Bowmouth
Contributor
DIVELOG ANDAMAN SEA JANUARY 4-9, 2010
A short trip this time with only 6 diving days. Visibility was a bit down at some sites due to unusually poor weather (we got multiple days with lots of rain and strong shifting winds). Another strange phenomena was that the tidal currents ran continuously from South to North and throughout the trip did not change direction. Water is still very warm at most sites (29 Celsius) and there still is a distinct lack of large animals. El Nino???
The diving at Richelieu Rock is still outstanding with lots of fish and cool critters.
January 4:
Dive 1:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Island 5-6, “Morning Glory”/ “Anita’s Reef”
Visibility: 20-25 meter
Current: Slight:
Marine life: Giant moray eel, white eye moray eel, blue spotted stingrays, brown marbled groupers, red snappers, schooling big-eyes / fusiliers / 5-lined snappers / yellowtail barracudas and blubberlips, longnose emperor, yellowmask angel fish, bluefin trevally, flagtail and blue blanquillos, many garden eels, Andaman dottyback,
Dive 2:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Island 6, “The Channel”
Visibility: 10-20 meter
Current: Slight
Marine life: Blue spotted stingrays, queens helmet conch (3), large blacksaddle coral grouper, yellowmask angel fish, yellow trumpet fish, bluefin trevally, blue blanquillos, razor fish (3), giant moray eel (3), schooling big-eye snappers / java rabbit fish / fusiliers
Nudibranch: Reticulidia suzanneae, Phyllidia ocellata,
Dive 3: Night
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Island 5, “Honeymoon Bay”
Visibility: Ok
Current: Slight
Marine life: Great barracuda, zebra / spotfin lion fishes, bearded scorpion fish, alabaster sea cucumber, many sleeping parrot fish, coral / spider and round crabs, many surgeon fishes, java / black eye rabbit fishes, hermit crabs + different crabs and shrimps
Nudibranch: Elysia ornata (2)
January 5:
Dive 4:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, “Elephant Head Rock”
Visibility: 10-20 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine life: Spotted box fish, yellow box fish, smashing mantis shrimps, clown trigger fish, great barracuda, schooling bannerfish, school milk fish / oriental sweetlips / fusiliers / two-spot queen fish / 5-lined snappers / pyramid butterfly fish / redtooth trigger fish / sleek unicorn fish / humpback unicorn fish / yellowfin surgeon fish and crocodile needle fish, BIG dogtooth tuna, giant moray eel, porcelain crabs
Nudibranch: Glossodoris hinkuerensis
Dive 5:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Koh Bon, “West Ridge”
Visibility: 10-20 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine life: Octopus, Napoleon wrasse, many porcelain crabs, leopard blenny, Andaman sweetlips, egg cowries feeding on leather coral (2), checkered snappers / blubberlips and titan triggerfish feeding on glass fish, bluefin trevally, schooling fusiliers / 5-lined snappers and big-eye snappers, bearded scorpion fish, blue puffer fish, banded boxer shrimps, flatworm, giant moray eel,
Nudibranch: Roboastra gracilis,
Dive 6:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Koh Tachai, ‘Twin Peaks”
Visibility: 10-20 meter
Current: Slight – Moderate
Marine life: Great barracuda, brown marbled grouper (3), black saddle coral grouper, roving coral grouper, clown trigger fish, painted spiny lobster, yellow trumpet fish. harlequin sweetlips, bearded scorpion fishes, giant moray eel (3), schooling fusiliers / 5-lined snappers / big eye snappers / java rabbit fish / milkfish / blubber lips and red snappers, gold saddle goatfish / giant trevally and blue fin trevally in feeding frenzy.
Nudibranch: Pteraeolidia ianthina
Dive 7: Night
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Koh Tachai, “South”
Visibility: Ok
Current: Slight
Marine life: Giant / zebra / honeycomb moray eels, zebra lion fishes, decorator crab, hermit crab, octopus, bearded scorpion fish, coral crabs, spider crabs, big school of fusiliers, many sleeping parrot fish, sleek unicorn fish, surgeon fish, many goat fishes and different kinds of crabs and shrimps.
January 6:
Dive 8:
Location: Surin Marine National Park, Richelieu Rock
Visibility: 20-40 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine life: BIG octopi, Pharaoh cuttle fish (2), bar-tail / giant and white eye moray eels, Jans’pipefish, red scribbled pipefish, spindle cowries, crenavolva tigris (ovulids), smashing mantis shrimps, tiny yellow boxfish, spotted boxfish, masked porcupine fish, BIG Spanish mackerels, BIG brown marbled grouper, schooling chevron barracudas / shrimp scad / horse eye jacks / big eye snappers / crocodile needle fish / blackfin barracudas / blue lined barracudas / fusiliers / red snappers / bluefin trevally / twin spot snappers and 5-lined snappers, skip jacks, many bearded scorpion fishes, banded boxer / hinch-beak and other cleaner shrimps, Murex shells, golden wenteltrap snails,
Dive 9:
Location: Surin Marine National Park, Richelieu Rock
Visibility: 20-30 meter
Current: Moderate-strong
Marine life: Jans’pipefish (4), badger cling fish, more octopi and Pharaoh cuttlefish, urchin shrimps, many smashing mantis shrimps, zebra / common and spotfin lion fish, and similar creatures as dive 8
Nudibranch: Risbecia pulchella (2),
Dive 10:
Location: Surin Marine National Park, Richelieu Rock
Visibility: 20-30 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine life: Ornate ghost pipe fish (2), bluefin trevally and yellowtail scad feeding on mottled fusiliers, and similar creatures as dive 8 and 9
Dive 11: Night
Location: Surin Marine National Park, Koh Torinla, “East”
Visibility: Ok
Current: Moderate
Marine life: BIG stripe-legged spiny lobster, great barracuda, many decorator and hermit crabs, brown marbled grouper, giant / white eye / honeycomb moray eels, zebra / spotfin / common lion fish, bearded scorpion fish, many sleeping parrot and redtooth trigger fish, other crabs and shrimps.
January 7:
Dive 12:
Location: Surin Marine National Park, Richelieu Rock
Visibility: 20-40 meter
Current: Moderate-strong
Marine life: BIG great barracuda, horse-eye jacks / bluefin trevally / yellowtail scad and 5-lined snappers feeding on mottled fusiliers, schooling chevron and blacktail barracudas / twin spot and big-eye snappers / shrimp scad / fusiliers / crocodile needle fish and blue lined barracudas, Andaman dottyback, toxic sea urchin, Pharaoh cuttlefish (2), many smashing mantis shrimps, ornate ghost pipe fish, brown marbled groupers, giant and white eye moray eels, BIG Spanish mackerel (3), many flute mouths (cornet fish), bearded scorpion fish, gray drummers, zillion hinch-beak shrimps, blue striped fang blenny (“lawyer fish”
Dive 13:
Location: Surin Marine National Park, Richelieu Rock
Visibility: 20 - 30 meter
Current: Moderate - strong
Marine life: Tiger cowries, crenavolva tigris (ovulids), BIG octopi (fighting), Pharaoh cuttle fish, free-swimming zebra moray eel, many scribbled pipe fishes, ornate ghost pipe fish (2), scribbled snapper, mangrove red snappers, many spotfin and common lion fishes, and similar creatures as dive 12
Dive 14:
Location: Surin Marine National Park, Koh Torinla, “East”
Visibility: 6-15 meter
Current: Moderate-strong
Marine life: Blacktip reef shark, BIG brown marbled groupers, Spanish mackerel, painted and stripe-legged spiny lobsters (6), hawksbill turtle (2), yellow mask / semi circle / blue ring and emperor angelfish, school blacktail / chevron and pickhandle barracudas, Andaman dottyback, many blue spotted stingrays, tallfin / round and pinnate batfish, orange dotted and bluefin trevally, giant and white eye moray eels, blue striped fang blenny, titan triggerfish with eggs, magnificent rabbit fish, many murex and cone shells
SPECIAL: Unusually bad weather coming in from the South-West
Dive 15: Night
Location: Koh Surin Marine National Park, Koh Surin Tai, “North-West Bay”
Visibility: 5 meter
Current: None
Marine life: Elbow crab (Daldorfia horrida ?), spider crabs, arrow crabs, round crab, coral crabs, hermit crab, decorator crab, brown marbled grouper, octopus, squid, giant moray eel, tiger cowries, many Indian sailfin tang and sleeping parrot fish, white turban shell, different crabs and shrimps.
January 8:
Dive 16:
Location: Koh Surin Marine National Park, Koh Chi, “South East”
Visibility: 8-15 meter
Current: Strong
Marine life: Spotted eagle ray, hawksbill turtle, Pharaoh cuttlefish (laying eggs), blue-spotted stingray, giant clam, big schools of fusiliers and surgeonfish, smashing mantis shrimp, many bluefin and giant trevally feeding on glassfish, many (bearded) scorpion fishes, crenavolva tigris (ovulids), yellowmask / blue ring and emperor angel fish, brown marbled and blacksaddle coral groupers,
Nudibranch: Halgerda tesselata
Dive 17:
Location: Koh Surin Marine National Park, Koh Chi, “North East”
Visibility: 8-15 meter
Current: Slight
Marine life: Hawksbill turtle (2), long snout pipe fish, banded sea krait, scrawled file fishes, juvenile bi-color parrot fish, giant clam, giant / yellow margin moray eel, huge school Indo-pacific sergeants (damsel), striped surgeon fish, semi-circle / yellow mask and emperor angel fish, flat worms (2)
Nudibranch: Phyllidiopsis shireenae, Roboastra gracilis
Dive 18:
Location: Koh Surin Marine National Park,” Turtle ledges”
Visibility: 8 - 15 meter
Current: Slight
Marine life: Whitetip reef shark, BIG painted spiny lobster, smashing mantis shrimp, giant moray eel, magnificent rabbit fish, pinnate and long fin batfish, dogtooth tuna, brown marbled grouper, blue spotted stingray, juvenile African pompano, schooling bluefin trevally, fusiliers, java rabbit fish, 5-lined / big eye, snappers, many zebra / spotfin lion fish, half-banded goby,
Dive 19: Night
Location: Koh Surin Marine National Park,” Turtle Ledges”
Visibility: Ok
Current: Slight
Marine life: JUVENILE PINNATE BATFISH, Indian sailfin tang, orange-spine unicorn fish, round / spider and hermit crabs, many zebra and spotfin lionfish, schooling fusiliers and Java rabbit fish, dogtooth tuna, bluefin trevally, different crabs and shrimps and many sleeping (some very big) parrot fish.
January 9:
Dive 20:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Koh Bon, “West Ridge”
Visibility: 15-25 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine life: Napoleon wrasse, juvenile emperor angel fish, octopus (feeding), milk fish feeding on surface plankton (7), BIG scribbled snappers, school red snappers / fusiliers / checkered snappers / big-eye snappers / bluefin trevally and Java rabbit fish, Andaman dotty-back, Andaman sweetlips, red and blue devil scorpion fish, blubberlips, brown marbled grouper, porcelain crabs, red and yellow fire dart goby, giant moray eels, blue spotted puffer fish, school black spot puffer fish (12), great barracuda, titan triggerfish attack!
Dive 21:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Island 9, “Christmas Point”
Visibility: 15 meter
Current: Slight - Moderate
Marine life: Purple fire dart goby, many red and yellow fire dart gobies, Andaman sweetlips (4), banded sea krait (2), smashing mantis shrimp, blue puffer fish (3), clown trigger fish, tiger cowries, giant moray eel, jaw fish,
Dive 22:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, “Sharkfin Reef”
Visibility: 10-20 meter
Current: Slight - Moderate
Marine life: Blue spotted sting ray, clown triggerfish, juvenile common lionfish, dogtooth tunas, star / map and blue spotted puffer fish, great barracuda, schooling red snappers / 5-lined snappers / Java rabbit fish / sleek unicorn fish / bignose unicorn fish / mottled fusiliers / robust fusiliers / pyramid butterfly fish / silver-sides and glass fish, juvenile emperor angel fish (2), adult yellow box fish, juvenile cornet fish (2), black snapper, scribbled snapper, orange-spine unicorn fish, jaw fish,
A short trip this time with only 6 diving days. Visibility was a bit down at some sites due to unusually poor weather (we got multiple days with lots of rain and strong shifting winds). Another strange phenomena was that the tidal currents ran continuously from South to North and throughout the trip did not change direction. Water is still very warm at most sites (29 Celsius) and there still is a distinct lack of large animals. El Nino???
The diving at Richelieu Rock is still outstanding with lots of fish and cool critters.
January 4:
Dive 1:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Island 5-6, “Morning Glory”/ “Anita’s Reef”
Visibility: 20-25 meter
Current: Slight:
Marine life: Giant moray eel, white eye moray eel, blue spotted stingrays, brown marbled groupers, red snappers, schooling big-eyes / fusiliers / 5-lined snappers / yellowtail barracudas and blubberlips, longnose emperor, yellowmask angel fish, bluefin trevally, flagtail and blue blanquillos, many garden eels, Andaman dottyback,
Dive 2:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Island 6, “The Channel”
Visibility: 10-20 meter
Current: Slight
Marine life: Blue spotted stingrays, queens helmet conch (3), large blacksaddle coral grouper, yellowmask angel fish, yellow trumpet fish, bluefin trevally, blue blanquillos, razor fish (3), giant moray eel (3), schooling big-eye snappers / java rabbit fish / fusiliers
Nudibranch: Reticulidia suzanneae, Phyllidia ocellata,
Dive 3: Night
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Island 5, “Honeymoon Bay”
Visibility: Ok
Current: Slight
Marine life: Great barracuda, zebra / spotfin lion fishes, bearded scorpion fish, alabaster sea cucumber, many sleeping parrot fish, coral / spider and round crabs, many surgeon fishes, java / black eye rabbit fishes, hermit crabs + different crabs and shrimps
Nudibranch: Elysia ornata (2)
January 5:
Dive 4:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, “Elephant Head Rock”
Visibility: 10-20 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine life: Spotted box fish, yellow box fish, smashing mantis shrimps, clown trigger fish, great barracuda, schooling bannerfish, school milk fish / oriental sweetlips / fusiliers / two-spot queen fish / 5-lined snappers / pyramid butterfly fish / redtooth trigger fish / sleek unicorn fish / humpback unicorn fish / yellowfin surgeon fish and crocodile needle fish, BIG dogtooth tuna, giant moray eel, porcelain crabs
Nudibranch: Glossodoris hinkuerensis
Dive 5:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Koh Bon, “West Ridge”
Visibility: 10-20 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine life: Octopus, Napoleon wrasse, many porcelain crabs, leopard blenny, Andaman sweetlips, egg cowries feeding on leather coral (2), checkered snappers / blubberlips and titan triggerfish feeding on glass fish, bluefin trevally, schooling fusiliers / 5-lined snappers and big-eye snappers, bearded scorpion fish, blue puffer fish, banded boxer shrimps, flatworm, giant moray eel,
Nudibranch: Roboastra gracilis,
Dive 6:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Koh Tachai, ‘Twin Peaks”
Visibility: 10-20 meter
Current: Slight – Moderate
Marine life: Great barracuda, brown marbled grouper (3), black saddle coral grouper, roving coral grouper, clown trigger fish, painted spiny lobster, yellow trumpet fish. harlequin sweetlips, bearded scorpion fishes, giant moray eel (3), schooling fusiliers / 5-lined snappers / big eye snappers / java rabbit fish / milkfish / blubber lips and red snappers, gold saddle goatfish / giant trevally and blue fin trevally in feeding frenzy.
Nudibranch: Pteraeolidia ianthina
Dive 7: Night
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Koh Tachai, “South”
Visibility: Ok
Current: Slight
Marine life: Giant / zebra / honeycomb moray eels, zebra lion fishes, decorator crab, hermit crab, octopus, bearded scorpion fish, coral crabs, spider crabs, big school of fusiliers, many sleeping parrot fish, sleek unicorn fish, surgeon fish, many goat fishes and different kinds of crabs and shrimps.
January 6:
Dive 8:
Location: Surin Marine National Park, Richelieu Rock
Visibility: 20-40 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine life: BIG octopi, Pharaoh cuttle fish (2), bar-tail / giant and white eye moray eels, Jans’pipefish, red scribbled pipefish, spindle cowries, crenavolva tigris (ovulids), smashing mantis shrimps, tiny yellow boxfish, spotted boxfish, masked porcupine fish, BIG Spanish mackerels, BIG brown marbled grouper, schooling chevron barracudas / shrimp scad / horse eye jacks / big eye snappers / crocodile needle fish / blackfin barracudas / blue lined barracudas / fusiliers / red snappers / bluefin trevally / twin spot snappers and 5-lined snappers, skip jacks, many bearded scorpion fishes, banded boxer / hinch-beak and other cleaner shrimps, Murex shells, golden wenteltrap snails,
Dive 9:
Location: Surin Marine National Park, Richelieu Rock
Visibility: 20-30 meter
Current: Moderate-strong
Marine life: Jans’pipefish (4), badger cling fish, more octopi and Pharaoh cuttlefish, urchin shrimps, many smashing mantis shrimps, zebra / common and spotfin lion fish, and similar creatures as dive 8
Nudibranch: Risbecia pulchella (2),
Dive 10:
Location: Surin Marine National Park, Richelieu Rock
Visibility: 20-30 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine life: Ornate ghost pipe fish (2), bluefin trevally and yellowtail scad feeding on mottled fusiliers, and similar creatures as dive 8 and 9
Dive 11: Night
Location: Surin Marine National Park, Koh Torinla, “East”
Visibility: Ok
Current: Moderate
Marine life: BIG stripe-legged spiny lobster, great barracuda, many decorator and hermit crabs, brown marbled grouper, giant / white eye / honeycomb moray eels, zebra / spotfin / common lion fish, bearded scorpion fish, many sleeping parrot and redtooth trigger fish, other crabs and shrimps.
January 7:
Dive 12:
Location: Surin Marine National Park, Richelieu Rock
Visibility: 20-40 meter
Current: Moderate-strong
Marine life: BIG great barracuda, horse-eye jacks / bluefin trevally / yellowtail scad and 5-lined snappers feeding on mottled fusiliers, schooling chevron and blacktail barracudas / twin spot and big-eye snappers / shrimp scad / fusiliers / crocodile needle fish and blue lined barracudas, Andaman dottyback, toxic sea urchin, Pharaoh cuttlefish (2), many smashing mantis shrimps, ornate ghost pipe fish, brown marbled groupers, giant and white eye moray eels, BIG Spanish mackerel (3), many flute mouths (cornet fish), bearded scorpion fish, gray drummers, zillion hinch-beak shrimps, blue striped fang blenny (“lawyer fish”
Dive 13:
Location: Surin Marine National Park, Richelieu Rock
Visibility: 20 - 30 meter
Current: Moderate - strong
Marine life: Tiger cowries, crenavolva tigris (ovulids), BIG octopi (fighting), Pharaoh cuttle fish, free-swimming zebra moray eel, many scribbled pipe fishes, ornate ghost pipe fish (2), scribbled snapper, mangrove red snappers, many spotfin and common lion fishes, and similar creatures as dive 12
Dive 14:
Location: Surin Marine National Park, Koh Torinla, “East”
Visibility: 6-15 meter
Current: Moderate-strong
Marine life: Blacktip reef shark, BIG brown marbled groupers, Spanish mackerel, painted and stripe-legged spiny lobsters (6), hawksbill turtle (2), yellow mask / semi circle / blue ring and emperor angelfish, school blacktail / chevron and pickhandle barracudas, Andaman dottyback, many blue spotted stingrays, tallfin / round and pinnate batfish, orange dotted and bluefin trevally, giant and white eye moray eels, blue striped fang blenny, titan triggerfish with eggs, magnificent rabbit fish, many murex and cone shells
SPECIAL: Unusually bad weather coming in from the South-West
Dive 15: Night
Location: Koh Surin Marine National Park, Koh Surin Tai, “North-West Bay”
Visibility: 5 meter
Current: None
Marine life: Elbow crab (Daldorfia horrida ?), spider crabs, arrow crabs, round crab, coral crabs, hermit crab, decorator crab, brown marbled grouper, octopus, squid, giant moray eel, tiger cowries, many Indian sailfin tang and sleeping parrot fish, white turban shell, different crabs and shrimps.
January 8:
Dive 16:
Location: Koh Surin Marine National Park, Koh Chi, “South East”
Visibility: 8-15 meter
Current: Strong
Marine life: Spotted eagle ray, hawksbill turtle, Pharaoh cuttlefish (laying eggs), blue-spotted stingray, giant clam, big schools of fusiliers and surgeonfish, smashing mantis shrimp, many bluefin and giant trevally feeding on glassfish, many (bearded) scorpion fishes, crenavolva tigris (ovulids), yellowmask / blue ring and emperor angel fish, brown marbled and blacksaddle coral groupers,
Nudibranch: Halgerda tesselata
Dive 17:
Location: Koh Surin Marine National Park, Koh Chi, “North East”
Visibility: 8-15 meter
Current: Slight
Marine life: Hawksbill turtle (2), long snout pipe fish, banded sea krait, scrawled file fishes, juvenile bi-color parrot fish, giant clam, giant / yellow margin moray eel, huge school Indo-pacific sergeants (damsel), striped surgeon fish, semi-circle / yellow mask and emperor angel fish, flat worms (2)
Nudibranch: Phyllidiopsis shireenae, Roboastra gracilis
Dive 18:
Location: Koh Surin Marine National Park,” Turtle ledges”
Visibility: 8 - 15 meter
Current: Slight
Marine life: Whitetip reef shark, BIG painted spiny lobster, smashing mantis shrimp, giant moray eel, magnificent rabbit fish, pinnate and long fin batfish, dogtooth tuna, brown marbled grouper, blue spotted stingray, juvenile African pompano, schooling bluefin trevally, fusiliers, java rabbit fish, 5-lined / big eye, snappers, many zebra / spotfin lion fish, half-banded goby,
Dive 19: Night
Location: Koh Surin Marine National Park,” Turtle Ledges”
Visibility: Ok
Current: Slight
Marine life: JUVENILE PINNATE BATFISH, Indian sailfin tang, orange-spine unicorn fish, round / spider and hermit crabs, many zebra and spotfin lionfish, schooling fusiliers and Java rabbit fish, dogtooth tuna, bluefin trevally, different crabs and shrimps and many sleeping (some very big) parrot fish.
January 9:
Dive 20:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Koh Bon, “West Ridge”
Visibility: 15-25 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine life: Napoleon wrasse, juvenile emperor angel fish, octopus (feeding), milk fish feeding on surface plankton (7), BIG scribbled snappers, school red snappers / fusiliers / checkered snappers / big-eye snappers / bluefin trevally and Java rabbit fish, Andaman dotty-back, Andaman sweetlips, red and blue devil scorpion fish, blubberlips, brown marbled grouper, porcelain crabs, red and yellow fire dart goby, giant moray eels, blue spotted puffer fish, school black spot puffer fish (12), great barracuda, titan triggerfish attack!
Dive 21:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, Island 9, “Christmas Point”
Visibility: 15 meter
Current: Slight - Moderate
Marine life: Purple fire dart goby, many red and yellow fire dart gobies, Andaman sweetlips (4), banded sea krait (2), smashing mantis shrimp, blue puffer fish (3), clown trigger fish, tiger cowries, giant moray eel, jaw fish,
Dive 22:
Location: Similan Marine National Park, “Sharkfin Reef”
Visibility: 10-20 meter
Current: Slight - Moderate
Marine life: Blue spotted sting ray, clown triggerfish, juvenile common lionfish, dogtooth tunas, star / map and blue spotted puffer fish, great barracuda, schooling red snappers / 5-lined snappers / Java rabbit fish / sleek unicorn fish / bignose unicorn fish / mottled fusiliers / robust fusiliers / pyramid butterfly fish / silver-sides and glass fish, juvenile emperor angel fish (2), adult yellow box fish, juvenile cornet fish (2), black snapper, scribbled snapper, orange-spine unicorn fish, jaw fish,
Last edited:
