Project AWARE - Beach Cleanup – Similan Island No. 8

On Wednesday 17th February 2010 we did a beach cleanup at Island No. 8. Here are some pictures of the fun time we had collecting rubbish!

Mantas are all over Koh Bon

What a day on the Speed Boat and after 2dives at Koh Bon everybody had a big smile in their faces!
Why? Well, to see 4Mantas 2times 55min is something special!
After lunch our customer and even the boat crew did a 40min snorkeling with these Giants.
We tried a new spot at Koh Bon and we didn't regret our decision:-)!
What looked first as a boring reef changed quik to a marine life-movie show!
Of course the Mantas where the main actors but also a giant Napoleon Wrasse with her baby was saying hello, 2Octopussys showed their nicest colours in their game of play or love and the Black Tip Reef Sharks cruised around to check us out!

Well thats how Similan Diving Safaris spends their time in the office!

Manta Ray Madness at Koh Bon.

SDS 24 left Tap Lamu pier in blistering heat and sun which was a great relief for all to get off land and onto the ocean. With its customary blistering red sunset, clear skies and another full boat of great people, the trip was destined for big things.
Day 1 started with a nice relaxing check dive at Anita’s Reef before moving south to Island number 3. This was a nice relaxing drift dive where some dive groups encountered Leopards sharks, White Tip Reef Sharks, Eagle Ray, and turtles along with its normal smaller creatures hiding away. After a great feast and beach time we moved back up north to East of Eden. The dive here was its normal colourful beautiful self with lots to see. During the dive we encountered an area on the dive site that looked like a big anchor had been dragged and pulled away a nice area of coral which was home of some very nice small creatures. After this dive we went back for some more beach time to watch the sunset and then get ready for our night dive in Princess Bay.
Day 2 started off with a nice morning dive at Elephant Head Rock where several White Tip Reef sharks, a big Jenkins Whip ray, ghost pipe fish and many other rarer marine lives were encountered. We then went for more beach therapy at Donald Duck Bay before our second dive at Breakfast Bend/Snapper Alley where divers come across turtles, Leopards sharks, nudibranch, sea snakes, barracuda and a nice school of Rainbow Runners.
After this dive we left the Similan 9 islands and moved north to Koh Bon. With reports from other divers and dive boats of Manta Ray action we were heading up in anticipation of a manta show. Wow! was this some dive with reports of 5 or more mantas they decided to put on a show for our guests. Looping around, coming in close to divers and sniffing bubbles they were in a full playing mood and just like our guests seemed to enjoying being around cleaning and feeding. During the dive we encountered a lovely thermo cline of cold, green, plankton rich water which came in half way through the dive, with some computer clocking 24-25 degrees. This was a big shock to the body considering the normal temperature of between 28-29 degrees.
Several videos were taken one of which was rather entertaining as the camera man got a little scared of how close the manta actually came (No worries though as manta Rays are Plankton eaters only). Another interesting site was when 1 manta decided to empty his stomach and leave the contents drifting towards the diver (Nice!!).
After this amazing dive we headed further north for our night dive at Koh Tachai Plateau, where we experienced some strong currents although an amazing night dive, some groups encountering one of the most beautiful and most elusive nudibranch of all, the Spanish Dancer.
Day 3 started with our normal 2 dives at Richelieu which delivered some amazing visibility for the first dive before the green thermo cline came in for the second dive. Here we had 2 amazing dives as usual with seahorses, ghost pipe fish, harlequin shrimps, moray eels and nudibranch galore to keep us entertained. After the 2 dives we headed down back to Koh Tachai North for our 3rd dive of the day where we encountered the smaller critters and sharks. For the night dive we headed back to Koh Bon for its amazing array of colour which stands out in full glory at night. We also moored up at Koh Bon for the night ready for the morning dive and were treated to an amazing display of stars which most people came up to the sun deck to admire.
Day 4’s morning dive at Koh Bon was one where we were all excited in anticipation of mantas but it seemed the were off for breakfast somewhere else L Then we came to the final dive closer into land at the Boonsung wreck. This dive was a entertaining dive with many thing see as normal with its huge amounts of small critters and resident schools of Baby Barracuda, Snapper, Trevallies, Pufferfish, morish idols and also including the smaller things like stonefish, ghost pipe fish, rare nudibranch and baby morays. A great way to end a great trip.
During the trip we had several birthdays and birthday cakes on board with Karen and our cook celebrating their 21st birthday. A big happy birthday to you both and I hope you enjoyed your special day. Also we had Curtis and Karen celebrating their honeymoon on the boat. Another big congratulations to you both and I hope you have a good future together.
I would like to say a big congratulation’s to 4 new PADI Advanced Open Water divers Janine, Sebastian, Heike and David. Also Stephan and Heike again completed their PADI Enriched air diver course with 2 awesome dives at Richelieu Rock.
I hope you enjoy your future diving and we hope to see you all back again one day.

Plankton Rich water and fun in the sun.

Another full trip of customer eager to sample the delights of the Similan islands. Leaving Tamp Lamu pier in blistering heat and sun it was great to get off land and onto the ocean with its nice cool breeze and beautiful sunset.
Day 1 started with a great check dive at East of Eden. With the visibility approximately 20m and lots of fish action it was a great dive to start the trip. Later we moved over to the western side of island number 7 to West of Eden. For our 3rd dive we went to Elephant head Rock (Aka Hin Pusa) where we experienced some strong currents. Nevertheless it was a great dive to experience the swim throughs and vast amounts of fish and small critters. After the dive we then went for beach time which we had all to ourselves. It was perfect for a little less heat as the sun dropped below the island. The night dive was then at Beacon reef where we came across some interesting thing like rare Nudibranch/Pleurobranch and Lobsters. One of which staff and customers were saying it was the biggest they had ever seen. (Pictures Please..???)
For the second day we went to North Point for our first dive which bought up a range of small critters and a turtle. We then headed up north to Koh Bon for 2 day dives to hopefully catch a glimpse of the Manta rays. Unfortunately though although 2 nice dive the mantas must have been off having a party somewhere else. We also did the night dive at koh Bon which is an amazing dive normally but with no current it was a great dive.

Day 3 started with 2 dives at Richelieu Rock which showed it normal rich numbers of Barracuda and big schools of different fish as well its rarer smaller creatures. We then moved down to Koh Tachai to where we came across rare lionfish, leopard sharks and one group even seeing a manta ray. We also did the same night dive at Koh Tachai where we came across some HUGE barracuda hunting fusiliers.Day 4 bought a morning dive on Koh Tachai pinnacle which was a lovely colourful dive with lots to see including very big groupers! Then we came to the final dive closer into land at the Boonsung wreck. This dive was a very funny dive yielding many thing including stonefish, ghost pipe fish, rare nudibranch, baby morays and huge puffer fish. A great ending to a great trip.

Similan Diving Safaris is going Green!!!

Similan Diving Safaris is using from now on no more chemical cleaning Liquids on our Live Aboard the "Dolphin Queen" and on our Speedboat the "Dolphin Princess"!
We are very proud to be the first Divecenter in Khao Lak to make an effort to be environmental friendly with these BIO ORGANIC PRODUCTS!
The "Boomgreen Natural Dish and Hand Washing Liquid" is made out of Fermented Fruits!
Concerned about the damage we do to our mother nature every day we think this is a big step in the right direction and we hope that all the other divecenters will follow our effort and become more than just an ECO friendly Divecenter!

Similan Diving Safaris

Comment from Curtis and Karen from SDS#24

Hello to all!

Just wanted to send a quick note to say thank you once again to each and everyone of you we encountered during our recent 4 night/4 day liveaboard trip! It was just one of the most amazing experiences we have ever had - and the office staff, dive crew, captain, cooks, and the ever present and talented boat boys were all a huge part of the experience! Being realativly new divers, we appreciated all the great briefings from the various DM's and the excellent attention from our dive master Ale - she rocks! Nat and Stephan handle the busy office with grace and helped us with our accommodations at the last minute - thanks! The underwater experiences are what we dream about, share with our friends and we look forward to again in the future. We will be coming back to see you and the amazing dive sites again as soon as we can!

Please post this comment on your blog for all to see the high praise that we have for your operation. And please say hello to Ale, Alex, James, Scott, Gerald and Stephie for us.

Happy Bubbles,
Curtis Tisdel & Karen Nelson

Comment from Trisha and Gordon on SDS#22

Hey guys!! We miss you already. Fresh off the liveaboard end-January I just needed to give a shout out to a couple of folks for Similan Diving Safaris. First off, with gracious thanks to Stephan. My seemingly personal travel assistant. You have no idea how many COUNTLESS emails with endless questions he fielded and happily shook my hand when my husband and I arrived. Honestly, it was like he gets that all the time... I sent TONS of emails!!! Second. Our insanely talented diving instructor and guide, James T. Since we've left Similan, we've been doing some extra diving along the way. We have yet to encounter someone we've felt as confident in. James is like a fish in water- adept with any diving condition and any student (my husband and I were both OW, the advance students)... To boot- he knew everything. Everything we saw from the fishies to the landscape, an instructor and tour guide. James, we miss you!! Oh yea, the boat- amazing. The food, off the hook. Hello- what more are you looking for in a liveaboard??? Certainly, you can expect to see us again in the future. Trisha & Gordon MacLeod

Comment from Eva Gaudinaud

Hey there!! We had a very nice trip !!! Were on the #13 back in december 09!!!Great stuff, great staff, great food...We were learning and having fun at the same time! Thanks to James & Scott...!

Comment from Tom Bannister SDS#22

Wow Had a wicked time, deffently one to pass onto other travlers. Loved every miniute guys and as for the food it dont stop comming. How am i going to cope with rashening my food again. Book with simialn diving safaris, the capains a hard basterd so somehow always geets the best moreing line haha =)