able to look up and just see a swirling mass of rainbow fish and below you too. In addition there are plenty of the 'checklist' species to see such as Black and White Tip Reef Sharks, Eagle and Manta Rays, turtles and a variety of Moray Eels. A species I have always been rather afraid of since one tried to bite my ankle further south in Ari Atoll when I was quite young. Diving instructors seem to have an odd affinity with them and so I got my first chance to pet a spotted moray. I have never touched anything quite so smooth - a luxurious cross between silk and velvet.
However there is a dark cloud that hangs over this ideal marine environment. Governmental implantations have meant that the islands are being preserved to the highest quality. However there is one thing beyond their control and that are anomalies in Sea Surface Temperatures (SST). The most devastating of which is El Niño. El Niño is a phenomenon which has been having an impact on the oceans of the world, as well as other ecosystems, for as long as 1500 years. It is the largest recurring weather phenomenon on the planet and can have far reaching and dramatic effects. Currently El Niño occurs approximately every seven years; however we are currently experiencing a new event even though the last El Niño was the devastating incidence of 1997 – 1998.
Evidence has been presented over time that El Niño has contributed towards a higher incidence of coral bleaching globally in the last twenty years. Naturally it is not the main contributing factor that causes the warmer waters to move across the Pacific is found on the other side of the world. It is an anomaly that scientists are still struggling to comprehend. The Trade Winds between Western Australia and the central Pacific, subside, or even disappear completely. This results in the usual air pattern reversing itself. This is an event known as the El Niño/ Southern Oscillation or ENSO. It covers a fifth of the world whilst it is on but the effects cover five continents and has repercussions worldwide.
In addition an El Niño event is often followed by La Niña. It produces abnormal cooling in the eastern Pacific which means conditions which are more or less opposite to El Niño. It is thought that this may be an over compensation for the warmer waters created by El Niño. The effects of this, as with El Niño, are most pronounced from December to March. During this time an above average amount of warm water is driven westward, causing large amounts of deep, cold water to the surface. This generates a 'cold tongue' which runs 4800 kilometres along the Equator from Ecuador only factor involved but it does seem to act as catalyst for the bleaching process. This is due to the fact that coral thrive and exist between a fine temperature margin, of 24° - 27° Celsius, and therefore small increases and decreases out of this margin can destroy coral. However it seems that higher sea temperatures seem to cause a greater percentage of coral bleaching. Current data from the NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) in the USA has shown that in January 2003 there was a 1° Celsius anomaly in the west Pacific. This ties in with suspicions that we are about to go into another El Niño occurrence this year. These seem to have increased in frequency and warmth within the last twenty years and some scientists believe this is tied in with a general trend of global warming.
The reefs which are most at risk are those found in tropical and sub – tropical areas. These are the areas that attract the most recreational divers and include the whole of Asia. During the El Niño event of 1997 – 1998 the water of the Indian Ocean islands, such as the Maldives and the Seychelles, reached temperatures of up to 35°C in some areas. The fires that also resulted in Indonesia reduced visibility down to 0.8 metres in the Maldives. The heat would have compounded the already high sea surface temperatures (SST) and any dust may increase sedimentation, which can aggravate bleaching. Indo – Pacific SST's did not fare much better going up to 33°C. These are temperatures that will definitely induce corals to expel zooxanthellae, cease photosynthesis and thus cause bleaching.
The Indian Ocean showed the most severe bleaching in the area. Satellites of the NOAA first detected the warm water in January 1998 and by April there was widespread evidence of bleaching. The 1998 El Niño caused 95% of mainly Acropora communities to die in the Maldives, including soft corals and Anemones. There are signs of partial recovery but 40% are still bleached on the back reefs and about 15% bleaching at 30 – 40 metres. Porites in South Male and Vaavu Atolls have almost completely recovered but coral communities are still recovering and vulnerable. Another occurrence in the next few months could reverse the recovery process.
Obviously as divers there is little we can do to stop the worldwide effects of the ENSO phenomenon. However a large contributing factor to coral bleaching is local overexploitation and degradation. This ranges from dynamite fishing to a small group of recreational divers. Naturally the former is more destructive but continuous overuse of a site by hundreds of divers can almost be as damaging if they are not cautious. It is never acceptable to touch or take coral or any other form of marine life. Divers often use it for leverage but even that can cause extensive damage. Also anchor damage can cause excessive damage so avoid bringing boats too close into the reef. Waste should never be disposed of overboard, as even the most minor pollutant can constrict growth.
It is not all depressing however. Due to advanced technology we can now predict when these occurrences will happen and try and predict and minimise any damage. There has also been a good recovery of corals since the 1998 mass bleaching. In the Indian Ocean observations of coral growing up to two and a half inches a year have been made since the last El Niño. In the meantime it is best to do what we can on a local level to conserve our reefs and safeguard them for future ENSO occurrences and the effects of global warming and pollutants. Peter Webster (Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Studies, University of Colorado) commented 'El Niño is a good example to illustrate that there is indeed predictability in the midst of chaos'. With our weather systems continually changing we can indeed expect this phenomenon and predict when it is going to happen, so all we can do is take our precautions on a local level as appreciators of the marine environment.
Naturally divers should never touch or feed any marine life unless it is supervised by a qualified instructor. The Maldivian Government has seen how the valuable their marine environment is. There are many laws in place to protect this concerning diving and other water sports which include heavy fines for removing anything or unsupervised fishing. The reef has therefore seen dramatic regeneration in the last ten years including the regrowth of live coral in some areas. This protection of their most vital asset should continue to attract tourists for decades and probably even after the sea starts submerging the islands again.
All the islands follow strict guidelines to protect their environment both on the reef and land through efficient waste disposal and other methods. There are wonderful other excursions apart from diving. Sea-plane flights, fishing and romantic picnics are all heavenly distractions from the fish. On the other hand why not sample the catch of the day with a honeymoon meal. You can indulge in this four-course extravaganza on any part of the island you please – be it a sandbank or your own balcony. On Laguna Beach I will always remember this fabulous experience which included lobster and a strawberry and blue Curacao cold terrine. The food, like everything else these islands have to offer is of an incomparable standard for a holiday destination that is one of the most luxurious and environmentally aware in the Indian Ocean.
Electra Gillies is a freelance journalist specialising in travel and the environment.
Interested? Take a look at our Maldives, diving and marine conservation pages.
