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Mantas, Wow!

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    Generosa Litton
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Map of manta sandy dive siteSource: Papua Paradise Eco Resort

One of the sea creatures that I looked forward to seeing were the giant oceanic mantas a.k.a "birds.". One site where you are guaranteed to see these majestic creatures is called Manta Sandy located between Airborek Island and Mansuar Island towards the Dampier Straits west end.

After situating ourselves in the watch spot about 50 feet down, a giant Manta swam by after about 20 minutes. This one gentle giant stayed with us for about five minutes. Then after a lull of another 20 minutes, we were about to swim away when not one, not two, not three, but four mantas swam by at one time and were interacting with one another.

I didn't bring my camera to this dive, just my GoPro so check out the video below where you can see all four mantas in separate occasions.

⣿⡿⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣆⠀⠈⠉⠛⠻⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠉⠙⠛⠿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⢋⣤⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢀⡀⠀⠀⠈⠉⠉⠀⠘⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣆⠀⠀⠀⠀⢸⡇⠸⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠛⠿⠟⣠⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡄⠀⠀⠀⠈⣷⡀⠙⠧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⣾⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣧⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠻⠆⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢠⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢻⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠰⣦⡀⠙⠻⠶⠆⠀⠀⢿⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠛⠳⠶⠶⠀⠀⠀⠘⣿⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⡿⠛⠋⣁⣠⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⢻⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⡿⠁⣤⣶⣿⣿⣿⣦⣤⣤⣤⣤⣤⣤⣀⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⣿⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⠃⣼⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣷⣦⣤⣀⠀⠀⠀⠸⣿⣿ ⣿⣿⡏⢸⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣶⣄⡀⢿⣿ ⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣿⣾⣿

Cool eh?