Fotteyo * * * An excellent dive regarded by many divers as the
best dive site in the Maldives. It is a photographers paradise and a mecca for marine
biologists. This is a dive with many possibilities. The outside entrance to the channel at 22 metres is marked by a split in the reef. From here divers can proceed into the channel across a bed of sand with resting whit-tip reef sharks. On the eastern side of this sand plateau is the inside entrance to the channel at 14 metres. It is characterised by a bed of beautiful hard coral and big schools of sweetlip. Just inside the channel is "trigger valley". Titan triger fish are numerous here and when nesting around the fullmoon they become mroe aggressive. On teh outside of Fotteyo Thila are more caves where big groupers can be found. At this point it is also possible to spot eagle rays soaring int he currents. At the entrance of the second channel is a large cave at 18 metres. The channel rises to 14 metres at the pass and inside is a small sand bed at about 16 metres. On the inside of Fotteyo Thila is a mashroom-shape coral rock at 15 metres. From here the channel opens upto a sand and coral studded between 20 and 25 metres. In the course of this dive it is always possibel to see schools of trevally, tuna, barracuda and grey reef sharks on the outside reef; white-tips and sting rays on the sand-beds of the channel; and turtles along the channel was. For sunrise divers, there is an opportunity to see hammerhead sharks. Diving Hints: If the current permits it is a good idea to finish your dive around a beautiful, more shallow sections just inside the entrance at 14 metres. If current si strong, divers may cross back to the west wall of the channel over a finger of reef at about 10 metres then drift into "trigger Valley" and finish the dive along the western wall. Another diving option is to start on the reef corner near the cherry caves then swim across the entrance on the outside of the reef to the thila and into the second channel.
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The
best diving is on the outside corner of Dhiggaru Falhu. Divers can start at a bend in the
outside reef where there is a big cave at about 30 metres with holes you can swim through.
Around bend near the entrance to the channel is a special place with many caves and
overhangs. These caves have a thick covering of wavering soft corals in all colours. They
look like blooming cherry - blossoms in spring time. Most of the cherry caves are found
between 25 and 45 metres and there are few arches covered in soft coral, one of which
divers can swim through.