Scuba diving

Diving with Manta Rays - Once in a Lifetime Experience

“Manta Village“, located in the Keauhou area on the West Coast of the Big Island of Hawaii, is a famous dive site known for its calm and clear waters. It’s perfect for snorkeling and scuba diving. But what draws people to this place more than that are Manta Rays. These amazing creatures are one of the largest fishes you can encounter in the ocean, some individuals reach up to 5 meters wide. The Kona Coast is the best place to spot them; just offshore of the Sheraton Kona resort or near the Kona International Airport (site known as “Manta Heaven“), those graceful swimmers feed on larval zooplankton attracted by lights. James L. Wing , one of the first professional photographers at “Manta Village”, began capturing videos of Manta Rays in 1991 when a local boat operator started to regularly schedule Manta Rays night dives at the Keauhou location. Since then, he and his wife Martina have dedicated their life to these big, graceful and harmless creatures. Check them out.

11. 12. 2014

In 1998, Martina, from Germany, decided to travel to the Big Island to do some scuba diving. While there, she scheduled a night dive with the Manta Rays, and it was a mesmerizing and life-changing event. After watching a video of the experience that James taped, she was hooked!

James L.Wing

Martina Wing

"As I watched the video of the Manta Rays “gliding“ over my head, I was excited, overwhelmed, and transfixed by their beauty!" - Martina Wing

Known worldwide as the “Manta Man” and “Manta Woman”, marine photographers James L. Wing and his wife Martina have over two decades of Scuba Diving Experience with Manta Rays along the Kona Coast. Their work has been prominently featured in the New York Times, New York Post, San Francisco Chronicle, and the Honolulu Advertiser in addition to numerous other dive and travel publications. Their video has been seen on the Discovery Channel, BBC, National Geographic, the Travel Channel, TNT, ESPN and A & E. And not to forget Martina‘s video imagery of “Dolphin Rescue Hawaii” was an Internet sensation garnering 15 Mill. views on YouTube. Although their marine subjects also include whales, dolphins and reef inhabitants of all kinds, the Manta Rays remain their specialty.

"The process used to attract the Manta Rays is a scientific principle called Classical Conditioning. Simply put: over time, the Manta Rays began to associate light with their natural food source. Kona is the only place in the world where you can be an arm’s length away from this truly magnificent and beautiful creature. This experience makes Hawaii unique in all the world."

Acknowledged as the authority on Manta Rays and human interaction, James has more hours underwater with Manta Rays than anyone in the world. He has consulted with the Sheraton Kona concerning the Manta Rays and has also lectured at the resort. Together with Martina, they visit the Manta Village and Manta Heaven sites almost every night throughout the year. But don't be mistaken, they are not activity providers or boat owners, they provide video and photo services aboard a multitude of tour boats that frequent the Manta Ray feeding areas. Check with www.MantaRayGreenList.com before you book your trip or better yet, get in touch with James or Martina to get a recommendation on a tour operator to avoid those who do not abide by Manta Tour Operator Standards. Providers that operate outside the standards can potentially expose the Mantas to injury or even death. See the Manta Rays, but “do it green.“

Manta Rays are feeding on larval zooplankton attracted by onshore lights

The Experience

Once the boats arrive at their destination, a thorough briefing is given on:

The Creature
Safety: Entry, Exit, Staying with your group
Snorkeling and Scuba Diving at night
Equipment use
Suggestions for optimal viewing and
Guidelines for passive interaction with the Manta Rays

Before your adventure begins, underwater lights are setup shortly after sunset to attract zooplankton. James and Martina will then capture you snorkeling (or scuba diving) and create a fully-edited Blu Ray, DVD, or video download of your adventure. They also take pictures. These are made available for purchase. Take advantage of their state-of-the-art, High Definition cameras and professional editing to capture this one-in-a-lifetime experience. You will be the envy of friends and family.

As soon as it is dark enough for the plankton to form, everyone enters the water. Divemasters bring the scuba divers to a central viewing area where the Manta Rays congregate. The divers position themselves on the bottom and shine their lights upwards towards the surface. The snorkelers from each boat are guided to the illuminated areas as well. This creates an other-worldly, lighted, underwater „arena“, reminiscent of movies like “The Abyss“ or “Close Encounters of the Third Kind“. As you float above or view from below, you see real creatures from the Jurassic era glide in and mesmerize you. It is common for people to say, “that was the most incredible experience I’ve ever had!“ This in-water activity lasts about 45-60 minutes. Sounds fantastic, doesn't it? Be sure to book this activity in advance. Demand is extremely high.

If you are looking for a once-in-a-lifetime adventure, this is it! James and Martina have over 35 years of experience with the Kona Manta Rays, so get in touch with them via their official website for insider information and guidance.

Source: http://www.MantaAdvocatesHawaii.com

11. 12. 2014