Pacific Manta Rays (Manta Alfredi) are amazing, harmless, and huge. The Manta Rays you will encounter in Kona have an average wingspan of five to eight feet, however larger rays with wingspans that reach the fourteen foot mark have been documented in the area.
While many divers encounter Manta Rays during warm, daylight hours, it is possible to get an even closer look by signing up for a night dive. Mantas have adapted to be both bottom and filter feeders, and the dive operators on Kona, as well as brightly lit areas that draw plankton, have caused the local Mantas to be conditioned to gather in brightly lit areas.
Shy and Harmless
When you sign up for a Manta Ray dive, day or night, you can be fairly certain that you will get a good look at the rays. In fact, an estimated ninety percent or higher number of visitors see plenty of rays each time they venture out.
There is no reason to be afraid of Manta Rays. Although they are large and heavy, and although they have a tail that looks a lot like the tail on a Stingray, these creatures cannot sting you, and they do not have the capability to bite you, either.
While the rays do not pose a danger to divers, we can be a threat to them. Rays are covered in a gelatinous coating that protects them from infection. Touching a ray can leave it unprotected, so enjoy looking – just don’t touch! If you grab a ray or try to block its path, you can cause it to become frightened and flee. This is why divers are encouraged to simply float, and watch the Mantas use their cephalic fins to direct plankton-rich water into their open mouths. As they do this, they perform a beautiful underwater ballet which will hold you absolutely spellbound.
What To Expect
If you head out on any daytime dive in Kona, you will probably see one or two rays, and perhaps more. Dedicated Manta Ray dives normally happen at night, when the Manta and other creatures that are more shy during the day emerge to feed.
Many dive operators offer combined trips for those who wish to dive, and for those who prefer to snorkel. If you have a companion who is not certified, or if you are frightened about venturing into the deep during the hours of darkness, you will probably enjoy one of these trips. Snorkelers cluster around a giant floating ring, hold on, and shine the powerful lights that they are equipped with into the water. Divers remain as still as possible near the bottom, and form a ring of their own, adding the light from their own lamps to the column of light that pours down from the snorkelers above.
As the nutritious plankton and brine shrimp are attracted to the lights, so are the Manta Rays. Many of them have never been frightened by humans, so they will lightly brush up against your body as they feed.
This is an amazing sensation, and one you are certain to remember always. If you want to dive with the Manta Rays, be sure you locate a charter and book in advance, because these are some of the most popular dives Kona has to offer.