Blue Spirit

MV Blue Spirit is operated by Blue o Two and is known for its high standard of service and ease of diving. The vessel is 92-foot long and has six cabins for a maximum of twelve guests. Four of the cabins have lower double and a lower single bed, two only a lower double bed. The vessel’s cabins are air-conditioned and have private bathrooms, port holes, wardrobes and fans.

Comfortable and informal common areas include a large saloon with a full entertainment system and plenty of both shaded and sunny deck space. Tea, coffee and soft drinks are available at all times, and delicious dinners featuring both international and local recipes are often served on the deck to give you a chance to enjoy the gorgeous views. All diving is done from a support dhoni which stores all the diving equipment making the main vessel more spacious. All your gear is safely carried on board the support boat. Blue Spirit's 52-foot dhoni has Nitrox and can support Rebreather.

Blue Spirit has a sun deck with superb views of the Indian Ocean, as well as a shaded area. Meals are served at a table to the front of the boat providing a wonderful alfresco dining experience. Guests will enjoy the culinary delights of a fantastic Sri Lankan chef who has been with the boatfor over 15 years and serves a mouth-watering mixture of local and Western cuisines while soaking up the panoramic views of the Maldives.

Seven crew members, two dive guides who also serve as cruise directors, and two separate crew based on the dhoni are sure to take care of your every need. The dive guides Dave and Lisa have over 20 years experience in the Maldives and provide an astonishing level of knowledge and expertise of Maldivian dive sites and marine life. The dhoni (diving support vessel) is spacious and contemporary, providing ample space to gear up while a nitrox membrane system easily provides unlimited fills for superior bottom times. The shallow keel of Blue Spirit means she can moor closer to dive sites resulting in shorter transit times on the dhoni.

Blue Spirit is the perfect choice for those who are looking for a more exclusive Maldivian liveaboard experience, with just 12 divers between two very experienced dive guides. Individual itineraries are often customized to take advantage of the current conditions, allowing guests to enjoy dive sites chosen to bring the best sightings with the least amount of other liveaboards nearby. This boat is also ideal for small groups who want to book the entire vessel for themselves.

Central Atolls Itinerary
Dive sites: Northand South Male Atolls - Felidhu Atoll - Rasdhoo Atoll - Ari Atoll

Duration: 7 Nights
Number of dives: Up to 3 dives a day
Ports: Male/Male

This 7 day Maldives dive safari takes you to some of the highlights of the Central Atolls, including the North and South Male Atolls, Rasdhoo Atoll and more.

QUALIFICATION NEEDED: You must be certified to dive to a depth of 30 meters as well as be experienced and comfortable with diving in medium to strong currents. Negative entries and drift dives are to be expected. If you have Open Water certification and experience with currents, we strongly suggest you complete Advanced Open Water or Deep Diver Adventure Dive either before or during your holiday so you can maximize your diving experience on boat.

Sample Itinerary

**PLEASE NOTE**The itinerary below is an example only and is subject to change depending on local regulations, guests' experience, flight schedules, weather and logistics and is at the Captain's discretion.

The diving day has a typical schedule as follows:

06:30 - Tea, coffee and biscuits

07:00 - Dive 1 followed by full breakfast

11:00 - Dive 2 followed by lunch

15:00 - Dive 3 followed by homemade cakes and snacks

19:30 - Dinner

**PLEASE NOTE** The dive sites below are just an example of the route taken and are not guaranteed. All dive sites are subject to weather conditions and local seasonal knowledge and the final route taken is at the absolute discretion of the captain and dive guides.

Orimas Thila - North Ari
Although sharks are not usually the highlight of the northern itineraries, Orimas Thila is an exception to the rule. Here, grey reef sharks can be observed circling and wriggling whilst they are being cleaned. The best spot to view them from is down-current either on the sandy bottom or from a ledge out of sight, kneeling or using a reef hook if the current is running.

Guraidhoo Kandu - South Male Atoll
Since the eastern side of the channel is open ocean, large predatory fish can regularly be spotted here. This site is famous for sightings of sharks, schools of eagle rays and the occasional sail fish and hammerheads. The best condition to do the dive is when the current is flowing into the Atoll. The dive begins on the outer reef following the current into the atoll. Most of the pelagic species can be observed on the eastern side, where the reef drops off into the deep ocean. At the end of the dive in the channel, along the reef you can find overhangs with plenty of soft coral growth and small fish.

Kandooma Thila - South Male Atoll
Located in a channel, the reef is subject to strong currents at times. The ocean currents carry alot of nutrients to the reef, supporting an abundance of sea life. The site is well renowned for the soft coral growth, turtles, diverse fish life and invertebrates found on the reef. At the reef slope you may find sharks and eagle rays.

Rasdhoo Madivaru - Rasdhoo
Rasdhoo Madivaru Corner is located in the corner of the channel into the atoll. Madivaru is famous amongst seasoned divers of the Maldives. It has one of the most spectacular and confusing reef formations found in Ari Atoll. Hammerhead sharks emerge in big numbers just before sunrise swimming in large groups. Dolphins, dog tooth tunas, along with schools of black snapper are seen at the reef edge during the early hours. Divers get an opportunity to view white tip reef sharks, pelagics, trevallys, little tunas, jacks, ribbon eels, fish leaves tunas, Napoleon wrasse and barracudas. Experience the thrilling scuba diving adventure amongst fine coral formations with the highest underwater visibility.

Fish Head - North Ari
Fish Head also known as Shark Point or Mushimasmingili Thila, fits the classic definition of a thila - a large isolated flat top reef rising sharply from the inner atoll floor at 40m to 50m to around 10m from the surface. It is one of the best sites for seeing sharks. Features a series of caves and overhangs in between where you can see thousands of blueline snapper against a backdrop of black coral bushes and large gorgonians.