Manta Ray night dive--Kona, Hawai'i 7-6-09 (with video)

[mz53480]

Here's the video:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P-c0A2GP_YE[/youtube]

Took the wife on a trip to Hawaii, and got to get a dive in with the mantas. Dove with 'kona honu divers' on the big island.
Great dive, and since the Mrs. doesn't dive, she got to snorkel at the same time. We both really enjoyed it.
Dive trip started around 6pm and splashed around 7:45pm or so. Beautiful sunset to watch while waiting.
Vis was spectacular, around 70+ or so I'd guess (haven't seen that much vis in a while, so hard to guess...)
Water was warm, wore a full 3mil wetsuit and felt perfect temperature wise once down at the bottom.
Headed down off the boat and down to the 'campfire', place where all the divers circle around to hold their lights up and attract the plankton in the water. This attracts the mantas, and we ended up having 11 of them come say hi.
It was amazing, and you could feel the water move you around after they 'flew' by you. A few times they got close to the light and camera so had to pull it away quick at the last moment.
Another interesting side show was 'frank' the moray eel. Apparently, he goes and 'hides' in the light crate that the 1st divers put down. Then he goes and tries to catch fish. Fun to watch....
After about 45min, the guide took us out and around for an 'outside the box' view of the event. Way cool. Then up and out to the boat.
While sitting there watching the mantas, I thought I had a problem with my SPG because I wasn't going through air as fast as usual. Started on a steel 80 at ~3200psi and ended up with around 2000. Dive depth, only around 30fsw or so.
Had a wonderful time and would highly recommend it if you get the chance.

Also got to meet up with Sockmonkey and Mrs. Sockmonkey for a nice dinner. Thanks again, Eric, for the very helpful advice. (we able to avoid any possible 'mad cow' incidents during our last hike on the island).

Happy diving!
MZ

[pogiguy05]

Great video and one of these days I got to do the same thing. take the wife as an excuse to get some warm water scuba diving in Hawaii. :roll: I would just call the visibility "infinity" compared to what we get around here.

[nwscubamom]

Very cool video!!! Love how you capture the 'circus act' as I call it - having done this dive several times now. What's REALLY cool is seeing a Manta when you're just off on your own, shore diving. They're so graceful!

- Janna

[Sockmonkey]

Hey MZ... was great to meet you and Mrs. Z. Thanks for being so patient waiting for me to get out of work and for my wife to show up. I know we kept you at the bar for longer than what would normally be considered polite. And thanks for the drinks and grub. Much appreciated.

I'm glad you met Frank the eel... Somewhere I've got about an hour's worth of footage of him I'll dig up at some point. (I had no idea he had a name)

Mostly I'm sorry we didn't get a chance to dive while you were here... stupid bug bite.

-Eric

(Please do watch out for cows when hiking in Hawaii.)

[edm81363]

We were able to catch one of the eels on that dive getting a fish and then forming a knot to crush it. Got it on video too, right around the 3:25 mark;

http://www.vimeo.com/2051376

[sheahanmcculla]

Nice video MZ! Sockmonkey is becoming a Kona Celeb.

[mz53480]

....Sockmonkey is becoming a Kona Celeb.

That explains the paparrazi following around.....

[PapaZ]

Nice vid of the Mantas.

Will see if they are still there in about 12 days and give you a report.

PZ

:roll:

[H20doctor]

Very cool manta Ray vid Mike.. Really nice.. Tell me how the set the lights in the crates on the floor ? And did they have dive lights to use ? Or did you pack yours ?

[mz53480]

Very cool manta Ray vid Mike.. Really nice.. Tell me how the set the lights in the crates on the floor ? And did they have dive lights to use ? Or did you pack yours ?

(Tell me how the set the lights in the crates on the floor...)
I think they already had them 'zip-tied' in the up position. About 4 of the '4-D-cell' UK handheld type in a plastic crate. I think they add some weight in the crate to keep em down too.

Did they have dive lights to use ? Or did you pack yours ?
They provide everything, I just brought my big light as an added 'goodie'....and it paid off. I had more than my share of manta-frenzy.

Nice work on your videos too, btw. Cool pic of Ross & me. Also, your footage of the Alaskan Reefer turned out way better than what I got. Cool!

[supacooper]

Awesome! I'm jealous. :hello2: Diving with Mantas is definitely on my bucket list. Will work to get orders to Pearl Harbor next year.

[mz53480]

Awesome! I'm jealous. :hello2: Diving with Mantas is definitely on my bucket list. Will work to get orders to Pearl Harbor next year.

Careful....you might get stationed at the Marine base instead.....guarding something less than interesting...
:naka:

[supacooper]

Served a little with USMC, just have to talk slower As long as I have a LDS and I'm blowing bubbles, I'm game!

[mz53480]

Served a little with USMC, just have to talk slower

ouch.....

As long as I have a LDS and I'm blowing bubbles, I'm game!

Yep! And in Hawaii it just seemed so much better when you don't need the drysuit and extra gear....

[supacooper]

Nothing like some cross service banter.

[mz53480]

Nothing like some cross service banter.

[Diver Doug]

I did that same dive with Kona hanu divers last year. Truely a experience never to forget. After the dive they offered the video that one of the DM's took. It had some shots of each person in it plus some great additional footage. OK twist my arm, yes I bought it. For all the expense to get there, I just couldn't turn it down. A great dive, definately a bucket list dive.
Doug

[rjarnold]

Aww, you guys didn't see Lefty did you? She was the biggest one out there when we saw them off the big island.

[Sockmonkey]

Aww, you guys didn't see Lefty did you? She was the biggest one out there when we saw them off the big island.

Lefty is still out and about any time the mantas show up (except for when Calvin scares them all away).

Did you folks know that Mantas are now protected by law in the state of Hawaii thanks to the Manta Pacific Research Foundation's tireless efforts?

-Eric

[rjarnold]

Aww, you guys didn't see Lefty did you? She was the biggest one out there when we saw them off the big island.

Lefty is still out and about any time the mantas show up (except for when Calvin scares them all away).

Did you folks know that Mantas are now protected by law in the state of Hawaii thanks to the Manta Pacific Research Foundation's tireless efforts?

-Eric

That's great! I watched a video a few months back that I believe was taken on one of the islands in Indonesia or the Philippines - they were cutting up great numbers of huge manta rays for the market. Sad, as I think it's mainly used as a shark fin soup substitute or magic medicine and provides little to no nourishment.

[Sockmonkey]

I was noodling around with video this morning for work and found some footage apropos to this post...

Another interesting side show was 'frank' the moray eel. Apparently, he goes and 'hides' in the light crate that the 1st divers put down. Then he goes and tries to catch fish. Fun to watch....

A few screen grabs of Frank I have from the measuring and ID video I've taken for MPRF.

[thumb]205[/thumb] [thumb]206[/thumb] [thumb]207[/thumb] [thumb]208[/thumb] [thumb]209[/thumb] [thumb]210[/thumb] [thumb]211[/thumb]

Very cool manta Ray vid Mike.. Really nice.. Tell me how the set the lights in the crates on the floor ? And did they have dive lights to use ? Or did you pack yours ?

Looks like a combination of PVC pipe wire tied to milk crates that are weighted down. I think they use a various styles rechargeable HID and incandescent lights.

-Eric

[Tangfish]

6 years ago I did this dive and saw 18 mantas. I did it again about a month and a half ago and...... 0
:angry:

[mz53480]

6 years ago I did this dive and saw 18 mantas. I did it again about a month and a half ago and...... 0
:angry:

That sucks.
Refund?