Pecos Hank | MOBBED BY MANTA RAYS!!! @PecosHank | Uploaded August 2024 | Updated October 2024, 1 week ago.
We were mobbed by hundreds of Manta Rays in the Maldives. After swimming into a swarm of plankton, countless manta rays suddenly appeared and plowed right through us.
Support this channel here
patreon.com/pecoshank
COPYRIGHT PECOS HANK 2024
NOT FOR REBROADCAST
To license video contact hankschyma@gmail.com
SNORKELING WITH MANTAS In the Maldives
We flew to the other side of the planet hoping to find manta rays In the Maldives. Our manta guides warned the stormy conditions were not ideal
and only a few mantas had been spotted on the previous outing.
They seemed genuinely concerned about charging us $165 each (not including taxes and tips) and not finding anything. But we ended up hitting the jackpot! After 15 minutes or so of swimming into the strong currents around Hanifaru Bay, the water turned murky with tiny debris. We paddled right into their plankton soup. And that’s when things went kinda crazy. An estimated 150 manta rays swam right past us. As large and scary as they might seem to some people, I felt completely safe. During heavier traffic, some of the mantas accidentally bumped into us, however for the most part, they try to steer away from you.. Sorta. A fe times their fans slapped us and you could feel their tail drag across your body. Not to worry though, they don't have stingers.
MANTA RAY FACTS and INFORMATION
Reef Manta rays are massive fish attaining wingspans around 12 feet. Their larger cousins the oceanic manta ray can attain wingspans up to 22 feet. Even bigger according to some tales. When filter feeding, mantas unroll their cephalic fins to help guide plankton into their gaping mouths .
When not feeding, they coil their cephalic fins back up into a more streamlined horn shape and man can they fly. The dual horn look earned them the name “devil fish” in some parts of the world. “Manta” however, means “blanket” or “cloak” in Spanish and it’s easy to see how they got that name too. They have one of the largest brain-to-body mass ratios of any fish and demonstrate high intelligence levels and long term memory abilities. They can map and remember places they visit and pass the mirror test experiments where they are able they can recognize themselves.
REETHI BEACH RESORT
We stayed at the Reethi Beach Resort as it's one of the more reasonably affordable resorts in the Maldives and is not too far from Hanifaru Bay where the Mantas are most likely to hang around. Right off the beach in front of our room a wonderland of marine animals thrive. Not too much farther out the atoll abruptly drops into the dark depths where leviathans lurk in your imagination. Its an amazing place to test yourself how deep you can free dive.
More info later...
MUSIC
"La Malediction de la Dance du Poulet" by Pecos Hank
"Pillbox" by Southern Backtones
We were mobbed by hundreds of Manta Rays in the Maldives. After swimming into a swarm of plankton, countless manta rays suddenly appeared and plowed right through us.
Support this channel here
patreon.com/pecoshank
COPYRIGHT PECOS HANK 2024
NOT FOR REBROADCAST
To license video contact hankschyma@gmail.com
SNORKELING WITH MANTAS In the Maldives
We flew to the other side of the planet hoping to find manta rays In the Maldives. Our manta guides warned the stormy conditions were not ideal
and only a few mantas had been spotted on the previous outing.
They seemed genuinely concerned about charging us $165 each (not including taxes and tips) and not finding anything. But we ended up hitting the jackpot! After 15 minutes or so of swimming into the strong currents around Hanifaru Bay, the water turned murky with tiny debris. We paddled right into their plankton soup. And that’s when things went kinda crazy. An estimated 150 manta rays swam right past us. As large and scary as they might seem to some people, I felt completely safe. During heavier traffic, some of the mantas accidentally bumped into us, however for the most part, they try to steer away from you.. Sorta. A fe times their fans slapped us and you could feel their tail drag across your body. Not to worry though, they don't have stingers.
MANTA RAY FACTS and INFORMATION
Reef Manta rays are massive fish attaining wingspans around 12 feet. Their larger cousins the oceanic manta ray can attain wingspans up to 22 feet. Even bigger according to some tales. When filter feeding, mantas unroll their cephalic fins to help guide plankton into their gaping mouths .
When not feeding, they coil their cephalic fins back up into a more streamlined horn shape and man can they fly. The dual horn look earned them the name “devil fish” in some parts of the world. “Manta” however, means “blanket” or “cloak” in Spanish and it’s easy to see how they got that name too. They have one of the largest brain-to-body mass ratios of any fish and demonstrate high intelligence levels and long term memory abilities. They can map and remember places they visit and pass the mirror test experiments where they are able they can recognize themselves.
REETHI BEACH RESORT
We stayed at the Reethi Beach Resort as it's one of the more reasonably affordable resorts in the Maldives and is not too far from Hanifaru Bay where the Mantas are most likely to hang around. Right off the beach in front of our room a wonderland of marine animals thrive. Not too much farther out the atoll abruptly drops into the dark depths where leviathans lurk in your imagination. Its an amazing place to test yourself how deep you can free dive.
More info later...
MUSIC
"La Malediction de la Dance du Poulet" by Pecos Hank
"Pillbox" by Southern Backtones
