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Charter Boats ~ no details |
Beautiful and full of marine life. |
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THE SIMILANS Dive log by Tamworth John, Dogsbreath Diver. March 2005
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 70 miles from Phuket
lie the nine tropic covered granite islands know as the Similans.
Forming a 15 mile 24km chain from number 1(Koh huyong) island in the south to number 9(Koh Payang) island in the north, with no 2(Koh Payang) no 3(Koh Payan), No 4 (Koh Miang) 5,6,7,(Koh Pabu) and no 8 (Koh Similan) nestling in between. These remote, mostly uninhabited islands were declared a marine national park In 1982 with just a ranger station on no 8 island and the national park headquarters On island no 4 offer two very different types of diving. On the powdery white sands of the east coast hard coral gardens slope dramatically to 30-40 metres to a sandy bottom with large coral bommies covered in soft coral in a Rainbow of colours, this side is mostly drift diving. |
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| All photos by Tamworth John, Dogsbreath Diver. |
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 To the west coast
which can be more challenging as currents swirl around huge Granite
boulders making fantastic formations overhangs deep rocky gorges and
swim throughs Soft coral growing on these boulders sometimes so thick
they disappear.
Marine life on both sides is staggeringly abundant with too many species to list. 20 kilometres further north of island 9 is koh bon facing a small cove it features a Vertical wall of 33 metres here leopard sharks are common and manta rays come to play. Then the big one pressing north is Richelieu rock just visible at low tide this pinnacle is a magnet for marine life from the weird and wonderful frog fish, sea horses to the unbelievable sight of a whale shark We dived with Scuba cat out of Phuket on a transfer boat to scuba cat liveaboard For four days we dived the Similans doing five dives a day. Too many to list all dive sites but with Tony and John our underwater guides dropping us in the water at the best possible times from peaceful and tranquil to busy feeding time. Dive site names such as elephant head and fantasy reef.We transferred to Scuba Adventure for three days on the last leg north to Richelieu rock with Pj Widestrand our guide this time, Scuba Adventure is more relaxed Only four dives a day. Both boats are excellent with a more than helpful crew Who even washed all the kit after the last dive. |
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We did 26 dives in
seven days in crystal clear water temperature 28C/82F (March 2005)
Visibility up to 40 metres the further north you go the better it
gets. We experienced drift diving past amazing coral reefs teaming
with life swam through huge boulders, witnessed courting leopard
sharks and playful manta rays the majestic sight of a whale shark and much
much more.
So if your idea of a diving holiday is wake up on a boat with stunning views of tropical Islands warm inviting waters magnificent marine life, exploring uninhabited island between dives then visit the Similans. In my eleven years of diving and all the countries I have been the Similans is at the top of my list, I must return.
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