Manta Rays in Hawaii

I just returned from an amazing week in Hawaii, indulging my other passion, scuba diving.  We we were on the Big Island of Hawaii and I got six dives in off the Kona Coast. The unique thing about the diving here is the underwater landscape which is volcanic. Diving through lava tubes - very cool looking for eel and octopi. The wildlife is not the best I have ever seen with one mind-blowing exception - Manta Rays.

The big thing thing to do in Hawaii is a Manta Ray night dive. It is truly one of the most exceptional things I have ever done. A regular dive is you an 4-6 other divers with a dive master poking around the coral looking for fishies. On a Manta night dive, you and 60-70 other divers sit on the bottom in a big tight circle with big flashlights pointing up to the surface. The lights attract the plankton and the plankton attracts the manta rays. You just sit, blow bubbles and watch the show.

I was expecting 1 maybe 2 rays off in the distance. What I got was incredible. 11 freaking great mantas paid us a visit. They ranged in size from 4' babies to a 14' wide Mother of All Manta Rays. They swooped around the circle scooping up the plankton off the lights. They literally grazed you as you sat there, skimming inches over your head. You can feel the beat of their wings as they go over you. The most amazing thing was seeing a massive manta head directly towards you, mouth wide open then curve up in front you and do a loop over your head.

Here's a little clip c/o Youtube of someone else's trip to the same place, You will get the picture.