I visted Aldabra in 1997 onboard the Fantasea II a live aboard dive vessel. We flew from Mahe to Assumption on light aircraft. It was more like an expedition than a vacation. As we flew over the main channel leading into the lagoon I was immediatley under the spell of Aldabra. Spell being the write word as the main channel branches out like two arms and then like a hand with long witch like fingers. After our pass over Aldabra we made are approach to the runway on Assumption a short distance by plane. Assumption was sureal as all the vegatation has been long since stripped away when mindless greed sought the fertile droppings of centuries of sea bird habitation.

I was one of only 36 people that year to have the grand pleasure of diving and walking on these timeless treasures of Aldabra, Assumption, Astove and Cosmaldo. I've dove in some world class locations in the world but nothing can compare to the adventure that is felt in such a remote and untouched place as is offered by these islands. Every kind of dive experience can be had at Aldabra. Drift dives at break neck speed through the channel to wall dives and cave exploration. Fish of gigantic porpotions, manta rays, dolphins, sharks , and more turtles than I have ever seen in one place. The lagoon is like swimming in an aquirium and the channels are like riding a roller coaster on the currents. All the time turtles and the occasional shark pass by like fighter planes at super sonic speed.Aldabra lagoon at low tide is like being on another planet.At high tide the islands in the the lagoon look just like that small island but at low tide the whole lagoon is transformed by these mushroom islands. In geologic time the ebb and flow of the tides has left the islands attached by a stem. One night we anchored the zodiac in the main channel and sank down with the tide.It was like we were in a lock and damm. It was awsome to see because the lagoon was cascading down the sides of the channel like one long waterfall running down the sides of a canyon.

This is truely a magical place and I hope to return back one day and find it as I remember it. I just hope the warming tempatures in the Indian Ocean will cease and the damage that I fear has already happened will reverse itself

in time.