Manta Ridge

Overview

Manta Ridge lies east of Arborek Island in the Dampier Strait, according to Bird's Head Seascape, whose GPS point marks a spot on the shallow hard coral ridge that is at times awash and where the current is normally weaker. La Galigo Liveaboard describes it as one of Raja Ampat's most sought-after sites, known for encounters with both reef and oceanic manta rays at cleaning stations where the mantas wait for cleaner wrasse. Papua Diving describes a shallow reef with a steep drop-off where divers use reef hooks to hold steady while manta rays cruise in the current, and lists the site as 30 minutes away by boat. Papua Diving and Raja Ampat Biodiversity Nature Resort list Manta Ridge and Manta Sandy as separate sites.

The dive

Bird's Head Seascape and La Galigo Liveaboard give the same plan: enter on the ridge top, swim west with the reef on the right, then settle and hook in to watch the mantas. La Galigo Liveaboard says the ridge top is sometimes a few metres below the surface and sometimes exposed, and that the current is normally milder on this hard coral ridge, which makes it a good entry point. In its account, most of the manta activity takes place between 6 and 17 metres, and the dive ends by heading north to the shallows for a 5-metre safety stop.

Raja Ampat Biodiversity Nature Resort similarly describes spending the dive in about 6 metres of water while oceanic and reef mantas swim around, with reef hooks used because the currents can be strong. If the mantas are absent, the resort says divers can drift along the ridge and up onto the top flats instead.

Currents and hazards

Bird's Head Seascape notes that the site is prone to very strong current and advises using a reef hook to stay on site. Both Bird's Head Seascape and La Galigo Liveaboard warn of down currents on the ridge's southern slope, especially during the ascent, and Bird's Head Seascape advises swimming north to the shallows before surfacing. Accounts of current strength vary: La Galigo Liveaboard lists the typical current as strong to very strong, PADI's dive-site page (contributed by Meridian Adventure) says currents can be strong, and Raja Ampat Biodiversity Nature Resort gives a range from mild to strong. La Galigo Liveaboard stresses good buoyancy control along the ridge, particularly around the cleaning stations.

Depth, visibility and level

Raja Ampat Biodiversity Nature Resort lists the depth as 3 to 20 metres and PADI's page gives a maximum depth of 20 metres, while La Galigo Liveaboard gives a maximum of around 40 metres. Visibility reports also differ: La Galigo Liveaboard says it is typically 20 to 30 metres, while Sunrise Divers, writing about Manta Sandy and Manta Ridge together, says it is 5 to 15 metres most of the time. Papua Diving rates the site advanced, Raja Ampat Biodiversity Nature Resort lists it as intermediate to advanced, and PADI's page names Advanced Open Water Diver as useful training.

Season and marine life

Raja Ampat Biodiversity Nature Resort calls Manta Ridge a seasonal dive, with mantas arriving from October to April, while PADI's page gives the season as typically November to April. La Galigo Liveaboard reports yellow pilot fish swimming with the mantas, along with cobias, remoras, golden trevallies, bumphead parrotfish, blacktip reef sharks and turtles. Raja Ampat Biodiversity Nature Resort also mentions sharks and bumphead parrotfish on the way to the hook-up area.