6 March Komandhoo

06 02 81N 073 03 57E, 21m sand

The lagoon at Komandhoo is easy to enter with at least 8m of water as you enter via the SE corner in to a large bowl of sand. There is a stretch of shallower water on the north side closer to the reef and already occupied when we arrived.

The rally had a village welcome organised for us here. We rode into the boat harbour five dinghies abreast and not at all like the Magnificent Seven to a welcome from most of the islanders. The children were dressed in their best party frocks, little girls with full make up, boys in white shirts and sarongs and each with a garland for their honoured visitors. After the line up we were escorted to our seats by young dancing men who joined the drumming band to give us a demonstration of local singing and dancing. On Komandhoo it was the younger men who danced and all the ladies stand aside and watch. The Maldives is a strict Muslim country.

There was a tour of the small island showing us where they are doing land reclamation to increase the size of the island followed by high tea in the school hall.

Next day a local boat took a group of us snorkelling on the nearby reefs. Komandhoo is known as lobster island. We saw a few out snorkelling and a few more at the beach barbecue later that evening.

fresh caught lobster

dining table and seats

dinner guests at sunset

dinner is served