Anglerfish – AKA “Frogfish” – Incredible Similans!

From One of our staff…

Two hundred plus dives in the Similan National Park had brought me my first whale shark and a subsequent two more. Mantas! Again after never seeing one I have since become an expert observer of the beautiful water gliders as they cut through the ‘air’ swimming effortlessly through currents and circling divers, sightings of which, like the whale shark, produces a new genre of ‘adrenalin junkie’ divers who dive simply for the ‘hit’ of seeing the big stuff. Working on our Similan Liveaboard blessed me with these opportunities. That is of course until time and multiple dives pulls you over to what has become to be termed the ‘dark side’…

Several weeks ago at Koh Tachai Plateau a fellow guide gave me an insight into a new addiction; an addiction of finding what spends its life, and the lives of its species before it, trying not to be found. The guide swam over to me excitedly pointing at his compact camera and waving his arms frantically. Meanwhile, a manta soared over our heads. I replied with a confused look and a raised arm towards the performer. If he had a great shot of the manta I would rather appreciate it later back on the boat, but at the moment I was enjoying the live show. My friend spared it a glance but clearly felt his camera deserved all of our undivided attention. I felt reluctant to draw my eyes away from the giant pelagic dancer, but humored him. He rapidly pressed the giant buttons on his digital camera until he found his prize. Through the excitement, the sea water and the thick plastic housing I saw a red blob. ‘Great. I’ll return to my manta thanks.’ That was his first frog fish. I’d yet to see one, but all was to change on my last liveaboard…

East of Eden, 17 meters, just before a renowned sandy patch which I must have swam over countless times. A patch of rubbley indistinct coral. A tiny piece of rubbley indistinct coral. A miniature rubbly piece of fish, commonly known as a ‘clown frog fish’, white adorned with orange spots and extremely cute. It was reminiscent of a garden gnome, well hidden but clearly the rightful proprietor of its little coral patch. The clown frog fish was fixed onto the side of a piece of coral, utterly at one with its surroundings. So still that it was looked glued to its perch. I was mesmerized. I wanted to move closer. Meanwhile, my customers took a quick snap and moved on. After the dive they professed that they didn’t understand what all the fuss was about. Why become so excited over a tiny indistinct fish when the reef is swarming with the most beautiful and exotic fish just screaming out to be noticed and admired?

Strangely enough, although I had been a virgin frog fish viewer, the experience was repeated the very next day. Perhaps this was because my eyes had received its first lesson in obscure marine life identification. Or perhaps it was just luck. However, my second ever encounter was equally as intriguing.

At Koh Tachai Plateau at 27 meters there stands a barrel sponge. Sitting directly on the top, wedged in between the circular rim is a large, red, about the same size as a football, an utterly ugly, utterly delightful frog fish. Instantly I was mesmerized. Tiny little eyes glazed over in what looked to be a deep state of meditation, mouth slightly agape in a way that actually made it look to be taking slow and controlled inhalations. The creature really did belong to another world – the underwater one – and upon closer examination it was possible to see its inbuilt fishing line extending from its first dorsal spine and hanging above the gaping mouth. Invisibly observing. Invisible. It was eerily still. It was incredible.

Ultimately what these two encounters have taught me is that there are alternatives to the adrenaline hits of having a whale shark charge through your dive group or a manta circle you. In fact part of the beauty of the ugly frog fish is the dedication it takes to spot, which can result in such a sense of satisfaction, causing dive instructors to dance around at 20 meters in front of a digital image.

Similan Diving

Similan Marine Life – Cuttlefish – weird and cool

Space ships. I don’t think I have ever dived anywhere else where I have seen so many space ships – and not just during night dives but during the day as well. For me these highly evolved, highly intelligent, elephantine mollusks have always appeared extraterrestrial. The way in which they hover, speed backwards and perform a stunning display of electric flashes so utterly hypnotic that leaves you wondering what level of evolution they have achieved.

The Bon Soon Wreck, East of Eden, Richelieu Rock and of course the ‘Three Lovers’ (shown above) at Koh Bon; always together and always vying for one another’s attention. Reaching out one of their eight arms here and another one there, meanwhile emitting an auroral glow around their floating bodies. A marine biologist once warned me never to shine my flash light in the eyes of a passing space ship due to the real risk of permanently blinding it, and yet their pulsating electric ripples are best observed in the dark (although this does carry the risk of losing ones customers who always have a tendency to disappear during complete darkness).

Their vision is one of the most highly developed in the animal kingdom, and they perceive contrast rather than color, so their light display has a secondary purpose of allowing them to communicate with other spaceships. Why they have W-shaped pupils has yet to be explained, although it has been proposed that this is to allow them to see backward and forward at the same time. Perhaps their extraordinarily large brains may hold the key. However, they are clearly aware that any potential enemies are still an evolutionary stage or two behind as they possess and impressive array of chameleon skills allowing them to reflect the coloring of their environment as they travel over different shades of coral, rocks and sand, which leaves the reptilian master of disguise lagging behind; not only is this an effective disguise from predators and prey, but with the ability to change color in less than a second, it is the speediest transformer in the entire animal kingdom

Closer observation will actually reveal finely tuned buoyancy. Unlike their Octopi cousins, who scramble over the coral, they can regulate their depth by changing the liquid-to-gas ratio in their chambered cuttle-bone.

Italians like to eat space ships. Last month I dived with an Italian chef and as I made the ‘cuttlefish’ hand signal he replied with the ‘spaghetti’ symbol – consisting of a twist of the wrist and a greedy glint in the eye. After learning that some marine biologists believe that they learn by observation, I felt a protective urge to shield these culinary inclinations from the three spaceships in view. Indeed I have spent many a happy dive hovering face to face, with a hand positioned on my forehead slowly raising a finger. The spaceship humors my mimicking and has been known to raise an opposite arm. Hurrah! Communication with life from the blue planet!

Similan Diving

Liveaboards on the Similan Islands – awesome

Wake up to the calm seas as the water takes on the warm pinkish tint of the rising sun. Fresh coffee brews as the boat sails to the first dive sight of the day. Maps are laid out and dive briefs are given. A description of which fish will be seen at which depths. The topography, the currents, the duration and the ease of collection after the dive. Down to the dive deck. Music drifting out of the surround sound system, before the boat reverses and the signal given. Similan Liveaboard

Wake up! A plunge into the ocean. BCD fully inflated and bobbing around in refreshing coolness. All ready? Regs in. Dowwwwn. Silence. Inhale. Exhale. Bubbles. Ok? Ok – ok – ok – ok . All four divers down and happy and floating. Now let the underwater adventure begin.

Slowly moving along the reef or around a submerged pinnacle. Swimming over familiar rocks and coral, visiting the same fish whose habits you have observed so closely every four days that you feel as if you are visiting a mute friend. At times I often marvel at how the twenty or so most frequently dived sites around the Similans have become as familiar to me as an urban town, such as Khao Lak. The main difference being of course that it could only be an act of the divine to travel around a town suspended in mid-air and controlling your depth with the slightest inhalation or exhalation. There’s also the constant novelty of the underwater world; the genuine anticipation of what this dive, despite the hundreds before it, will bring: Leopard shark? Mantas? Or the Big Fish itself? Of course there is always the unexpected; the guitar shark at Breakfast Bend, the weird and wonderful pleurobranch at Koh Tachai Reef, which ensures that even the most dived sites continue to hold their trump cards.

Sixty minutes later and the silence of the underwater world is broken as simultaneously as the surface is. Regs are removed, masks are dragged down and after a delay of a few seconds for readjustment, conversation initiated: “Did you see that?; What was that weird looking fish.” Or “WOWOWOWOWOWOW! Its tail nearly hit me!” At this point I will be leaning upon my surface marker revelling in the consistently high level of job satisfaction that working as a dive guide in the Similans never fails to bring. Meanwhile, the Captain of the boat will be sounding the horn and sailing over to collect my divers. As a fellow guide continuously comments, “Its just too easy” (pronounced with a accentuated ‘Zeeee’. Indeed, the liveaboards are the easiest way to dive the Similans. Dive, Eat, Sleep, Dive, Eat, Sleep and so on. Or course there is always the option of jumping onto the dingy and exploring one of the Princess’s tropical islands.

Islands number Four and Eight are accessible to the public, and have fantastic view points across turquoise waters and lush green hills. Some prefer not to leave the comfort of the boat! Professing that rather than going to the beach they would rather “stay and relax”, which is a comment which in itself makes me smile. One tour leader is renowned for this habituation to boat life. Just to ensure his days are spent either in the water of floating above it he describes the island visit as “Bex’s Island Adventure”. However, I love scrambling up the rocks, using the crude but effective system of rocks and ladders to reach the top. On the boat the furthest I ever walk is from the dive platform to my cabin. A strange comment since I don’t actually sleep in my cabin. After all why sleep inside when the sundeck offers an unlimited view of the night sky and a soft gentle morning wake up?

Similan Diving

The Best Dive Sites in Thailand – Our Choices

Where is the best diving in Thailand?

Thailand is a very large country with coastline stretching from Burma (Myanmar) to Malaysia along the west side on the Andaman Sea. On the Eastern coast, the coast line stretches, un broken from Malaysia, all the way around the Gulf of Thailand to Cambodia. There are hundreds of islands, dozens of regions to dive and numerous dive centers to choose from. Here is a careful selection of the best dive sites in Thailand

Richelieu Rock
The most famous dive site in Thailand is Richelieu Rock. Often cited as one of the 10 best dive sties in the world – Richelieu Rock is simply stunning. A solitary pinnacle rising from the depths of the Andaman sea to just below the surface – this site has so many elements to its majesty. The large pelagics – Manta Rays and Whale Sharks are not to be missed. But the macro as well – the tiny shrimps, nudibranchs, pipefish, seahorses and more also delight and enthrall.

Richelieu Rock can be reached by liveaboards and daytrips departing from Khao Lak. The liveaboards should be booked ahead due to the popularity. Daytrips can be arranged upon arrival in Khao Lak – however during the peak holidays it is advisable to book ahead.

The Similan Islands h

ave also been cited as one the best dive sites in the world. With more than 30 named dive sites, plus the nearby Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and of course – Richleieu Rock – it is paradise for the avid diver. It is too difficult to actually name just one site out of the dozens that makes the Similan Island Marine Park so special. There are the deep boulder drops on the Western side. The gentle sloping reefs of the Easter coast and the dynamic site where the two mix. Turtles, sharks and massive schools fo reef fish swirl around the divers. The reefs are home to hundreds of species of coral, sponges and are an explosion of colors.

The Similan Islands are only 50km from Khao Lak – so easily reached by speedboat each day. Again – plan ahead if visiting during the holiday season. Similan Liveaboards depart almost everyday, though with only one ecologically friendly boat – we see no need to choose!

Hin daeng/Hin Muang
Best visited from Phi phi islands. Like Richelieu rock, these rocks, rising from the deep were once home to many large pelagics. Sadly a couple of years ago Phuket fisherman went in with cyanide and killed of a large portion of the site. Marine life has been returning, but it has not returned to it’s once majestic splendor.
Hin Daeng and Hin Muang have the closest to real drop-offs that Thailand offers.. Together they are some very good dive sites and provide some of the most stunning diving in the area. The depths and currents make these sites suitable for advanced divers. The long distance from the nearest point of land (Phi Phi) makes these less commonly dived.
Hin Daeng (’Red Rock’) and Hin Muang (’Purple Rock’) are named after the beautiful red and purple soft corals that, until recently, covered the pinnacles.

Hin Daeng protrudes about 3 meters above the water, but below, it drops straight down to more than 70 meters on the southern side. It gets its name from the beautiful red corals that populate most of the dive site. Hin Muang is completely submerged and derives its name from the vast number of purple corals covering the pinnacle. Some giant morays can be seen amongst the cracks and crevices and large leopard sharks can sometimes be found on the deep ridges.

Koh Lipe

One of the last world class pinnacles left in the Andaman sea. 8 mile rock is a submerged pinnacle roughly 8 miles due south of Koh Lipe. Noted for the large pelagics that cruise past, devil, manta and eagle rays are common, along with leopard shark, giant barracuda and groupers. Sighting for whale sharks have actually been up over the whole of the Lipe group of islands, with most sightings coming at 8 mile rock.

The rock itself starts at roughly 15m and at its deepest is over 50m. Densely covered in purple, blue and red soft tree coral, all common reef species can be found here in great abundance and size. Visibility can be up to 45m vertically and over 30m horizontally. Caution must be applied when diving 8 mile rock due to very strong currents that can lead to thee dive being canceled. The site can be dived comfortably dependent on current patterns so consult the local dive operators for the best information.

Koh Tao

The most popular place to learn to dive in all of Asia Pacific, after Cairns in Australia, Koh Tao has some good beginner dive sites and some great apres-dive action. If you want to dive and party, then this is the place to come. Many times it appears that it’s actually a place to party and dive. The short travel times from the shore to the dive sites – typically half an hour or less – make diving extremely convenient. While the diving is not as spectacular as the Similans, (no manta rays here, very little living coral, almost no turtles), there are occasionaly encounters with sharks to be had at Chumphon Pinnacle and also, if you’re very lucky, whale sharks too.

Because Koh Tao is in the Gulf Of Thailand, it’s possible to dive all year round. The weather gets crappy around October/November.

Similan Islands – Marine life resource

Divers Enjoy the Diverstiy of the Similan Island Marine Life

In Thailand The premier dive sites are located on and around the Similan Islands.  These uninhabited tropical islands are home to some of the most dynamic and vibrant underwater ecosystems in the world.

Rocky boulder sites dropping off into the blue on the Western side

Sloping Reefs cover the Eastern side of the Similans.

Then the Pinnacles of Elephant Head Rock, Koh Tachai, Sharkfin Reef, Koh Bon and of course the most famous site in Thailnad (and one of the best inthe world) Richelieu Rock also bring a wide diversity to the dive sites.

It also means a huge amount of marine life! With so many different ecosystems it’s hard to keep track of all the different species of marine life that we encounter. Whether it’s the passing Manta ray or the sharks…what are they?

Fortunately there is now  good resource for Similan Marine Life.

While this is still in it’s initial phases, the page is certainly off to a good start – featuring plenty of things that are commonly senn as well as many things that are acommonly overlooked! here are articles about Cuttlefish, Wenteltraps and even Frogfish. As a resource – this will help any diver on their plans to visit and for those who have been fortunate enough to visit already – this is the place to help identify those strange things you saw on underwater The site will be updated frequently so we will be revisiting frequently and looking at all the new and amazing creatures.

Similan Marine Life

With some fish, critters and coral out there – it is hard to sometimes realize that the stories and details about each species can be truly amazing. There are several stories and lots of information about the Marine life around the Similan Islands. I had a good laugh about some of the analogies made!

There are some articles about Bumphead parrotfish, nudibranchs and turtles. These are all things tat people commonly see and are curious to learn more about.

However the articles on the Wenteltraps and Cuttlefish were really fun to read. Not just scientific dribble that you see in a lot of these postings.

from the cuttlefish article:
“Space ships. I don’t think I have ever dived anywhere else where I have seen so many space ships (cuttlefish – and not just during night dives but during the day as well. For me these highly evolved, highly intelligent, elephantine mollusks have always appeared extraterrestrial. The way in which they hover, speed backwards and perform a stunning display of electric flashes so utterly hypnotic that leaves you wondering what level of evolution they have achieved.”

The best time to visit the Similan Islands National Marine Park is from mid October to early May. It is during this time that the seas are calm, the visibility is at its very best, and the large Marine Life (like Whale Sharks and Manta Rays) are making their annual migrations to feed on yearly plankton blooms. The water temperature around the Similans varies between 27 and 29 degrees Celsius, so most divers prefer a 3 mm wetsuit. Depending on environmental factors the water clarity ranges from 10 to 40 meters. Adventures to the nine islands of this amazing archipelago can either be done by Similan Liveaboard or day trip diving from Khao Lak. The Similan Islands National Park closes from May to October when western Thailand is experiencing the southeastern monsoons.

-Similan Diving

Similan Information

Explore the Koh Similan – A Group of Nine islands in the Andaman Sea

One of the best-known island groups , largely because of the wonders that wait beneath the clear blue waters that surround it.

“Similan” is derived from the Malay sembilan, and means “nine”. Each of the Similan Islands has a number as well as a name. These are, running from north to south: Koh Ba Ngu (No. 9), Similan (No. 8), Payu (No. 7), Miang (No. 4, No. 5 and, in some opinion, No. 6), Payan (No. 3), Payang (No. 2), and Hu Yong (No. 1). Hin Pusar, or “Elephant Head Rock”, is alternatively designated No. 6 by some. Koh Bon, lying 17 nautical miles north of Ba Ngu, is part of the Similan National Park.

Ironwood and gum trees are among the larger trees, while jackfruit, rattan and bamboo form part of the denser undergrowth. The islands are home to crab-eating monkeys, dusky langurs, squirrels, bats, lizards and a good variety of birds (though the monkeys are shy and rarely seen by the casual observer). But the most striking feature of these islands, at first glance, are the huge boulders that litter the western and southern shores on several of the islands.

Another highlight, as the visitor soon discovers, are the white coral-sand beaches, splendidly picturesque and often deserted. The most interesting sights, however, are to be found beneath the waves. Some of the most spectacular coral growths in the world can be found here – and the same boulders that scatter the shores have turned the waters around the Similans into an adventure playground for divers.

A variety of forces have given shape to these islands. To begin with, the Similans were intrusions, upwellings of hot magma that found their way through weak spots in the Earth’s crust 100-150 million years ago, working their way through thick layers of sedimentary rock already laid down at least 100 million years earlier still. Then, unimaginably powerful movements in the crust cracked the granite substratum into blocks, preparing the way for experiments in sculptural form by wind and wave. Today, piles of curious stones, some of them as big as houses, lie as though collected and later abandoned in careless heaps by some ancient race of beachcombing giants. Even Donald Duck Rock, the distinctive formation teetering high above the cove on Koh Similan (Island No.8), has been shaped in this way.

And boulders just like these spill in jumbled piles down beneath the surface of the sea to 35m and beyond, where submarine peaks, canyons, caves and passageways provide scuba divers with some of the most interesting submarine prospects in the world. (On the west side of the islands, currents have kept the formations clear of sand; on the coral-covered sandy slopes of the east side, the boulders have been largely buried.)Underwater, meanwhile, all sorts of marine creatures have helped establish the reefs and the sandy beaches.

When you climb up to Donald Duck Rock, consider the brilliant white sand below. This beach is in large part a product of diligent scraping and nibbling away by organisms such as the parrotfish – an average individual of which species may excrete more than 16 kilos of sand in the course of a year’s lunching on hard corals. And there’s plenty here to eat. The conditions for coral growth are ideal, with a minimum prevailing sea temperature of about 28oC and exceptionally clear waters. More than 200 species of hard coral alone have so far been identified in this area, while these islands have the greatest profusion of reef fish in Thai waters. In fact, in terms of both marine life and bottom topography, there’s more variety than you’ll find in most other dive destinations around the world.

Similan Diving has almost everything – coral walls (if you count Koh Bon, to the north, as one of the Similans), big rocks, huge sea fans and barrel sponges, caves, swim-throughs, and plenty of shallows for snorkelling as well. For, although the fringing waters around the islands average from 30-45m dropping down to 70-80m between islands, you’ll find coral gardens in as little as six to seven meters.

Phuket Airport Expansion to take place

The AOT (Owners of the Airport) finally approved a budget of almost $200 Million to expand the airport, increase capacity and hopefully hire another Immigration officer or two (or 50). The airport capacity is expected to reach 12 million passengers by 2012. It currently handles about 6 million passengers per year.

The expansion in Phuket will address crowding at Thailand’s second busiest airport and meet the expected rise in air traffic demand over the next decade.

AoT now expects the expansion, including constructing a new terminal for international passengers, improving the existing terminal, upgrading the jet fuelling system and building new taxiways, to commence by the end of next year.

Meanwhile, AoT has embarked on an in-house study on building a terminal dedicated to private jets at the Phuket airport, part of a bid to further enhance the southern resort island’s growing reputation as a destination for the internationally rich and famous and for jet-setting businesspeople.

Conceptually, the terminal, the first of its kind in Thailand, would be built separately from the expanding main terminal under a build-transfer-operate contract. That means private companies would invest in and run the facility but AoT would own it.

However, hidden in this news is that the construction is expected to begin by the end of this year. We fear this may lead to major delays and confusion as “the end of this year” is in fact peak season. However it means that development in this area will continue and that capacity will grow.

It also bodes well for Khao Lak and the area. As Phuket Island has already reached capacity and suffers from horrible decay in both infrastructure and culture – Khao Lak is the natural choice. In additionto the long beaches and lack of sex tourism – the great diving is so close at hand!

More details can be found here…. http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/aviation/19230/aot-okays-b5-8bn-for-phuket

-Khao Lak Diving

What is the visibility like on the Similan Islands?

The Visibility at the Similan Islands

The Similan Islands are known for the great diving, incredible marine life and…of course….the visibility. Throughout the year we experience 20 meters (70 feet) visibility on average. During the very flat seas on February and March we can have further.

As the Similan Islands are quite close to the Continental shelf we can get some amazing cold water upwellings. These bring Plankton blooms and colder water. However, this is part of what makes the islands so vibrant! This feeds much fo th marine life – from the corals themselves to the Whale Sharks and Manta Rays!

During the upwellings, visibility can drop to 1015 meters (30-50 feet), but there is still so much to experience! The corals are still there, as are the fish and…do we need to mention…the beaches!

One final word – The Similan Islands visibility is never afected by the mainland! The runoff and pollution is too far away to affect the visibility. So diving is great all the year-round – it’s only the safety of getting there that allows us to vist only 7 months of the year.

-Khao Lak Diving

Professional Dive Courses In Khao Lak

It all starts with those first few breathes underwater!

This can happen while on vacation in the tropics and awakening to the reality of an alternative lifestyle!

Certain people find this experience as they swim over a coral reef and find themselves face to face with incredible marine life  and realize that this is the real world – not the cubicle back home!

Some people change their lives as they interact with dive professionals and see the rewards of such a lifestyle and how it can easily become a reality.

The international  dive industry is an incredibly exciting lifestyle to be professionally involved in and has many unique career opportunities all over the world for people from all different cultures.The Khao Lak Instructor Training center (Khao Lak IDC) is one of these places.

When considering a career as a dive professional you want to make sure that you get off to the best start possible! With your entire  dive career in front of you – you should be looking for the right dive center and staff to share your Divemaster/Instructor Course. You need to feel comfortable and confident  with the team and the facilities. You should be looking at a center that does  not claim or boast to be “the best” or “the biggest” – that usually means less attention,  dozens of students and a great big pyramid scheme.

There are other many massive commercial,  business orientated dive schools  to choose from. These are called factory schools – and you will soon know why! If you have never dived before and can get instructor certification within 6 months – something is wrong. Instead why not look for an Instructor Training Facility that offers a  more personalized, real world approach to instructor training?

Safety, standards and an eye to service is the real key to a good dive center! In addition look for a wide range of courses options – do these schools only offer basic courses or are there experienced divers too? Your experience should be applicable to the real-world. You will want to to actually work after the course is done!

A few questions to ask!

• “How fast is the course?”  Wrong question – “How long is the Instructor course?” – that is the real question. As much time being mentored, trained and supervised as possible – that’s what you want.
• Are the staff all made up of other inexperienced instructors?
• How many dives do they have?
• What certifications do they have?
• Are courses taught in wide rage of settings

How many students have they certified?

Khao Lak IDC offers these options to a wide range of students. Located near the Similan Islands – This is one of the best palces to become a professional diver!