About the project and the region
The Maldives, an archipelago consisting of 26 atolls and hundreds of islands in the tropical Indian Ocean, is one of the most spectacular and varied diving destinations in the world.
Straddling the equator and situated between India and East Africa, the archipelago has been a maritime crossroads for thousands of years. Initially, Arab and Persian traders connected the islands to the outside world, but from the 16th century onwards, the region came under increasing influence of European colonial powers. Besides a rich maritime history, the Maldives is known for its abundance of marine life, exhilarating drift dives, and spectacular tropical island scenery. Everything seems more abundant here: huge schools of fish, massive congregations of manta rays, and an incredible variety of sharks.
This expedition is aimed at diving the best the Maldives has to offer while learning about its history and marine environment
This educational trip comprises an 14-day program during which participants will be completely immersed in marine science. Through workshops and presentations, you will learn about the fascinating maritime history and ancient seafaring in the Maldives. You will learn how to assess shipwreck sites and will dive the largest wreck in the Maldives, the HMS British Loyalty. For this trip we are partnering with Dr. Twan Stoffers, who is a marine biologist and fish ecologist specializing in shark conservation. Throughout the trip, he will give presentations and workshops on marine biology and ecology, and the various sharks we will encounter on the trip. Under his supervision, you will gain hands-on experience in marine ecology and learn to identify and assess shark populations, create marine food webs at the sites we dive, and gain valuable insights into the marine ecology of the Maldives.
Our base for this trip is the Carpe Novo vessel, a luxurious 141-foot-long liveaboard that’s designed for divers. After a night in a hotel in the capital Malé where we can explore the town and museum, we embark on the boat for a 13-day sail along the southern half of the Maldives. Our cruising route will take us to 9 atolls on both sides of the equator, starting in the North Malé atoll and ending in Addu atoll.
Diving will include manta cleaning stations, channels filled with sharks, and walls with massive schools of fish. Shark species we may encounter include hammerheads, tiger sharks, whale sharks, tresher sharks, silvertips, zebra sharks, and lots of reef- and nurse sharks. We will do 3 dives a day, and will offer daily workshops and presentations between dives. For those interested, we will provide peronalized underwater photography and videography workshops. There will be several special excursions offered, such as night dives and a beach BBQ on a deserted island.
All dives in the Maldives are within recreational dive limits and are no deeper than 30 meters (100 ft). However, you need to be comfortable diving in currents as the majority of dives are drift dives. Minimum diving qualifications for this trip are Advanced Open Water and Enriched Air, while the minimum dive experience is 70 logged dives.
You are more than welcome to sign up for the program if you do not yet possess the required dive experience and qualifications, as long as you meet the requirements at the start of the program.
Highlight
One of the highlights of the trip is diving the massive HMS British Loyalty shipwreck. At a length of 140 meters (460 ft), it is the largest shipwreck in the Maldives.
The British Loyalty was an oil tanker built in 1928. During World War II, it was torpedoed twice by Japanese and German submarines. After the first attack in 1942, she was taken to the Maldives to be used as a storage hulk, where she was attacked again two years later. The ship miraculously survived both attacks, but was scuttled after the war had ended. Overgrown with corals and home to a variety of marine life, she now rests on her starboard side at a depth of 33 meters (100 ft). While this is the only historic shipwreck we will dive on this trip, we will try to do multiple dives on the wreck, during which we can explore it completely. During these dives, you will be involved in creating an archaeological site assessment of the wreck, which is a valuable tool in underwater archaeology and heritage management.
The program includes the following components:
- Up to 33 dives
- Shipwreck site assessment
- Creating marine foodwebs
- Shark ID
- Assessing shark populations
- Underwater photography/videography
- Maritime history of the Maldives
- Historic cartography and ship logs
- Cultural heritage management
- Maldivian marine biology and ecology
- Marine ecology methods
- Shark ecology and identification
- Underwater photo and video workshops
- Up to 33 dives
- Shipwreck site assessment
- Creating marine foodwebs
- Shark ID
- Assessing shark populations
- Underwater photography/videography
- Maritime history of the Maldives
- Historic cartography and ship logs
- Cultural heritage management
- Maldivian marine biology and ecology
- Marine ecology methods
- Shark ecology and identification
- Underwater photo and video workshops
Program Details
We will spend the first night in a hotel in Malé. During the expedition, we will spend 12 nights on board the Carpe Novo liveaboard vessel. This custom-designed liveaboard was built with divers in mind to bring you the very best diving experience possible. The vessel boasts an experienced boat crew, dive team, and chefs to ensure the highest standards of service.
Carpe Novo features 12 cabins allowing comfortable accommodation for up to 22 guests. These are categorised into 6 standard cabins, 4 junior suites, and 2 single suites. The vessel features a spacious lounge, outside dining area, and large sundeck to soak up some Maldivian sun in between dives. There is also a dedicated camera station on board. Carpe Novo has a separate dive boat from which we dive and where our dive equipment lives during the trip. This means there is more space on board the main vessel.
On board Carpe Novo, you will be spoiled with three delicious meals per day and snacks to keep you energized for diving. There will be plenty of tasty fresh produce and a mix of Western and local cuisines. The Maldives is known for its incredible seafood.
- Participants to the expedition are required to be certified scuba divers and hold at least a PADI Advanced Open Water and Enriched Air certification with 70 logged dives prior to the start of the trip.
- Participants are required to have dive insurance for the duration of the course. Our recommendation is DAN (Divers Alert Network) insurance.
The course fee is USD 5,850.
Included is the following
- 12 nights accommodation on Carpe Novo (twin share; enquire about single cabins)
- Full board including breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks (including a beach BBQ)
- 1 night in a hotel in Malé (twin share, single is possible at a surcharge)
- Unlimited tea, coffee, and drinking water
- Deck towels, bath towels and liquid soap
- Up to 3 dives per day (+ occasional night dive)
- All presentations and workshops
- Nitrox
- Airport transfers
- Nature fees
Not included is the following
- Flights (international and domestic)
- Dive- and travel insurance (mandatory)
- Alcoholic beverages
- Boat crew gratuities
- Equipment rental
Our programs tend to fill up quickly so it is advised to apply as far in advance as possible. An application form can be downloaded here, and once filled out, emailed to info@theshipwrecksurvey.com. Once the application form is received, we will send you payment details for a deposit to confirm your spot.
The liveaboard vessel departs from Malé, the capital of the Maldives (airport code MLE). There are numerous options to get there from many major airports in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Itineraries from North America usually only require one stop. Our cruising route will take us to Gan on Addu Atoll, where we will disembark. You will have to take a domestic flight from Gan (airport code GAN) back to Malé.
For this project, we are partnering with Dr. Twan Stoffers, a renowned marine biologist and fish ecologist who specializes in shark conservation.
sign up for an adventure of a lifetime
sign up for an adventure of a lifetime
