Maldives - Conquering the Sea

These are my last photos from the Maldives. It was nice to slowly upload them over the last few weeks and enjoy the moments all over again. The Maldives is an extremely beautiful and unique place... and I hope to visit again. Thank you to The Perfect Wave for helping me to book the trip and thank you to the Holiday Inn Resort Kandooma Island for providing luxurious accommodations.

I took these photos from a sandbar that formed between the surrounding islands. During low tide, you could almost walk to the sandbar (just had a deep section surrounding the island)... and during high tide, it was completely covered. The easiest method of navigating to the sliver of sand was by kayak or stand up paddle board (I tried both methods). The feeling of being surrounded by water with only a spec of dry land to rest was a surreal experience.

On this particular afternoon, I decided to paddle out right after lunch. I could see some dark clouds forming in the distance, but was hoping that they would pass to the north. The squalls in the Maldives move incredibly fast... and can form at any minute. If you're caught in the middle of one, you will be drenched in just a few moments and the vast amount of wind makes it difficult to traverse by water (I basically would have been stuck hiding under the kayak until the squall passed). When I started paddling, the sky was bright blue... but as I made it to the sand bar, the dark clouds were getting closer and closer. It turned out that the squall was headed in my direction. So after relaxing for a short time, I decided to pack up and head back to the safety of the lagoon. As I made it back to the shore, I could feel the first few gusts of wind on my back as the torrential downpour followed shortly after.

Maldives - The Lagoon

Located on the western edge of Kandoomaa Fushi was a beautiful lagoon that connected three islands... the island I stayed on (Kandoomaa Fushi), the local island of Guraidhoo, and the uninhabited island of Lhosfushi. The average depth of the lagoon was only a couple of feet and the water was crystal clear. It was very relaxing to sit at the water's edge and just gaze into the water.

The people living on the local island of Guraidhoo were predominantly Muslim and strictly followed the traditions of that religion. Many of the women were fully covered in black, no alcohol was allowed on the island, and we could hear the call to prayer five times per day. I thought it was interesting to see such a different and unique culture separated by only a shallow lagoon. It was unexpected to look across and see women on the beach that were covered in black robes and veils.

Maldives - Foxy's Left

Across the lagoon and over an exposed coral reef was "Foxy's Left". When I first arrived on the island, I asked about this spot... and the boat captains told me that it needed a really big swell to be rideable (otherwise, it would just break on top of very shallow coral). Each day, I looked at the spot (never anyone out surfing)... and each day the boat captains would say "not big enough, too shallow, dangerous." However, the surf kept getting bigger each day... and by the 5th day of the trip, it was definitely rideable by anyone's standards. These are a few photos I took while gazing upon it from the other side of the lagoon.

I actually never made it out to surf Foxy's Left. The boat captains didn't seem to want to take us here... and there were plenty of other uncrowded/perfect waves (that didn't break over extremely shallow coral). Maybe I will try surfing it next time... until then, I can enjoy the pictures.

Maldives - Like No Place On Earth

It's difficult to describe the Maldives to someone that has never been. I can't provide an analogy or say that it's "like somewhere else". The truth is that it is really like no place I've ever been. Imagine a country that consists of over 1,100 tiny islands (no bigger than a large parking lot) spread out over 35,000 square miles of ocean. The islands are grouped together by 26 atolls... and they have an average ground elevation of only 1.4 meters above sea level (which makes it the lowest country in the world). As you can imagine, the locals are a bit concerned about global warming.

Just arriving in the Maldives is a bit of an adventure (especially if you're coming from the US). If you include total transit time, it can take about 30-40 hours just to get there. Do not bring alcohol or pork into the country (as they are Muslim). The resorts have special licenses to serve liquor... but you can get into some trouble if caught in the airport (also recommend that women cover up if going to a "local island"). The airport is located on an island close to the capital city of Malé. Upon arrival, there are no taxis, limos, or buses to take you where you are going... you need to hitch a ride on one a boat or sea plane. The island I stayed on was about an hour speed boat ride from the airport.

Life in the Maldives depends on the ocean. It provides food, transportation, and supports the huge tourism industry (diving, fishing, snorkeling, surfing, etc). The water is the clearest that I've ever seen. When sitting in 20+ feet of water, you can see straight down to the bottom. Because it is so clear, your depth perception gets messed up (looks much shallower than it is)... and this creates some confusion when surfing.

Anyways, this was one of the most memorable holidays that I've been on. The resort was very nice (Holiday Inn Kandooma Resort). I was situated on a tiny island surrounded by coral reefs. The food was delicious (endless fresh seafood buffets!!), sunsets were breathtaking, and there was a barreling right hand reef break directly in front of my villa. I couldn't ask for much more! I would like to thank The Perfect Wave for making this a reality.

More photos to come later!

October 7, 2010

Picture taken at Kandooma Resort in the Maldives. The colors were really cool as the sun went down... thunder clouds in the background with sunshine in the foreground. The reflection in the lagoon was pretty rad too.