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Imagine freediving in the warm, clear waters of Hawaii, when suddenly, a mysterious dark shape emerges in the distance. It slowly approaches, and reveals itself as a manta ray, gliding through Hawaii’s expansive ocean currents. It slowly turns towards you, gracefully moving with only the slightest effort. Its eyes lock with yours, and the manta decides to investigate, wondering what this strange creature is. This is your chance. How can you make the most out of this encounter so you can get that photo or interaction only seen in wildlife documentaries? For that, we have to learn a little bit about mantas and proper manta diving etiquette. Once you learn these tips, you'll have the opportunity to build your very own personal relationship with these wild animals.
Reef manta rays (Mobula Alfredi) have the largest body to brain ratio of any fish, and with this intelligence, they are sensitive and inquisitive creatures. Each manta seems to have a unique personality; some are incredibly shy, while others are willing to spend hours with you. These giant creatures feed on tiny plankton floating in the water, and they are constantly seeking food. So, unlike other predators, these mantas don't really hunt, and therefore, don’t behave like predators. They also don't have any defenses, because unlike their cousin, the stingray, manta rays are completely harmless and have no barbs on their tails.
Manta rays do have the means to protect themselves on a microscopic scale because they have a mucus coating that protects them from microbes. Unfortunately, this coating is fairly easy to remove with human hands, which can lead to infections or the rapid peeling of skin called “sloughing” (pronounced “sluffing”), which results in visible damage to the ray’s skin. What does this mean for you as a diver? It means they are inquisitive, but cautious, and don't appreciate being touched, approached aggressively, or chased. However, there are ways to interact with this gentle giant.
If you spot a manta ray, take some time and just observe it. They will often swim within a few meters of you to investigate what you are. If you're in a place where they congregate for food or cleaning, they usually stick around. There are locations on the reef that are designated “cleaning stations” for large creatures like manta rays, the rays need the tiny fish who operate the cleaning station to remove parasites off their skin. These are great places to watch mantas during the daytime.
For beginner divers, swimming in the same direction and not at them is your best option. Even though they are large creatures, you don't want to make them feel like prey. Instead, you want to try and make yourself one of them. For more advanced divers with a decent breath hold, diving down and waiting for the manta rays to approach you can lead to some amazing interactions. Allowing the rays to approach you uses their curiosity to your advantage because they will get very close. It's a magical experience to have a giant manta ray’s eyeball within a few feet of your face – you quickly realize you need to evade its massive wingspan as it flies right over you.
Manta rays appear to have a blind spot over the back half of their body closest to the tail. If you approach them straight down as they swim by, you can sometimes succeed and swim a few feet over the top of them. If done well, you can feel like a member of the manta ray squadron. However, you must use great care, because you should never cut off a manta ray from above or below. If you get in front of a manta ray suddenly, they will often turn away and never be seen again.
Swimming with these gentle giants can be a life-changing experience. They are both beautiful and intimidating due to their size, however, they are very intelligent fish and deserve respect and care.