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 | Fair | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Fair | Prime |
Season follows Ari & Rasdhoo Atolls: Dry NE monsoon (Dec-Apr) brings the calmest seas and clearest water; the SW monsoon (Jun-Oct) lowers visibility but pushes plankton onto the western sides, the best manta months.
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
Pinnacle
South-side overhangs with gorgonian fans and black corals
Pinnacle
An estimated sixteen resident grey reef sharks
Pinnacle
A pinnacle eroded into five separate pieces, 12 m to 40 m
Wreck
Upright cargo wreck, deck at 21 m and sand at 28 m
Pinnacle
Blue sponges and black-coral overhangs on a small pinnacle
Pinnacle
Shallow top reef from 5 m, with anthias over the safety stop
Cave & cavern
Two swim-through caverns, at 18-20 m and 28-30 m
Wreck
40 m supply boat at 20 m, sheltered enough for night dives
Similar dives elsewhere
Up to 30 manta rays reported over one cleaning-station boulder
Overhangs on the channel side shelter stingrays and nurse sharks
A narrow swim-through and mantas on a current-split point
Two protected manta cleaning stations on a plateau of coral blocks