I’m exhausted just from observation. Wallace was a titan.

Manta

In the ocean, near the shore of Nusa Penida, very deep, strong tides above, massive reefs below, I swam with Manta rays.

I timed my dive and was able to hang with one ray for maybe thirty seconds. It was way bigger than me.

I put my arms out in front of it and used my flippers to stay in place. And he just hung there with me. right in front of my face. Immense, majestic.

That mouth, like a cavern, shaped almost exactly like my face mask. We just hung there looking at each other.

Reef Manta as filmed by the guide.

mtk, Bali