Meemu Atoll · Maldives · Wreck · Reef
Rayvilla Wreck
A 30 m wooden dhoni on the sand at 20–33 m, open enough to enter
Area photo: Sutirtha Das wiki · CC BY-SA 4.0
Rayvilla is the wooden wreck of a transport dhoni lying on the south side of a giri in the west of Meemu Atoll, between 20 and 33 m. The hull is about 30 m long, went down in 1979 and is described as easy to dive inside, which makes it a deep, compact wreck dive rather than a reef tour.
Also known as Rayvilla (Wreck).
Where it is and how deep
2.9854° N, 73.4111° EPublished position for this site.
The dive
The descent is onto the giri and then down its south side, where the dhoni rests on the bottom. The shallowest part of the wreck is at 20 m and the deepest at 33 m, so the whole dive sits in the range where no-decompression time is short, and the plan is normally to reach the deep end first and work back up the hull.
The wreck is a wooden transport dhoni about 30 m long that sank in 1979. Scubago describes it as easy to dive inside, and divers with the training can pass through the hull. After the wreck the ascent follows the giri up to shallower reef for the safety stop.
The wreck
- Vessel
- Rayvilla (site name; the dhoni's own name is not published)
- Type
- Wooden transport dhoni
- Length
- 30 m (98 ft)
- Sunk
- 1979
- Cause
- Not published; the source gives only the 1979 sinking
- Lies
- On the south side of a giri at 20–33 m
Marine life and season
The sources we used don't single out particular species here.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prime | Prime | Prime | Prime | Good | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Fair | Good | Prime |
Season follows Meemu Atoll: Calmest seas and clearest water on the north-east monsoon, Nov–Apr. Sources disagree on manta timing at Mantas and More (Dec–May versus May–Dec), so do not plan a trip around it.
Know before you go
- The wreck can be entered; keep to divers with overhead training, stay within sight of an exit and watch for silt off the wooden hull.
- The whole wreck lies between 20 and 33 m, so no-decompression time is short; agree a turn pressure and depth limit before the descent.
Questions divers ask
How deep is the Rayvilla wreck?+
The dhoni lies on the south side of a giri between 20 and 33 m, so it is an Advanced dive with a short bottom time.
Can you go inside the Rayvilla wreck?+
Scubago describes it as easy to dive inside. It is a wooden wreck, so entry should be left to divers with overhead training and a clear exit in sight.
Sources
- Rayvilla (Wreck) — Scubago
More dive sites in Meemu Atoll
Pinnacle
A soft-coral plateau at 10–15 m and caverns down to 30 m on one thila
Wall
Coral walls to 35 m turning into a sheer drop to the blue, cut with overhangs
Reef
Manta cleaning stations at 10–15 m, with 8–9 mantas at once on a good day
Pinnacle
A 4 m coral top, soft coral at 15–25 m and almost no current
Channel & pass
Rays and sharks on the descent to 30 m, then a soft-coral overhang on the drift
Coral garden
Soft, leather and fan corals with sponges at 15–25 m, and no current
Reef
Grey reef sharks and silvertips resting on the slope at 15–25 m
Cave & cavern
A cavern about 10 m high running from 15 to 30 m
Similar dives elsewhere
The 27 m liveaboard Atlantis X, bow at 16 m
The largest wreck in the Maldives, on her port side at 33 m
Tiles still in the holds, bow at 3 m and stern at 26 m
Three swim-throughs, and sometimes 15 to 20 groupers inside