WE’VE ALL SEEN THE shot of awhale shark, mouth agape,sifting plankton through its

massive gills. And how many photos are there of

manta rays hovering “mid-flight” abovea kaleidoscopic reef? Or cheeky sealsbaring their teeth at the camera?

But with no megafauna, no schools ofgame fish, no exotic coral reef, and fewmammals, how do you take wow shotsin a place such as Lake Malawi?

I ponder this as I arrive at Blantyre,the country’s bland commercial hub.

As a dive journalist, your article livesor dies on the strength of its pictures:produce poor shots and the piece won’tget taken (leaving a trail of grumpysponsors in your wake). Despite friendsinsisting that I spend my life on holiday,the pressures aren’t negligible.

But before a collective playing of theworld’s smallest violin, I’ll concede thatthe job does have its perks. Theseinclude diving the more unusualdestinations such as Lake Malawi.

I’d always been intrigued by thoughtsof diving here: no salt, no heavy suits,raging currents, soupy water, hecticlaunches or negative entries. Just warm,clear, predictable diving that offers newphotographic challenges.

When the African tectonic platessplit, perhaps as long as 2 million yearsago, they formed a giant tear in thelandscape.

Over time, this filled and becameLake Malawi. Known as the CalendarLake, it is 365 miles north to south and52 miles across at its widest point,making it the third largest lake inAfrica. It has shorelines on westernMozambique, eastern Malawi andsouthern Tanzania.

GOOGLE LAKE MALAWI, and one ofthe first things you’ll read is that itcontains more freshwater fish speciesthan all of North America and Europecombined. However, what mostmaterial neglects to mention is that upto 2000 of these are varieties of cichlids.

I drive a couple of hours to CapeMaclear, one of Malawi’s most touristyregions, underwhelmed at the thoughtof spending much dive time with thesecolourful fish, which I assume will bepretty to look at, but lacking gravitas.

Louis, divemaster at Cape MaclearScuba, takes me on my first dive toAquarium, off Thumbi Island.

A pleasant 10-minute saunter to thesite provides the opportunity to ogle mysurroundings.

The lake is spectacular, a vivid bluedollop of loveliness that pulses with life.Malawian women, seemingly a hard-working bunch, scrub clothes on thelake shore, as children performbackflips off traditional dug-out canoes,watched by fathers preparing theirfishing nets.

Thumbi, like many islands in theseparts, comprises giant boulders andmiombo woodland. A couple of fisheagles, Malawi’s national bird, eye upthe water for signs of breakfast.

I lean over the side to inspect the site:the sandy bottom, some 20m beneath,stares back. The only thing impedingmy view are lots and lots of colourfulfish. It’s time to meet the cichlids.

After 30 minutes happily wafting my

way through thousands of pretty littlefish, something remarkable catches myeye. It’s a cichlid, no more than 20cmlong, and it appears to be inhaling lotsof its miniature clones.

With cheeks full, it departs forsomewhere it won’t be stared at bywide-eyed divers. Now that’s aphotographic opportunity.

It turns out that the majority of LakeMalawi’s cichlids are mouthbrooders,which offer oral protection to theiryoung. Not so dull any more, these fish.

I make it my mission to get a decentshot of them mid-slurp: a task thatturns out to be far easier in theory thanin practice.

A couple of days is more than enoughin Cape Maclear. There are too manypushy beach-hawkers selling naffwooden carvings for this grizzledEnglish traveller. Plus – and here’s thebit I’ve been waiting for – a stay atfamous Mumbo Island awaits.

Lying a couple of miles off CapeMaclear, Mumbo Island is home to a

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Skittish cichlids and granite boulders –Lake Malawi supplies new photographicchallenges for AARON GEKOSKI

BRIGHT AND BEAUTIFULSMALL THINGS

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MALAWI DIVER

single lodge, operated by Kayak Africa.With its dry-composting toilets, lack ofelectricity and bucket showers, it is oneof the greenest lodges at which I’ve hadthe pleasure of staying.

Should it need to pick up and movetomorrow, it would leave almost noecological impact on the island.

Manager Robin takes me on some 10dives, on which we encounter a handfulof mouthbrooders. As we approachthem either mum takes off – leaving herbabies open to the threat of predators ☛

Above, from left: Amouthbrooder protects itsyoung at Likoma Island;Kevin with what ispossibly a cave painting; acichlid guards its nest.

Pictured: A mouthbroodercaught in mid-suck as itprotects its babies. It tookAaron months to get ashot with which he felthappy.

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– or she sucks them up before we getclose enough to grab a shot.

Despite failing hands-down on thisfront, I spend a week on Mumbo inphotographic bliss. I snap a monitorlizard’s backside as it swims to a nearbyrock to catch some rays. I even attempt a shot of a fish-eagle from below thesurface, catching a meal. The final result– an arty blue mess – wasn’t quite theaward-winning shot I had envisaged.

CREATIVE JUICES FLOWING, andjoined by my girlfriend Gem, we head tothe capital Lilongwe and catch a shortflight to Likoma Island in the north.

Likoma could be straight from a fairytale. At the heart of its charms arecraggy, baobab-lined beaches inhabitedby small fishing communities.

Its remote location – Mozambicanwaters in fact surround Likoma –ensures that it remains relatively freefrom the trappings of tourism.

We lap up a couple of decadent daysat Kaya Mawa, a beach-house-chic lodgethat drips with romance. The rest of oursix-week stay is spent at Mango Drift, itssmaller, more laid-back brother.

The lodge is run by old friend Kevinand his girlfriend Georgia. I explain mymission to grab a passable photographof a mouthbrooder protecting its babies.

“Don’t sweat it, we’ll get your shotbro,” comes his response. Kev’s anoptimistic soul.

Much like Mumbo, Likoma offersdivers more than just mouthbrooders.The first site to which Kev takes us iscalled Chinunwe, and is famed for itsgiant craters, which cichlids lovinglyform to attract mates.

On a night dive to Ndamo Point wewatch dolphinfish hunt by torchlight.Giant rock formations at Christian’sPoint dwarf divers. Even the snorkellingaround Kaya Mawa turns out to be greatfor whittling away a few hours.

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MALAWI DIVER

GETTING THERE8 Fly from London toBlantyre/Lilongwe with Ethiopian Airways,www.flyethiopian.com, or to Likoma fromLilongwe with Ulendo, www.ulendo.net

DIVING & ACCOMMODATION8Diving & Accommodation:Mumbo Island, www.mumboisland.com,www.kayakafrica.co.za. Kaya Mawa, www.kayamawa.com.Mango Drift, www.mangodrift.com

WHEN TO GO8The dry winter months are between June-August, when the water is coolest. Expect strong easterlywinds, known as mwera. Temperatures rise markedly fromSeptember to October, while the rainy season can last fromDecember to March. Algae blooms from January to Februarycan cloud the water.

MONEY8Malawian kwacha.

PRICES8Cedarberg Travel offers tailor-made packages toAfrican countries including Malawi. A five-night Kaya Mawadiving package, including flights from and to Lilongwe, allmeals, airstrip transfers, four boat or shore dives (one a day),snorkelling, mountain biking, kayaks and sailing, costs from£1600. A five-night Mumbo Island Camp diving package,including road transfers from and to Lilongwe, all meals anddrinks, boat transfer to the island, four dives, snorkelling andkayaking cost from £1157. www.cedarbergtravel.com.

FURTHER INFORMATION8www.malawitourism.com

FACTFILE

Above, from left: Not abad place for a beautytreatment – the pier atKaya Mawa lodge; Kev andGem depart for Christian'sPoint, Likoma Island;granite boulders andcichlids epitomise diving inLake Malawi.

Below left: All there inblack and white – theobliging mouthbroodingcichlid in Masimbwe.

On our dives we see a few largekampango or giant catfish (delicious toeat, funny-looking to photograph) andon surfacing at Chinunwe we’re treatedto four otters playing at the surface.

With no other divers to worry about, I try out some over/under shots of Kevand Gem. And while I get lots of imagesof colourful cichlids, that darnedphotograph of one hoovering up itsbabies continues to elude me.

It turns out that Masimbwe, a largestone’s throw from Kaya Mawa, is notonly the best site we dive in Malawi, butalso the best for mouthbrooders. A fewdays before we leave the country, a littlesilver cichlid grants me my wish.

Sneakily hidden beneath a rock, andwith only a split-second to react andmanoeuvre my strobe, the fish isn’tperfectly lit. But I like the compositionand its resigned, poignant expressionthat says: “You’ve got your shot, nowhurry on home and leave us in peace.”

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