German Wall, Manta cleaning station Palau

Site Overview
Dive Centres
Site Type: Mega fauna; and Reef
Depth: Bottom: 26M
Location: A wall within the German Channel area

Within the German Channel area, this particular site German Wall is known for its manta cleaning station.  Before we’ve even hit the seabed, a manta appears to check us out. Flying straight through the middle of us he heads off to the cleaning station, circling round one more time just to ensure he’s got our undivided attention.

He then gently lowers into position at the cleaning station and hovers elegantly pretty much in the same position whilst we clumsily scrabble round the rocks and coral to try to get a nice clean shot from up close.

Whether he’s done or whether we spook him by getting too close – he is afterall effectively taking a bath – a little privacy would be appreciated – he finally leaves the station.

But as we carry on our dive, he keeps wandering up behind us, as if now we’re the ones being watched.  It’s when we start taking interest in this garden eel that he really comes up with a “Hey guys – have you lost interest in me or what?”   Then he gives some amazing angles from up close, before finally disappearing off into the deep blue ocean.

Manta Ray approaching the cleaning station at German Wall Koror, Palau