Maldives Photo Gallery

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Maldives Anemonefish

Amphiprion frenatus

Red Big-Eye in Soft Coral

Blueface Angelfish

Coral Rock Cod

Peter Hughes Ocean Dancer

Rainbow Fusiliers

Hawksbill Turtle in Repose

Giant Moray Eel

Napoleon Wrasse

Wheel House of the Victory

Hard Corals Are Recovering

Captain David Mesnard

Maldives Reef Scene

Window to a Watery World

Oriental Sweetlips and Friends

Titan Triggerfish

Giant Tridacna Clam

Videographer and Schooling Snapper

Whale Shark Rising

David Mesnard and the Whale Shark

Whale Shark in the Sun

Returning to the Surface







Photos From the Previous Century -- The images that follow are the result of my previous trips to the Maldives. Shot in the darker ages of technology, they employed something called "film," and were scanned for a dial-up Internet world that connected at a screaming 14.4 kilobytes per second. (Heck, my first modem operated at 1200 baud. That kind of connection would have today's average web surfer screaming for sure.) Anyway, I've left these photos in the gallery for their historical value, and because they do show some additional representative views of Maldives diving. Enjoy! KDK

• Maldives Moment

Why trek half way around the world to dive the Maldives?  Peek through this underwater window along with model Ann Ricciardi, and you will begin to see why.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Reef Scene with Moray Eel

This beautiful scene shows the diversity of life on the reef in the Maldives.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Magnificent Fire Dartfish

I didn't call him "magnificent," that's in his name! See eye to eye with this little beauty.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Meyer's Butterfly Fish

Meyer is a lucky guy to have his or her name attached to this exquisite fish.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Underwater Artist at Play

Here's another soft coral packed image from the Maldives. The photographer is diving legend Chet Tussey, progenitor of the Tussey Housing. That funny looking model is me!
Photo by: Chet Tussey / Tussey Underwater Systems
• Black-Spotted Moray Eel

He may not be endemic to the region, but I had never seen this particular eel before the Maldives.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• An Orange Scalefin Anthias

It is said that the Red Sea received its appelation due to the schools of thousands of these fishes swarming near the surface. Captivated, I am on a mission to photograph full frame images of these jewels of the sea. Here you will see the object of my quest.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Who are you calling a Predator?

This awesome blackfin tuna circled me from a distance of just a few feet. He smiled - the camera fired - I smiled.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Longnose Filefish

This tiny critter is less than an inch long, and quite shy. Often found in groups of 4 or 5, they rarely stop moving when under a divers scrutiny.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Jeweled Grouper on a Bejeweled Reef

The reefs in the Maldives are covered in a cornicopia of living color. Here a coral grouper enters from stage right, as sponges, fishes, encrusting corals, and various invertebrates fight for their place in the sun.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Upper Deck of the M/V Madivaru 7

This is where you can relax between dives. Every afternoon they served us coffee, tea, and cookies up here. In the evenings it was the place for beer and sincere dive lies.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Sonambulent Parrotfish

During the day parrotfish are constantly in action, charged with the task of turning coral into sand. They are wary of divers and difficult to photograph. At night, though, they find a place to tuck themselves into the reef, and seem to sleep. Easily approached on a night dive, they are sometimes observed to blow a bubble of mucous around themselves to conceal their scent from night-hunting predators.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams

Capturing the Current
A flying buttress of hard coral juts out off the wall into the current. Colorful soft corals have affixed themselves there so as to filter the current for microscopic life and sustenance.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams

School of Collared Butterfly Fish
Often encountered in large active schools, these Collared Butterfly Fish (C. collare) are endemic to the reefs of the Indian Ocean.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams

• Regal Angelfish

A visit with the royal family...
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Flowery Flounder

At birth, like most other fishes a flounder has eyes on either side of its head. As it matures, one eye "migrates" to join the other, and the fish becomes a bottom dweller.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Maldivian Fishing Boat

Born on the sea, the Maldivians are excellent boat builders and fishermen. The design of their water craft is reminiscent of their Phoenician heritage.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• The Art of Camouflage

The Scorpionfish is the master of the art of camouflage. It takes a practiced eye to find one. They are painful to touch, but beautiful to behold. So you'd better start practicing.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Saddleback Butterfly Fish

Butterflyfishes are most always found in pairs. They are exceedingly wary of intruders. When threatened, the pair will split up and swim off at a tangent to one another. When the pressure is off, they soon regroup and renew their promenading.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Trumpet Fish on the Hunt

Trumpetfish are clever hunters. I have seen one swim in tandem with a parrotfish (which eats coral and algae...not other fishes). The trumpetfish will mold its body and match its colors to that of the parrotfish, using it as a blind to more easily approach its intended prey.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Arhictectural Diagrams of the M/V Madivaru 7

The new 100' M/V Madivaru 7 is the best live aboard dive boat currently operating in the Maldives. Here are some cutaway drawings to give you a better idea what the vessel is like.
Scan courtesy of: Jack Krohn / Phantom Graphics
• Camera Table on the M/V Madivaru 7

They had a pretty good camera table set-up, with plenty of work room on top, and storage underneath. There is a Jobo photo processing system aboard. They ask that you request it in advance of your cruise, so that they can have the chemicals aboard. Would have been nice if we'd know that before we got there! But now at least you know...
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Starfish

The world of invertebrate life on the reef is even more diverse than the fishes. Don't consider them insignificant just because they move more slowly. This photo shows a broad range of colorful sponges, corals, and more.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Yellowhead Butterflyfish

This particular butterfly fish is endemic to the Indian Ocean.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• Titan Triggerfish

Forget sharks and baracuda... When its nest is incubating eggs, the Titan Triggerfish becomes the fish to be feared. Rushing at you teeth first, it will chase divers, and other fishes of any size away from its precious eggs.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams
• An Uninhabited Island Paradise

During our surface interval, we took the small dinghy and ran off to photograph this beautiful, unihabited island. Captured in the warm afternoon light, this lovely scene is quite typical of the Maldives.
Photo by: Ken Knezick / Island Dreams

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