Angels do exist. I have met them.

This image was taken during my very first encounter with manta rays, after having dreamed about them for years.

It finally happened, a year after I moved to Tahiti.

This was shot in a very small Polynesian island, called Maupiti, which is part of the windwards islands.

The water was very opaque, due to the recent large swells, giving it this milky look. That made that encounter even more magical, as the rays were suddenly appearing and disappearing through the dark waters like ghostly creatures. This is the feeling I wanted to emphasize in this edit.

This particular place is called a cleaning station. Manta rays come and stop there to get some cleaning done by the fishes living on nearby corals. This is how they get rid of parasites.

I was just laying on my back on the sea floor at about ten meters deep, trying not to breath too much so they wouldn't be disturbed with my bubbles. I managed to stay that way for an hour and a half, which seemed like an eternity, watching these angels dancing in the dark.

I am so grateful for that experience and still dream about it.

Manta rays have a mesmerizing way of moving... they appear to be flying, slowly and gracefully. They are true giants, with an average span of four meters.

You can't help but feel very humbled by them, astonished by their beauty and gentleness.