Kudarah Thila * * * One of teh most exciting dives in
South Ari Atoll is Kudarah Thila. The reef top is at 14 metres with sharp dropoffs to 20
and 25 metres on most sides. There are isolated outcrops of rock on the west side, a small
canyon on the north side and a big, long cave at 20 metres on the eastern side. When the
current is not too Diving Hints: This is strictly a dive for experienced divers. Strong currents are frequent and divers will usually start up-current and be required to descend quickly to the thila in these conditions. Unfortunately the reef top, which is rich in coral, bears many scars from boats that have in the past anchored on the reef top. |
strong, divers can swim
around this 80 metre long thila without too much difficulty. On the deeper more gentle
slopes on the nothern side are great expanses of large seafans. Such fields of fans are
rarely seen and when the current is flowing they all sway as one.. Swimming aroudn the fan
slopes are a number of grey and white-tip reef sharks. Pelagics like rainbow runner, great
barracuda, blue-fin jack and tuna are drawn from the sourrounding waters and seen in
abundance. The reef outcrops on the western side are coated in soft coral and swimming
around them are tallfin batfish. On the sand and rubble flats between the reefs at 15
metres are many species of goby, like the red fire dart goby and other small burrowers. At
the big cave are many squirrelfish, some pufferfish, grouper and small fans and black
coral bushes. At the nothern end of the cave is a swim-through to the top of the reef. In
the small canyon are many smaller fish.