DIANI, KENYA -- With clouds above and choppy waves battering the boat, my diving trip in Kenya didn't seem to be starting on a good note. The boat jumped over the waves and thumped against the water, while rain spattered the 25 wet-suit-wearing divers on board. I felt slightly seasick as I recalled that a fishing boat capsized here in 2001, killing four people.
The captain navigated wildly -- if effectively -- through a mlango, Kiswahili for "gate," a gap in the reef where boats exit the lagoon through deep water. Finally, we made it to calmer seas and the divers broke into applause. My queasiness subsided as I remembered what brought me here: a barrier reef and tropical waters teeming with marine life -- manta rays, turtles, dolphins and even the elusive whale shark -- in one of the least-known, but most spectacular, dive sites in the world.
We were in Diani, a beach along the Kenyan coast about 500 kilometres east of Nairobi. Despite the area's natural beauty, these days its five-star resorts are semi-deserted. The area has been hurt not just by local crime and a lack of marketing, but also by the post-9/11 climate. The U.S. State Department has issued advisories against unnecessary travel to Kenya and other parts of East Africa owing to concerns about terrorism. Canada's Department of Foreign Affair, meanwhile, warns Canadians to "maintain a high level of personal security awareness at all times and in all places, but particularly in Nairobi and in tourist areas of the coast of Kenya." A 1998 car bombing at the U.S. embassy in Nairobi killed 219 people, and a 2002 attack at a hotel close to Mombasa killed 10 Kenyans and three Israeli tourists.
Yet Kenya's coastal population relies on tourism to make a living, according to Ralph Winter, manager of Diving the Crab, the firm that organized our trip. "If 40 per cent of tourism-related jobs are no longer in existence, you can imagine how many people are affected," he said.
We divers -- an international group of mostly Germans, French and Italians -- chose to ignore the advisories for a chance at underwater paradise. We were heading to a wreck -- an old fishing trawler -- that the dive centre sank in 2002 at a depth of about 30 metres. All the dive sites along Diani lie parallel to the coastline, 500 to 700 metres from the shore, part of a 180-kilometre-long barrier reef.
Diving takes place beyond the reef, where the must-see creatures live. It is an ideal location for beginners, since dangerous sharks are rare here. But the site also appeals to experienced divers, especially those craving a glimpse of the whale shark. At up to 10 tonnes, they are the largest-known fish; they allow divers who encounter them to get very close before they swim away, and they have never been known to attack humans. Among scuba pros, seeing a whale shark is a prized goal.
While doing our buddy checks, I began to feel nauseated again. I sat quietly with my gear on, waiting for my group's turn. The ultimate cure for seasickness is jumping in; fortunately, it was only a few moments before we hit the water.
Every diver has a favourite moment; mine is right after jumping in, when my head is completely underwater and I start breathing through my regulator. As I descended into the waters off Diani with my group, the water got murkier and chillier and the prow of the wreck came into view. Schools of tropical fish surrounded us. Swimming around the wreck, we saw barnacles, trumpet fish, bat fish, guitar fish, soldier fish, bigeye fish, banner fish, angler fish, frog fish, jack fish, snapper, sweetlips, grouper, barracuda, scorpion fish and a resident lion fish.
Our time underwater flew by; after 40 minutes, we emerged for our surface interval -- the time required above water between dives to rid the body of excess nitrogen from breathing underwater.
The rainy weather had given way to bright sunshine. On the boat, the friendly dive guides and instructors offered us fresh fruit and coconut to re-energize. We relaxed and soaked up the sun for a little more than an hour before gearing up for our second and last dive of the day.
We moved to a reef called Kisima Mungu. As we descended once more, we caught a glimpse of a three-legged green turtle as it swam away. We next encountered a pilot fish, which looks a bit like a barracuda. It tried to bite our fins; for a moment, we worried that it was in fact a barracuda looking for prey. But after a few minutes it departed.
As we left, I kept thinking of the family of dolphins I'd got accustomed to seeing during the breaks on board, and I made plans to return. Although I didn't see any whale sharks on my first trip, I did see them on a second visit to Diani. I only hope more international travellers and divers consider Kenya as a vacation destination; Diani is one of the most beautiful and serene places I have ever been.
Pack your bags
GETTING THERE
SN Brussels flies direct between Brussels and Mombasa. Otherwise, take East African Safari Airlines or Kenya Airways from Nairobi to Mombasa.
Many major airlines fly to Nairobi from European cities, including KLM, Lufthansa and British Airways. East African also has flights to Nairobi from Paris, Rome and other cities.
GETTING AROUND
Mombasa Airport is on the mainland, but the town of Mombasa is on an island.
Rent a car or take a taxi from the airport, and a ferry from Mombasa town to Diani, on the south coast.
Matutus -- local buses -- are the cheapest way to get around, but you have to take one matutu to the ferry, then a second matutu to your final destination.
Matatu prices from Mombasa to Ukunda/Diani are about 60 cents one-way.
PACKAGES
Packages are available through various European tour operators. For more information on booking a trip, visit the Paola Safaris website at http://www.paolasafaris.com or call 254 (40) 320 3141.
DIVING
Thirteen of 15 hotels along the coast offer beginner's certification, as well as advanced and specialty courses along with excursions to the nearby islands of Chale and Wasini.
At Diving The Crab, prices range from $130 for two dives to $550 for a 10-dive package. For more information, visit the website at
http://www.divingthecrab.com or call 254 (40) 320 2003.
