We had the privilege to welcome on board Thanda Ko Gyi, a 41 years old birman woman, volunteer for Marine Mega Fauna Foundation (MMF), and founder of Myanmar Ocean Project, an NGO registered this year supported by National Geographic and World Animal Protection.
Her goals within MMF are to study the behaviour of the Mantas, collect data about their migration, and identify/ reference them.
Her goat in Myanmar Ocean project is to protect the archipelago by collecting ghost nets and educating locals.
So she was delighted to come onboard and help us in our big clean up project, to remove as much fishing nets and lines from the dive sites as possible.
Her goals within MMF are to study the behaviour of the Mantas, collect data about their migration, and identify/ reference them.
Her goat in Myanmar Ocean project is to protect the archipelago by collecting ghost nets and educating locals.
So she was delighted to come onboard and help us in our big clean up project, to remove as much fishing nets and lines from the dive sites as possible.
 Anuar joining the boat with his volunteers |  Thanda presenting her Manta protection project to our guests |
We also had the support this week of Anuar Abdullah, a Malaysian marine biologist, foundator of Ocean Quest Global who just started a coral nursery in Mergui Archipelago and gave us an interesting introduction to his award winning technic to protect/ re-grow/ replant coral. What a great project!
That was such an interesting trip when we all learnt a lot about the technics of those 2 brilliant heroes trying to save our blue planet!
That was such an interesting trip when we all learnt a lot about the technics of those 2 brilliant heroes trying to save our blue planet!
The clean-up team removing some pieces of corals and live creatures (mostly crabs) from a removed ghost net
If you want to help Anuar and Thanda with their missions, please check their website and do not hesitate to send picture of Manta you could have spot during your dives on mantamatcher.com. You will help to study their migration and will receive some news of the Manta you spotted. And maybe give it a name!!
Seal-face puffer fish
Seal-face puffer fish
We have been so lucky to have great acounters with oceanic Mantas during 3 dives of our first day!! We identify 4 individuals! And even if the wind has been tough with us with wavy conditions, we managed to spot great creatures like seahorses, pipefish, frogfish, picachu nudis, big jankins sting rays, cuttlefishes mating and the second whale shark of the season!!!
One of the various mantas we spotted around South Twin identified as a new member of the Myanmar database!
 Thecacera nudibranch also called piccachu!  Baby tiger tail seahorse |  Giant Frog Fish |
Thanks Thierry Lagrave for sharing his pictures with us this week when our in house photographer was away!
And big Congratulations to Nell, Yasmin and Lili for becoming nitrox divers!!
We had a great time together, and we hope to all meet you soon!
The smiling sea horse team!
And big Congratulations to Nell, Yasmin and Lili for becoming nitrox divers!!
We had a great time together, and we hope to all meet you soon!
The smiling sea horse team!
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