Similan and Surin islands dive trip.
At last, I have got around to talking about my Similan and Surin islands dive trip in Oct. I did a four day liveaboard from Kho Lak, thats an hour or two north of Phuket. I went with Sea Dragon and as this is the second trip with them in two years, you can see I like them. They have been there a while, run a good operation at a good price. (Have a look at the Phuket based outfits).
After an evening boarding and departure on their Andaman boat we had a dive before breakfast on the Similan 5, the first dive for 6 months for me. I really enjoy these dives, it gives you such a good appetite! It was a relaxing dive and went well, I was not the lowest on air, always a concern of mine, on my last trip as a 50+ guy diving with 3 young ladies I just could not win! There was an extensive eel garden and over breakfast we all said the same thing, 'what a life, do they ever come right out of their holes, or is that it?' Anyone know?
We had some beach visits, the first day I swam over to a very new resort, set discretely among the trees.
This was new, very low key and well done. I needed a hat having lost my last and it was amusing flattening out and drying the notes, no one minded. Dont seem to matter how many bags you put your money in, it gets wet.
Second dive we see a Manta! Deep and feeding, I saw it materialise from the distance and swim towards us. With its huge slow wing beats it was awesome, quite too your breath away! It moved out a little as flew past us. And we were the only group to see it!!! Envy!!! However later on everyone got an very good look when we were circled by two curious mantas on two dives at Kho Bon, so there were no disappointed people. We moved up the Similans, diving Elephant Rock, less current than last time. This is a pile of house size boulders that you can swim around and under.
On one dive we met a group of oriental divers who were swarming over a big coral outcrop and all digging and probing with stainless steel spikes. The was a lot of mud and debris about them in the water. Several were visibly hanging on to live coral! Anything hiding was going to be killed by the spikes, it was all rather horrifying to us. We tried to move across to the nearest of the group but he sensed our intentions and moved away. Who were they? Who can say, but they were bad news.
Next , going north, was Kho Bon, a limestone island on its own and there we saw the curious mantas. Snorkelling around the southern end of the island is one of the highlights of my last trip and it did not disappoint this time. It is deep quickly, very clear, you swim in surf close to the rocks. Around the western side there are several deep clefts I can just about get down into, very exhilarating. On was full of big blue parrot fish.
Went ashore and saw the turtle breeding pens on the Park HQ on the Surin. Strange little things, hold your had still long enough in the tank and they will try to eat it!
Last day and two dives on Richelieu Rock. No big stuff but lots to see and many interesting things, octopus, one swimming, a big cuttlefish, silver trevellys, it is a brilliant place. Unfortunately we mislaid the sun on the last two days, the monsoon was playing silly buggers and had finished a month early and then tried to come back, but it was no real problem for us. It all went well, diving in small groups means not much of a crowd, four to one DM, the food was excellent though you had to like Thai cuisine to get the best from the trip. This is tasty and warm, but not too hot, you can add all the heat you want with chilli and fish sauce. One thing puzzled me, the boat was the same on top but things on the dive deck were different from what I remembered. Must be getting old I thought and kept quiet. Then I learned that the boat, the Andaman, had a new hull with a bigger dive deck! I felt better then.
Kho Lak had changed in two years, more tourist shops and street lighting now. Last time I had some nervous walks back along the road with my dive light on the back of my legs which I hoped the manic drivers could see, the road being straight and fast. Also, mobiles worked everywhere, last time I was there it was on the beach only or one place in the middle of the road, opposite Sea Dragon, dangerous.
Both the bars are much the same, Tarzan's or Funky Geko, not that you can tell them apart after a while!
-- _J_O_H_N____R_E_L_P_H____________
Teddington, Middlesex in Cold Old England.
After an evening boarding and departure on their Andaman boat we had a dive before breakfast on the Similan 5, the first dive for 6 months for me. I really enjoy these dives, it gives you such a good appetite! It was a relaxing dive and went well, I was not the lowest on air, always a concern of mine, on my last trip as a 50+ guy diving with 3 young ladies I just could not win! There was an extensive eel garden and over breakfast we all said the same thing, 'what a life, do they ever come right out of their holes, or is that it?' Anyone know?
We had some beach visits, the first day I swam over to a very new resort, set discretely among the trees.
This was new, very low key and well done. I needed a hat having lost my last and it was amusing flattening out and drying the notes, no one minded. Dont seem to matter how many bags you put your money in, it gets wet.
Second dive we see a Manta! Deep and feeding, I saw it materialise from the distance and swim towards us. With its huge slow wing beats it was awesome, quite too your breath away! It moved out a little as flew past us. And we were the only group to see it!!! Envy!!! However later on everyone got an very good look when we were circled by two curious mantas on two dives at Kho Bon, so there were no disappointed people. We moved up the Similans, diving Elephant Rock, less current than last time. This is a pile of house size boulders that you can swim around and under.
On one dive we met a group of oriental divers who were swarming over a big coral outcrop and all digging and probing with stainless steel spikes. The was a lot of mud and debris about them in the water. Several were visibly hanging on to live coral! Anything hiding was going to be killed by the spikes, it was all rather horrifying to us. We tried to move across to the nearest of the group but he sensed our intentions and moved away. Who were they? Who can say, but they were bad news.
Next , going north, was Kho Bon, a limestone island on its own and there we saw the curious mantas. Snorkelling around the southern end of the island is one of the highlights of my last trip and it did not disappoint this time. It is deep quickly, very clear, you swim in surf close to the rocks. Around the western side there are several deep clefts I can just about get down into, very exhilarating. On was full of big blue parrot fish.
Went ashore and saw the turtle breeding pens on the Park HQ on the Surin. Strange little things, hold your had still long enough in the tank and they will try to eat it!
Last day and two dives on Richelieu Rock. No big stuff but lots to see and many interesting things, octopus, one swimming, a big cuttlefish, silver trevellys, it is a brilliant place. Unfortunately we mislaid the sun on the last two days, the monsoon was playing silly buggers and had finished a month early and then tried to come back, but it was no real problem for us. It all went well, diving in small groups means not much of a crowd, four to one DM, the food was excellent though you had to like Thai cuisine to get the best from the trip. This is tasty and warm, but not too hot, you can add all the heat you want with chilli and fish sauce. One thing puzzled me, the boat was the same on top but things on the dive deck were different from what I remembered. Must be getting old I thought and kept quiet. Then I learned that the boat, the Andaman, had a new hull with a bigger dive deck! I felt better then.
Kho Lak had changed in two years, more tourist shops and street lighting now. Last time I had some nervous walks back along the road with my dive light on the back of my legs which I hoped the manic drivers could see, the road being straight and fast. Also, mobiles worked everywhere, last time I was there it was on the beach only or one place in the middle of the road, opposite Sea Dragon, dangerous.
Both the bars are much the same, Tarzan's or Funky Geko, not that you can tell them apart after a while!
-- _J_O_H_N____R_E_L_P_H____________
Teddington, Middlesex in Cold Old England.
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