Scubie rests on artificial reef

Giant Fan Coral

28th to 29th October 2024

Similan Islands National Park

We sailed through the night on the 28th to reach the Similan Islands for the first days diving. The sea was a little choppy but sea sickness pills were available if you needed them. We woke up the next morning to a light pre-breakfast meal and the first of 19 in total possible dives. This followed the same pattern throughout the week; a pre-breakfast breakfast, a dive, the big breakfast, a dive, lunch, a dive, evening meal, a night dive (except on the last day when there was no night dive). All 19 dives were from the Rhib.

Dive #1 at the Similan Islands was the Channel or Zodiac, which was a nice gentle dive to check out equipment and weights. Lots of Sand Gobi, a couple of Milkfish, Longfin Cometfish , Lionfish, Juvenile Yellowmargin Triggerfish, Longnosed Emperor, several Moray and many more species. There were also some concrete boxes which had been placed there to help form and artificial reef.

Dive #2 was at Honeymoon Bay and was rather similar to the first dive in terms of species and there was also a little current. Notable were; Bluefin Trevally, Oriental Sweetlips, Spotted Boxfish, Humpback Unicornfish.

Dive #3 was a prettier reef at Tuna Wreck Reef, although we never saw the wreck. There were big granite boulders, much more coral, Clown Triggerfish, Moorish Idol Spotted Boxfish, Longfin Bannerfish, Anenomonefish (Nemo), Painted Spiny Lobster and more.

Dive #4 was a night dive back at Honeymoon Bay. Things did not go terribly well for me on this dive, my torch died halfway through and my wireless tank transmitter stopped talking to my dive computer. Still, with a borrowed torch from the dive guide and there use of my analog gauges for air, I muddled through. Highlights were; a hunting Moray, a yellow/green Fimbriated Moray, Red Spooner Crab, several types of Lionfish, Tassled Scorpionfish and Bluefin Trevally. Changed the code in my dive computer afterwards and got it working again.

30th October 2024

Similan Islands National Park

After the pre-breakfast today Dive #5 was at North Island #7 "Deep Six". Characterised by many coral bonnies, there were also large granite boulders, swim-thrus, thermoclines and lots of surge and current which, along with the vibrant reef life, made an interesting and enjoyable dive. Shrimp, Giant Pufferfish, Clown Triggerfish, Giant Trevally, Longfin Bannerfish to name but a few.
Dive #6 after the full breakfast was at East Island #9 "3 Trees". This was a pretty similar environment to the previous dive as far as the sea and reef were concerned. Here I saw Picasso Triggerfish, Clown Triggerfish, Blue Damselfish, Emperor Angelfish, Gian Pufferfish and , out in the blue, 3 Milkfish.
Dive #7 after lunch was at South East Island #9 "Breakfast Bend". This was a bit of a drift dive with good current and coral bonnies and thermoclines. On this dive I saw Andaman Sweetlips, Clown Triggerfish, Octopus, Barracuda, Milkfish, Picasso Triggerfish and several large Boxfish.
Dive #8 after dinner was a night dive at East Island #8 "Beacon Reef". Here I saw Andaman Sweetlips, Barchin Scorpionfish, Moray, Blue Spotted Lionfish, Star Puffer and Bobtail Squid.

Octopus

Starry Pufferfish Krill

31st October 2024

Koh Bon Islands

Dive #9 after pre-breakfast today was at Western Ridge - Koh Bon Island. I took both my GoPro style Kaiser Baas camera for video and my Fuji Finepix for stills. At the end of the dive the Fuji was displaying a 'Lens Control Error' message and had stopped working. This was a replacement camera I got off ebay because you cannot buy that model now and it fits my waterproof case, and because I accidentally dropped the original one and the zoom function stopped working from then on. Seems like I was sold a dud!. Anyway the dive was good and we actually saw a juvenile Whitetip Reef Shark, an Octopus, several Brown Sweetlips, a couple of Humpback Batfish, Starry Pufferfish, Masked Porcupinefish and big schools of Neon Wrasse.
Dive #10 after big-breakfast was at Coral Gardens - Koh Bon Island North. A nice Coral Garden as the name suggests. There was lots of life here including mature Yellowtail Barracuda, a number of Great Barracuda, Painted Spiny Lobster, Masked Porcupinefish, Oriental Sweetlips, Yellow Boxfish, Indian Triggerfish. A pleasant 20mtr dive.
Dive #11 after lunch was st Scooter Rock - north east of Ko Tachai island. Among the highlights was white sand, pretty coral, surge and current, along with a Green Turtle, Giant Sweetlips, Indian Triggerfish several Blubberlips, and Masked Porcupinefish.
Dive #12 was a night dive at Ao Packard located on the South Surin Island in the Surin National Park. A large Moray was out-a-hunting, a Red Hermit Crab seemed indignant to be disturbed, a Painted Spiny Lobster was absolutely livid, there was a Bearded and a Devil Scorpionfish who didn't seem to care at all and there absolutely millions of Krill which, I have to say, really P****d me off. They were in my hair, in my ears, down my neck and trying their hardest to bludgeon themselves to death on the front of my torch.

1st November 2024

Richelieu Rock/South Surin

Situated to the east of the Surin National Park this dive site was a short late evening cruise to get there. Mostly submerged, the tip is only visible during low tide and it offers some fantastic diving with a rich and diverse stock of marine life.
Dive #13 at the rock was characterised by both surge and current, with large schools of Giant Trevally, Bigeye Trevally, Blue Fin Trevally, Chevron Barracuda, Black Fin Barracuda, Yellowtail Barracuda, Yellowback Fusillier, Long Nose Emporer, Siera Batfish, Rebbit fish, Peacock Mantis Shrimp, the list goes on.
Dive #14 was pretty much the same, but really you could take a chair and just sit watching the large schools repeatedly swim by. It was quite fascinating.
Dive #15 was back at Ao Packard, South Surin Island for a daytime dive this time. Some surge and current but a nice dive with Grey Moray, Bearded Scorpionfish, 2x Blue Spotted Rays, Durban Dancing Shrimp.
Dive #16 was an early evening dive at Turtle Ledge in the south east of Surin Thai island.Pleasant dive to finish the day, Yellow Trumpetfish, Six Striped Soapfish, Moray, Bigeye Snapper, Blue Stripe Fusilliers.

Durban Dancing Shrimp

Bigeye Trevally

2nd November 2024

Richelieu Rock

For the last day we are back at "The Rock" for all three remaining dives, which is an excellent way to end the week, although I have missed diving any wrecks this trip, I am bit of a coral encrusted, rusty metal lover to be honest. Diving here is characterised by surge and some current and a very rich abundance of marine life. I summarise all three dives in one. Good news is that I managed to get my Fuji camera working, although it kept going into error mode occasionally, but for the most part it was fine.
Dives #17, #18, #19 were as fascinating as the previous dives here and pretty much reinforced the idea about just pulling up a chair and watching the marine life parade by, big schools of Bigeye Trecally, Giant Trevally, Bluefin Trevally, Chevron Barracuda, Long Nose Emperor, Sierra Batfish, Rainbow Runner, 2 large Grey Moray, a small yellow Fimbriated Moray, Longfin Coronetfish, Bearded Scorpion, Devil Scorpion, Tomato Anemonefish, Longfinned Batfish, Emperor Angelfish, Yellow Boxfish, Ember Parrotfish, Lionfish and many others that I probably didn't see. It was sensory overload!