Manta Magic

Manta Magic!

Welcome to Liquid Hike with Michele the Trainer…Healthy Interests Creating Healthy People!

Manta Rays are symbols for freedom and “going with the flow”. 

Have you ever seen a manta in your dreams?

They are one of my favorite animals so I ponder them often.   They are so spectacular, I’ve blogged about Manta’s before here:

http://www.engineeringwellness.com/parable/life-is-like-a-manta-ray

Now we have more photos to share!

I received this awesome photo and this video from a friend.  We were on some dive boat around some island brainstorming sites and dives we wanted to see (a common conversation between dives) and this was one of them.  He reached out and grabbed it, and it’s just as breathtaking as I thought it would be.  Mantas are amazing and rare, yet swimming with them is possible in areas of the USA like Hawaii.  This was shot in Kona, Hawaii.

Please watch this beautiful VIDEO LINK HERE:

https://docs.google.com/file/d/0B3jbSpzz6pUuZ2g3aW5UWHd0TzQ/edit

This is the famous Manta Dive in Kona, HI.  Some call it Manta Heaven.   I’ve dove with mantas, but I haven’t seen this site yet.  Make sure not to miss the video!

The risk:

There is never a guarantee that you will see any, since they are animals of course and no reservations can be mandated. 

The good:

I’ve heard that you do a night SCUBA dive with a light and you kneel down on the sandy bottom, and then they come by and “fly” right over you (did you see that in the movie link?…that is AWESOME).  It can be many and they can be HUGE!!!  Such graceful animals.

The price:

I also know that moray eels (google the images) might be hanging around your light, so I guess you have to be ready to handle that..LOL.  They really can bite, but it can absolutely be avoided.  That usually happens only when you stick your hand into their pointy  teethy smile.  But yes, I’ve seen many stitched hands usually during lobster season when someone sticks their hand into a hole to grab a lobster, and instead they get the gift of stitches in the ER. My experience is that can all be easily avoided.

The Gratitude:

Special thanks for the photo and footage to my divebuddy and friends Divemaster Marcio Curvelo and Family!

Camera used:  Nikon D600 with 10.5mm fisheye lens with Ikelite housing with a pair of Solas 2000 lights.