Anyone dive MV Sea Chart of Khao Lak?

[CJS]

We're doing another liveaboard trip out of Khao Lak in Jan. Afterwards we're booked in a Khao Lak resort for a week. I'm considering doing a day trip to the MV Sea Chart, but wondered if anyone has done it and could comment on vis / currents / if there is interesting stuff to see? Also interested in recommendations for shops to do it with (doesn't look like they all do it).

Also, how it is dived. Sites seem to suggest that it is in 40m of water, but also suggest diving nitrox; how deep do they actually dive?

Any help would be appreciated.

 

[MikkelBC]

Yes, I dived that last February from a liveaboard.
It is a nice, large wreck. Impressive structure. I think the very bottom is at 40, but you don't need to go that deep. I just checked my profile, and I didn't go deeper than 33m.
You should definitely dive it on nitrox to get a decent bottom time. I spent around 25 minutes on the wreck. Just watch your MOD.

I have put together a short video from the wreck for you to give you an impression of what it is like:


Happy diving!

 

[stevenl]

Visibility on vdo tends to look better than in real life, so how was the viz?
Dive looks really nice, looks like nearly no current? With the limitations DC's seem to have for this dive I would expect that currents can be strong and visibility limited.

 

[MikkelBC]

I think visibility was good. I couldn't say how many meters. Keep in mind that this was filmed with a GoPro camera, which is really wide angle, and therefore distances look greater.

You are right, there was no current. I can't speak to typical conditions, because I have only done this one dive there. I don't know if the conditions I experienced were normal or exceptional.

I guess that the requirements on diver experience mostly have to do with the dive starting below 25 meters.

 

[stevenl]

I think visibility was good. I couldn't say how many meters. Keep in mind that this was filmed with a GoPro camera, which is really wide angle, and therefore distances look greater.

You are right, there was no current. I can't speak to typical conditions, because I have only done this one dive there. I don't know if the conditions I experienced were normal or exceptional.

I guess that the requirements on diver experience mostly have to do with the dive starting below 25 meters.

Thanks.

There must be more, only 25+ meters does not warrant a minimal 100 dives requirement, which seems to be a normal requirement here. So my guess would be current and visibility, I'll check when I speak to some of the operators there.

 

[MikkelBC]

Please do, Steven, and let us know what you find out.

 

[CJS]

Thanks for replies so far. Love that video! MikkelBC, which shop did you dive with?

 

[MikkelBC]

I was on a liveaboard with Scubacat. I wouldn't count on the Sea Chart being on their regular schedule, though. It probably depends on which divers are on board and on the tour leader. And I know that the tour leader is not the same this year.

 

[CJS]

Hi steven,

Did you get any feedback on why the '100+' dive requirement?

 

[stevenl]

Hi steven,

Did you get any feedback on why the '100+' dive requirement?

Not yet. The one I asked does not have trips going there, and I did not speak yet to somebody organising trips to Sea Chart.