Meet the Gentle Giants of Laamu

April 2020

Laamu Atoll holds a very special place in my heart with its beautiful uninhabited islands and mangrove lagoons, friendly locals, vibrant reefs and of course its gentle giants – manta rays! I spent many hours diving with these mantas during my time in Laamu atoll at Six Senses Laamu and want to share some of my favourites with you.

Hithadhoo Cleaning Station, Laamu Atoll. Image credit: Beth Taylor

The main research site for the MMRP team in Laamu is Hithadhoo Corner, a group of small cleaning blocks that sit in a channel in the South east corner of the atoll.

My first visit to Hithadhoo Corner had a strong out going current and visibility that was green and murky. We spent the duration of the dive navigating around the cleaning blocks as I tried to learn the route between each one. The end of the dive came and unfortunately no mantas. My second dive however was very different. We jumped in and descended upon turtle block, where green turtles often clean. On reaching the seabed we were greeted by Michele, Laamu’s most sighted manta ray. The days that followed introduced me to more of the resident mantas of Laamu, that by the end of my time in the atoll I felt a special connection with.

I would like to introduce you to some of these individuals starting with the first that I met, Michele. Michele is a mature male manta, estimated to be 3 metres wide. He is very comfortable around divers and comes very close to have his photo taken! Any encounter with this manta felt special, he would always make you feel like he had made the effort to come and say hello!

Michele the male manta. Yep you heard right! Image credit: Beth Taylor

The next manta I would like you to meet is Diddy Dots. This beautiful female boasts heavy scarring on both of her pectoral fins which is likely due to being entangled in fishing nets and/or fishing like and hooks. When she was first sighted in 2015 she was very shy and would avoid being close to divers. It seems now that her confidence has started to grow as she often cruises straight over head when moving on and off of the cleaning stations, not bothered by bubbles at all!

Diddy Dots and an entourage of golden trevally. Image credit: Beth Taylor

Calypso is next to be introduced! Out of all the mantas I encountered in Laamu, Calypso has to be the cheekiest! This male manta is often sighted interacting with female mantas at the cleaning station and also has been seen being playful around Michele! Quite often we would be mid survey and you would feel a presence behind you, on turning around Calypso would often be cruising right on top of you! He definitely likes to surprise divers!

Calypso swooping over head. Image credit: Marteyne van Well (Six Senses Laamu)

Last but not least we have Batmanta! Batmanta is the biggest female in Laamu, estimated to be 3.48m! Being in the water with this majestic female is something else, her presence when she enters onto the cleaning station is unmissable. It seems the male mantas also like when she is on the cleaning station as she has been sighted with mating scars and been observed pregnant!