Dieter Klinkhammer
UW Photo
and diving page
| I like to refrain from a report about the Similan liveaboards 2004 in diary form and may refer you the report about my Similan liveaboards 2000 on this webpage. Today trhe times of the first dive of the day are a little bit later at 7.30h am. The dive destinations are difficult and changed like every tour. |
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(photo: sea turtle, Snapper Alley, KOh Similans , Andaman Sea, Thailand, February 08th 2004)
I was positively surprised by Koh Tarinla. This divespot I avoided the last trips, because it's the fourth dive of the day and it was said about, that it is not so attractive like the others.
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| I be in the habit of to take not more then 3 dives a day during liveaboards, but on this trip I took the fourth dive too.and could see, that Koh Tarinla - in former times destroyed by dynamit so I was told - is a hot tip today. From many great barracudas ,groupers and bat fish shoals until a big black-spotted stingray ,digged itself in sand, all was present. In spite of the late time of day - against 6.00 pm - was the visibility with up to 20 meters still good.
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During the second liveaboard trip I saw at this divespot a very fast and shy blacktipped shark. Not shy and not far away were this time the leopardshark at Koh Tachei. In normal times they sleep at day times on sand areas, but this time there were action and up to five leopardsharks swam around.
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| May be it was mating season. Unfortunately I did not see a whalshark on this dive holiday again, but during both liveaboards two manta rays at Koh Bon. Alltogether it was a beautiful and successfull dive holiday again. Who as old Phuketdiver as I may becoming thoughtful now and then concerning in the last years the changes taken place, the pier at Ao Chalong is replaced, they have a sterile pier made of concrete now, at once calm beach sections Phuket's are full of traffic, more and more hotels are and more diveshops developed, more ships drive to the Similans and up to the Richelieu Rock, should not overlook the positive sides of the development. More dive ships and more divers mean for the national park more fees and bring with it means to the protection of nature. During 1991 as I in Phuket diving learned and 1994 as I first times on liveaboard route went,was for the case of the cases the next pressure chamber in Bangkok (approx. 700km air line) in unattainable distance , have Phuket today a pressure chamber, among other things financed from the diveshops and a Sea Rescue. Much thing has two sides. However I dilike the by Khao the Lak organized "speedboat stress" to the Similans and Koh bon, Koh Tachei for day guests.
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Last updated: May 08 th 2004
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