Humpback Whales and Dolphins
2010-07-27
We went diving at Njao Gap this morning. Saw a group of about 100 dolphins swimming with the boat on the way down to the dive site. On our way back we also saw two humpback whales! What an amazing experience.
For the effort of getting there, visitors are rewarded with local people who stop to practise English, or to offer you local tea, brewed with cinnamon, cloves and ginger. There are knowledgeable local guides and dive masters. And it is on these remote islands that you can really get away from it all. Most of the best white-sand beaches in the archipelago are on the east coast of Zanzibar Island (the west-coast beaches are gold rather than white) – but Manta Resort in Pemba, for instance, provides Bounty-ad beaches, butlers, delicious food and world-class diving. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/africaandindianocean/zanzibar/7710265/Zanzibar-East-Africas-island-outpost.html
"it is one of the most incredible reefs i have ever seen" - Philippe Cousteau, BBC presenter
The divecenter at the Manta Resort arranged a small crown of thorn clean-up this week. The crown of thorns feed of the living part of the coral, leaving a trail of bleached and dead coral. In 2 hours two divers managed to pick up almost 200 crown of thorns! Larger clean-ups will be initigated together with Pemba Alive during the season and next year.
We went diving at a new site close to the resort. Water temperature 25C, visibility about 20m. We were about to decent, and saw a group of dolphins, approximately 60 swimming towards the boat. Then while we were descending, the dolphins swam right past us! They were about 10m from us! We went to down to about 40 meters, as we had a group of experienced divers. Firstly, we saw three Manta Rays swimming towards us, and after about 5 minutes a group of 30 Manta Rays swam right over us! They were less than 10 meters above our heads!
We went diving at Scorpion Secret, which is 5 minutes by boat from the resort. We dived down a coral wall to about 18 meters, seeing leafy scorpion fish, giant morey eel, and another big big scorpion fish. While we were drifting down the wall, David, our dive guide, heard dolphin whistles, and when we looked up a pod of about 15 bottle nosed dolphins were swimming over us! They were swimming slowly, so we all had a fantastic look at them
"it is one of the most increadable reefs i have ever seen"
- Philippe Cousteau, BBC presenter
Watch this very interesting piece from BBC that explains the conditions of the reefs around Pemba, why they are do important, and also their vulnerability.
We took a five minute boat ride from the resort to do two dives, today was sunny with a light sea breeze. Visibility was good, approximately 25m, even at a diving depth of 20m! The list of sightings are actually endless, but here are some of the highlights; Red tooth trigger fish dotting the reef, lots of groupers, a dark green as well as a creamy white leaf fish which are both quite rare, shoals of sardines which formed silvery canopies above us, and we also saw a king fish hunting the sardines. We also saw loads of nudibranchs and blue and yellow fusiliers on the drop off. What a great day!
One of our male guests requested a private, romantic beach dinner, to propose to his girlfriend. He did ask her 5 days ago already while they were in the Serengeti, but decided that The Manta Resort is so beautiful he will make double sure she really loves him and asked her again! We set a table for two, complete with white table cloth, champagne, lots of lanterns, as well as a mattress for a bit of "stargazing" afterwards. And the result? She said yes, again...
We went diving with a group of divers at the resort today, and had a fantastic time! The highlights of our dives were: School's of chubs, preying octopus, a bunch of scorpion fish, a pair of geometric eel's and a massive jew fish which is a large type of grouper. The current was mild, and visibility in access of 30 meters, the water temperature is also nice and mild, just above 25C.
A group of our guests went on an island excursion to the Ngezi Forest, like always, all activities and excursions are included in our rates. After finishing their walk through the Ngezi Forest, a couple of guests ask if they could go to the clinic in Makangale, which is the nearest medical facility to our resort, where they were going to donate supplies as some of them are medical doctors. When they arrived, they were taken for a tour through the clinic, where they found a brand new incubator that nobody knew how to use!!!!! Our guests then read through the instruction manual and did a quick course with the nurse on duty on how to use this machine!
This morning we saw a lazy humpback whale swimming by in the ocean just off the edge of the reef in front of the resort. Then, just to finish off a wonderful day, we had a family of dolphins also swimming past the resort while we were all enjoying our sundowner cocktails. Another tough day in paradise!!!!
As if to wish us good luck with the season 2009/10, the majestic hump back whales paid us a visit. At 8 this morning we spotted a female humpback with her calf heading north, there are few things more awe-inspiring that a humpback whale in its natural habitat. This not only marks the beginning of the whale migration season, but also bids us welcome back to Pemba for the season of 2009/10, We cannot wait to show you all the improvements we have done. Apart from new flooring in our Garden Rooms, new sun deck around the pool and a lot of landscaping works, we now offer the most comprehensive “All Inclusive” experience in East Africa. We not only include all your meals and beverages in your stay, but visits to our Kipepeo Spa as well as our excursions around Pemba are included. A for a small surcharge you can even include unlimited diving in your stay with us. In short the only thing we want you to focus on when arriving at The Manta Resort is to enjoy yourself - everything else is our job - and we aim to do it well.
The Manta Resort is right now closed due to the monsoons that carry on from the middle of May till the end of June. We are excited to open up the doors again on 10th July for the new season, with our new buttler systemn and the All Inclusive services.
On the latest boat trip to Shimoni, not very far from Swiss reef we saw bottle nose dolphins, which are uncommon around pemba :) They swam with the boat for long enough to get some unstable photos of them. They jump so fast, so the only ones we could get was in the water.
It is wonderful to inform everyone that we have had a lot of fantastic dolphin sightings recently. We had a large group of spinner dolphins follow the boat on our way to and from Misali Island yesterday. They swam with the boat for a long time, jumping out of the water, and playing. We saw another 50 spinner dolphins this morning at the lighthouse, very close to the resort!!!!!!!!
BBC is right now finalizing the shooting of the new show "The Real Swiss Family Robinson". The show will air later this summer. BBC chose Pemba Island for its remote location and untouched nature. The Manta esort have helped find the perfect spot to film on the island and is daily supporting the project during January - February.
During February 2009, Oxygene Pemba and The Manta Resort, will begin to monitor and assess the resistance and resilience of the Pemba Coral Reefs against bleaching. This will allow us to gain valuable knowledge, in order to implement a proper management plan in collaboration with PECCA, the marine conservation authority on Pemba. We will also be having workshops with PECCA, and a group of marine biologists, which will include training the PECCA rangers to improve reef monitoring in future on Pemba. Any guests staying at the resort during February 2009 will be welcome to get involved and help us conserve our beautiful island's marine diversity!
Yesterday southern right whales showed their appriciation with S/Y Sanjeeda (www.sanjeeda.com), and greated her by going vertical almost fully out of the water only 10 meters off the side of the boat!
The worlds only sailing Kotiya Dhow has been visiting the Manta Resort the last couple of weeks. She will be cruising the coast of Pemba and Zanzibar, and has her home port in Stonetown. She is truly a magic vessel. Read more about her on www.sanjeeda.com
At 9.15 this morning, to the north west of the resort we again had whale sighting, 2 humpbacks passing by approx 2 km off the beach of the resort heading south, observed by 8 excited guests.
The first three weeks under water has given us a lot of exciting surprises, such as the close encounter with the humpback whale the other week (read more on last post). We have also spotted two devils rays when diving in Misali Island. Quite a few spinners dolphins from the big family has welcomed us back, and shown off their tricks for us on several occasions during boats trips and even during diving. On the night dive we met with the Spanish dancer again, and there is also a considerable increase of encounters with turtles and big napoleon wrasse in the north-west coast. Probably the most exciting thing is that a white tip shark have been spotted twice at Swiss Reef, just a five minute boat ride from the resort! This might mean the possibility of a small shark nest close to the platform. We will keep on keeping our eyes open.
All and all it been a great start to the season and it feels great to be back in th ewonderfull waters of Pemba.
//Tana, Oxygene Pemba @ The Manta Resort
Yesterday some divers from the Manta Resort got the rare opportunity to dive with the majestic Humpback whales. The humpbacks have been several time the last couple of week.
- We have been extremely lucky this year. The humpbacks are not seen every year, but 2008 we have seen them pass by the resort on several occasions. And to now have had the chance to dive with them is a dream come true for the divers that where lucky enough on this big day, says Tanausa, dive instructor on Oxygene Pemba at the Manta Resort.
Humpbacks have been seen this week passing just a few hundred meters off the beach at The Manta Resort breaching and playing right in front They are heading south. We saw a mother and calf most of the day moving very slowly. and the next day we saw a single whale, probably a male. The mornings are calm and so it is possible to either kayak out or jump in a boat and skirt nearby them as they are seen on the horizon. Afternoons when the wind kicks up the waves, it’s best to enjoy the sightings with a pair of binoculars from the verandah. This phenomenon we expect to continue till September.
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