Manta Specialty Course at Matava

Do you know that the word Manta is the Spanish word for Blanket? I didn’t until just recently. I never dived with mantas before I came to Matava.

Here I am now though, diving with mantas as often as I can. It was Stuart's idea (he’s known for them), and a great one at that, why don’t we write a Manta Specialty course? So we did! And for the first time last weekend we ran it.

The course involves 2 Open water Dives and important information about Mantas and how to identify different species. It takes no more then a day to complete and then all the information and manta sightings we collect can then be logged on to the Global manta Database who’s principle goal is to identify resident Manta Rays and those that migrate.

So the first group of keen enthusiasts tried it out. Stine and Morton from Denmark, Minna from the USA, John and Hazel from England and  Eric from Tasmania Australia. Photos were taken and divers were happy, a new Manta was named (after our friend Abbie Hines, one of the world's manta experts) and registered and all in all the day was a success.

Meet Abbie, the smallest manta on the reef

The first Manta enthusiasts to complete the manta Specialty course (Doing the manta dance!)
Back: Stine, Minna, Hazel
Front Morton, Me (Kate), John