Commodore
August 17, 2024

Sunday 18 August – looking for Mantas

The Bogi Walu has gone and we have calm waters. We decided to dinghy the couple of miles to the Manta pass which is famous for swimming with mantas, and has a nice Barefoot resort. Rowan asked a kiwi guy in the 22 foot monohul that we have been following around, to keep an eye on the boat while we were gone. We have noticed their boat Nordic, as it rocks around in the swell like crazy, we wondered how they survived, he says they don’t, he has nearly put his back out, but they are young! He does boat jobs so Rowan asked him to do a new soft shackle for the boom.

It was a good trip to the resort, we arrived at very low tide (with the full moon approaching) and managed to negotiate our way precariously in, as we had to go around to the windward side of the island, where the wind was much stronger. It was a very authentic relaxed resort, beautifully laid out in the shade of big trees and palm trees. They allowed us to join in on their buffet lunch, some resorts are not very welcoming of yachties. We went and lay on sun loungers in the shade on the beach while we waited for the tide to come in. The mantas do not come to the pass in low tide. Around 3pm we went and checked out the pass, there was a Swiss couple there with a drone checking the waters for mantas, but sadly they couldn’t see any. As the tourist boats arrived Rowan went and swam into the pass to see if he could see anything, but sadly it was not to be. Judging from the comments of the various boat boys, early morning is the time to come.

We headed back, it was a little bouncy going into the wind and swell, but not too bad. Rowan had a little lesson from Sam the kiwi guy, on how to make the knot of a soft shackle, that Rowan has struggled with. Hopefully he has mastered it now, I think I will have to have a go at it too.