Manta rays are beautiful and majestic animals that have a life-changing effect on people who meet them. I want to protect them so humans can experience their transformational power for generations to come! My goal is to inspire people so they take action to protect the mantas' ecosystem and oceans all around the world.
The night someone offered to pay us to ignore safety concerns...
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After 25+ years of taking people to swim with manta rays, we've heard some pretty interesting questions. Most of our guests are amazing - they come prepared, respect the ocean, and understand that we're entering the mantas' home as visitors. But sometimes, we get questions that make us stop and wonder if we live in the same reality, so today's email will be a bit punchy... Like the parents who asked to leave their young kids alone on a dark, isolated beach while they joined the snorkeling tour. Or the couple who offered to pay extra to take them out into the ocean, after we cancelled the same night's activity due to dangerous surf conditions. We know these questions usually come from excitement rather than bad intentions. Still, they highlight something important: wild ocean adventures require wild responsibility, and knowing what you're getting into is important. Our swim guides are there to keep you safe (and we do not recommend doing this activity without a guide!), but they're also here to keep an eye on everything else. Our job is multi-tasking at its finest: people, ocean, large animals, waves, winds, darkness, equipment issues, old and young folks excited but intimidated, and more, while simultaneously delivering a joyful once-in-a-lifetime adventure... so no, we can't ignore the group to focus on one person, holding their hand because they can't swim, or escorting them back to the beach because they struggle with their snorkel. There's no room for shortcuts when entering the ocean at night to swim with giant marine animals. The phrase "Don't turn your back on the ocean" is a saying emphasizing the ocean's unpredictable and potentially dangerous nature. In all its might, the sea is indifferent about whether you can swim and use your snorkeling gear, and manta rays don't perform on command. We've compiled some of the most eyebrow-raising questions we've been asked over the years, along with our answers.
We share these stories not to embarrass anyone, but to help future guests realize what it really means to join a nighttime adventure, snorkeling with manta rays. Everyone's safety depends on it.
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Martina Wing
Manta rays are beautiful and majestic animals that have a life-changing effect on people who meet them. I want to protect them so humans can experience their transformational power for generations to come! My goal is to inspire people so they take action to protect the mantas' ecosystem and oceans all around the world.
Aloha Reader, So many kids say they want to work with animals when they grow up, but most end up doing something completely different. Our newest crew member, Ashley Jacob, didn't. At 12, she watched a movie about a dolphin with a prosthetic tail and decided she wanted to work with marine life in rescue and rehabilitation. Today, she's a swim guide at Manta Ray Advocates while finishing her master's thesis and training students in California to continue the elephant seal research she began....
Aloha Reader, As we enter 2026, I find myself reflecting on what motivates me after years of working with the manta rays. It’s not only the thrill of encountering the gentle giants underwater - which never loses its magic - but also the realization that people like you genuinely care. It’s inspiring to see that care translates into meaningful action. We can’t do everything, and none of us can be held responsible for the state of the world, but we can all take action in our own way. For me,...
Aloha Reader, For 27 years now (and counting), I have witnessed people from all walks of life as they meet the Kona manta rays in their natural habitat. The swim can be surprising and, for many, even transformational, and afterwards, at the beach shack, it often leads to deep conversations about life, our planet, and the relationship between humans and nature. For a long time, I've been looking for a way to share these stories - and now it's happening: today, I'm releasing the first 3 + 1...