![]() How early do I need to be there prior to the boat tours' designated time? One of the other participants got fully sick away from the boat but the crew handled it very professionally.Keauhou Bay located next to the Sheraton resort in Kona. I also had a little issue being in the waves and going up and down in the darkness. It's a short boat ride out, but the darkness set off a little of my motion sickness, So if you're prone to that be sure to take some medication ahead of time. A great activity if your kids can stay up a little later and recover the next day. We had my 65-year-old mom and dad, my 40-year old self and wife, and our eight and 10-year-old with us, and it was never a problem. We ended up seeing 10 or more rays with a near constant show. They work together with the other tours in the same space to attract as many rays as possible. The guides were very knowledgeable and were helpful in getting in. They were able to fit all of us on board and bring us out without a problem. We had an amazing time as the crew was incredibly prepared and accommodating. Kicking disturbs the mantas, and the stress is bad for them. ![]() Staff members will retrieve the noodle and slip it under your legs again. Keep your head down, relax, stay as flat as you can, and allow the water to support your body. If you do lose your noodle, don't panic or kick. It's much easier to keep in place that way, and if your knees are at the surface, the rest of your legs will be also.Ģ. Try putting it just below your knees instead. The staff had us put the pool noodles under our ankles, but in that location, it's easy to lose the noodle. This keeps our bodies away from the mantas, which is for their protection, not ours. We watched by lining up on either side of a board, holding on to it and floating stretched out away from it, with flotation devices like pool noodles under our ankles. The patterns on their backs fluoresce in the light, so they're easy to see. They move so smoothly they hardly seem to be propelling themselves. It was wonderful to watch the mantas swim. It was fascinating to see their gills from the inside as well as the outside. I was amazed at how clean and empty their large mouths were. This meant that as the manta rays turned over and swam upside down just under the light board - only a few inches away from us - we could look right down their throats. ![]() I especially appreciated the small group size - eight people - which meant that we were able to watch the mantas without getting in each other's way. We couldn't have asked for a better trip. We recommend using the facilities near the check-in location before departure. However, please be aware that there are no bathrooms available. On board, you will find dry storage compartments, life jackets, and other flotation devices. Alongside its exhilarating high-speed rides, the boat offers comfort and enjoyment. Please note that the boats are not wheelchair accessible.ĭesigned for speed and efficiency, the Moana Lou ensures swift transportation to and from your destination. With a capacity for 16 passengers, it is operated by a lifeguard-certified crew. The Moana Lou is a Rigid Inflatable Boat (RIB) that features seating along the sides and seating with backrests in the middle. For all manta tours, free snorkeling is not permitted as it will disrupt the feeding behaviors of the mantas and possibly scare them from the dive site for the evening. If you like, you will be provided with a pool noodle to help you with keeping your legs floating at the surface as to not disrupt the mantas feeding behavior. Very little snorkeling effort is required. You float at the surface and simply just watch as the mantas come in to feed on the plankton. These lights will draw in the schools of plankton, which is the food source of the manta ray. How It WorksOnce you are in the water, you will be holding onto a floating board outfitted with underwater lights. Having one barrel roll inches from you is the ultimate experience. Watching them swim somersaults or barrel rolls is a magnificent sight to see. They use their giant funnel shaped mouths to scoop plankton as they swoop about the reef. They are filter feeders, feeding on plankton. They are a docile animal, very curious by nature and are known to come in close to divers. Unlike most other ray species, they do not have any sort of barb or stinger on their tail making them completely harmless. On average their wingspan is 8 ft across but can be as large as 12 ft across. About the Manta RaysThe coastal Manta Ray is among the largest of the ray family and one of the largest fishes in the world.
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