TikTok user Dev Skehan had an emotional reaction to a special swim she got to experience when on vacation in Maldives.
The 27-year-old, who is from Waterford in Ireland, cried with joy on camera after she got to swim with manta rays during a snorkeling excursion she was on with a group of fellow travelers.
“We [the group] pulled up to the first spot the stop and the first group plunged into the water,” Skehan told Newsweek. I waited my turn. I could hear them in the water screaming with excitement after spotting some wild manta rays.
@dev_skehan/TikTok
“I couldn’t contain my excitement to get in, but I had to wait my turn. The reason being is to not overwhelm the whole creatures and maintain a safe distance from them. This company put the animal’s welfare first, which can’t be said for 70 percent of wildlife excursions.”
In a video posted to TikTok by Skehan, which has received over 68,000 views since it was shared on November 19, the creator can be seen crying on a boat after he encounter with the manta rays, describing the experience in the caption as “surreal.”
The video then cuts to Skehan snorkeling underwater with the majestic creatures, showing a huge number of them peacefully swimming around her. She told viewers that there were around 15 of them surrounding her.
The fish, with their signature wide mouths and broad side fins, can be seen getting quite close to Skehan in the video. She told Newsweek that she only saw one of them on her first attempt in the water, but more came when she got in a second time.
@dev_skehan/TikTok
“In the second attempt we immediately saw two or three of them,” Skehan said. “When all of a sudden, an entire squadron [group of manta rays] appeared ear us.
“They were feeding on the plankton in the water. I could not believe what I was seeing! These huge creatures were gliding through the water like eagles; with massive wingspans, they soared through the water with ease.”
Manta rays are the world’s largest ray, and their wingspan can reach up to 26 feet. They are found in tropical, subtropical, and temperate bodies of water, commonly offshore in ocean waters. They belong to the Mobulidae family of species, which also includes other types of ray.
Skehan told Newsweek: “These majestic creatures were playing with me. Sneaking up underneath me, almost touching my stomach.
“This was a dream of mine as a child. I wished to be a marine biologist, and my idol was [late Australian zookeeper, conservationist and television personality] Steve Irwin.
“I was brought up to respect, love and protect animals. So, to encounter these beautiful souls in an ethical and surprising manner was a privilege and dream come true!”
People took to the comments of Skehan’s video with their reactions. “So magical,” posted Sharmaine Hatton, while Aisling Giles called it “the most magical thing I’ve seen.”
Viewer Bren commented that they were “so jealous.”
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