Coconuts, my grandma informed me just before I left, are the number one threat in the Maldives.

Quite apart from wondering why she was bothering to tell me this, I can only assume she read this on the back of a beer mat, as I can confirm that the Sun offers a far more present and dangerous threat to the average person than a coconut. I found this out the hard way today, and am now a delicate shade of crimson, having basked in the mid-30′s sunshine for maybe a little longer than was sensible. I doubt, however, that many of you will sympathise with me, given the weather most of you will currently be ‘enjoying’.

So from the hustle and bustle of Male to the beautiful tranquility of the atolls: all the postcard pictures you might be thinking of are certainly true of many of the islands here. I arrived two days ago from Male onto a beautiful little place called Dhangethi- a simple and charming community of local Maldivians. Soon after arriving I met the MWSRP teaam- Rich and Adam, who run the programme, and the volunteer team I was soon to be joining, Sian and Ayesha. I can tell already that i’m going to like everybody connected to the programme… each person has a sense of humour and common interest in the welfare of the whale sharks. I can tell you now that I didn’t get much sleep that first night; the idea of swimming with such a magnificent creature had me itching for the morning to arrive.

Our first day was an eye opener for me, but ultimately disapointing as we didn’t see any whale sharks. We did, however, see a manta ray, which was a stunning spectacle in its own right, and for me, who has never dived with anythingof  worthy note, it was especially exciting. Mantas seem to just ‘fly’ gracefully through the water, and it was with all too much ease that it disapeared as quickly as it had come. Nevetheless, my appetite has been whetted and I can’t wait to see my first whale shark.

The day was rounded off with a visit to Vilimandu, an island aimed predominantly towards divers. Rich and Adam gave a presentation to the guests about MWSRP, and although I was familiar with much of what was being said, it brought home to me the importance of the programme and really made me happy to think I was going to contribute towards their vital research.

Touch wood, this time tommorow i’ll have seen my first whale shark! Time to go and apply some after-sun… and watch out for falling coconuts, of course.