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“So have you always returned to Kurumba?” I wanted to<br />
know eagerly. “No,” said Kurt, “when Kurumba became<br />
a first class resort, we had to flee from the European<br />
luxury that we were offered. We wanted to stay in<br />
the traditional <strong>Maldivian</strong> backpacker’s resort, so we<br />
moved to Fesdu in Ari Atoll. It was only reachable with<br />
a Japanese ship on a five hour’s boat ride. I remember<br />
when we came to Fesdu the first time, there was no<br />
glass on the island - just like nearby Kuramathi, which<br />
we visited in 1981. Back then, Kuramathi had only 21<br />
palm-thatched bungalows, can you imagine?”<br />
I had to take a minute to think. Kuramathi, also situated<br />
in Ari Atoll, with only 21 bungalows on such a huge<br />
island? Unimaginable. Now, I think there are nearly<br />
300 guest bungalows, but people still love it. I always<br />
have good feelings when I think of Kuramathi – the first<br />
Bio Station was opened there in 1999 by my favourite<br />
lecturer at University Dr. Kikinger. Fesdu without glass I<br />
could not imagine either, since Fesdu has been taken over<br />
by the Starwood hotel group some years ago and is now<br />
also one of the top hotels in the Maldives. “For some years,<br />
we combined our stay in Fesdu and Nakatchafushi to see<br />
other resorts as well,” continued Kurt.<br />
Oh yes, I know Nakatchafushi and its Underwater Spa<br />
very well, or let’s say: its renovated version, branded<br />
“Huvafen Fushi”, since I worked there myself for some<br />
months. “I dived and filmed a lot in Nakatcha. I think<br />
over the years, we saw everything spectacular in the<br />
Maldives that you can imagine– the only creatures I have<br />
not seen is a Blue Whale and a Sunfish”. “How about<br />
the Crown-of-Thorns outbreak in Nakatcha?” I wanted<br />
to know, since I remember that Nakatcha is said to have<br />
been affected severely by the coral-eating venomous<br />
starfish that destroyed entire reefs in the Maldives.<br />
“Oh,” Kurt sighed, “you wouldn’t believe it. The outbreak<br />
of the Crown-of-Thorns starfish was a direct result of<br />
the Giant Triton snail that has been overfished for the<br />
souvenir market. So the Crown-of –Thorns multiplied<br />
and came to our reefs in masses! On one afternoon<br />
alone, we fished 600 of them with hooks. It was a<br />
disaster, entire reef patches turned white because these<br />
beasts were feeding on the corals. The ecosystem was<br />
completely out of balance. However, on the other hand,<br />
48<br />
we saw schools of sharks that you can<br />
only dream of – Reef sharks, Nurse<br />
sharks, Grey reef sharks, Sand tiger<br />
sharks in great abundance! We could<br />
literally see their decline over the years<br />
and believe me, we dived a lot... I don’t<br />
understand why fishermen hunt such<br />
ancient creatures just for the fins.”<br />
“That’s always the great dilemma,<br />
Kurt,” I replied,“because economy<br />
is given the priority over ecology, but<br />
let’s hope the best now that a ban<br />
on shark fishing in all atolls has been<br />
imposed in 2010.”<br />
“We could observe this just too many<br />
times, Verena,” Assi continued, “when<br />
we dived with Prof. Hans Hass, his<br />
wife Lotte and Irenaeus Eibl-Eiblsfeldt<br />
from Kurumba in the 1980s, they have<br />
already expressed their concern over<br />
the environment.”<br />
“What?” I interrupted them, “You<br />
met Prof. Hans Hass?” I know<br />
that Kurumba is still a hot-spot for<br />
celebrities, but I would push all the<br />
pop stars, actors and actresses,<br />
presidents and sheiks I have met<br />
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