Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls · Maldives · Pinnacle · Channel & pass
Bathala Maga Khan Thila
Ocean-facing pinnacle at the mouth of Bathala channel
Area photo: John Hepburn · CC BY 4.0
A pinnacle at the entrance of the Bathala channel in North Ari, facing the open ocean. That position is the whole point: the water arriving off the ocean sets up conditions for grey reef sharks and napoleon wrasse. The reef starts at around 7 metres in the south and ends at 30, and strong currents can occur from time to time.
Where it is and how deep
4.0597° N, 72.9562° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The thila sits at the entrance of the Bathala channel with its face to the ocean, so the dive is read from the water rather than the map: where the flow is coming from decides which side you drop on and which way you work around. The reef begins at about 7 metres at its southern end and runs down to 30, so there is a shallow shoulder to finish on above whatever depth the plan takes you to first.
The exposure is what brings the animals. The ocean-facing position sets up the conditions grey reef sharks like, and they are the fish the site is dived for, with napoleon wrasse working the same reef. Strong currents can occur from time to time, and on those days the dive is about settling into one spot on the reef and watching rather than trying to cover the whole pinnacle.
Marine life and season
- Reef sharks
- Napoleon wrasse
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Prime |
Season follows Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls: The seas are calmest from December to May, but manta numbers peak from August to November.
Know before you go
- Strong currents can occur from time to time on an exposed, ocean-facing pinnacle with little shelter; the group stays tight and the guide picks the side.
Sources
- Bathala Maga Khan Thila — Scubago
More dive sites in Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls
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The best-known whale shark spot on South Ari's outer reef
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Upright cargo wreck, deck at 21 m and sand at 28 m
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Shallow top reef from 5 m, with anthias over the safety stop
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An estimated sixteen resident grey reef sharks
Similar dives elsewhere
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Overhangs on the channel side shelter stingrays and nurse sharks
Up to 30 manta rays reported over one cleaning-station boulder
Round channel thila at the atoll's eastern end, 5 m down to 35 m