Diving guests at Hideaway Beach Resort Maldives were in for a real treat on a recent dive at Aquarium, Haa Alifu…

Instructor Yuko and guest Cherie were diving at a depth of around 20 meters when they spotted a BIG shark swimming against the current. Curious to get a better look they tried to follow it – the shark glided effortlessly against the current but for the divers it was not so effortless! They managed to see the dark shape of the shark and estimated its size to be about 5 meters long.

Very excited about what they had seen underwater, after surfacing they asked Instructor Kirsten what kind of shark it was… Could it have been a whale shark? Unlikely, as in the 12 years of diving in this area one had not been seen before. Kirsten had been diving at a shallower depth with another guest and had seen the shark before Yuko and Cherie, he was absolutely certain that it was a Whaleshark!

This was a momentous occasion – it was the first time that Instructors from Meridis dive center had seen a Whaleshark underwater in Haa Alifu Atoll and they’ve been diving the area since 2005.

An unforgettable dive for all involved and one that the dive team hope will be repeated.

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