Similans update!

[Ringo]

For those interested - 6 Blacktips and 4 Eagle Rays were spotted at Christmas Point, The Similans by the divers on MV Jazz during the early morning dive!
Nice way to start the day?

 

[Bowmouth]

For those interested - 6 Blacktips and 4 Eagle Rays were spotted at Christmas Point, The Similans by the divers on MV Jazz during the early morning dive!
Nice way to start the day?

Dear Ringo,

That's wonderful news.
However, according to the National Park Rangers on Island #4 is Christmas Point "CLOSED" for diving. Also, Fantasea Reef, and Island 1-3 are "CLOSED" for diving. Soon the whole Similans may be "CLOSED" for diving with the exception of the wonderful concrete theme-park at Island#5.
Promises to "OPEN" some of the "CLOSED" sites are imo at best wishful thinking. I've been waiting 6 years now for sites as Fantasea Reef to "OPEN"....

Something interesting: at the South Point of Island #5 at 18 meter depth are 6 short pouch pygmy pipehorses. Hard to take pictures of but surely very cool critters!

 

[Bowmouth]

Something else; divers better bring dry-suites for their dives in the Similans. I measures a frosty 24 Celsius on my computer while diving Elephant Head yesterday....

 

[Ringo]

Wow that is cold!

 

[Jason Ooi]

24c 5mm wetsuit enough.

 

[Jason Ooi]

Great dove... 4 rays...wonderful

 

[DontLieToMe]

Bowmouth, those pygmy pipehorses are nice but always look pretty unawesome in the photos. As usual I took lots of pictures of them and then deleted them all. Now, how many of the pictures you took did you keep?

Note, there were significant thermoclines at Elephant Head, Morning Glory, and East of Eden that day but Elephant Head was certainly the best - 24C or 75F for almost the entire dive.

How is it that some operations are diving the Closed Sites?

 

[Bowmouth]

Bowmouth, those pygmy pipehorses are nice but always look pretty unawesome in the photos. As usual I took lots of pictures of them and then deleted them all. Now, how many of the pictures you took did you keep?

@ NONE! Hard to focus on (at least with my camera) and they're too dark to see all the distict features. Still; NICE animals!

Note, there were significant thermoclines at Elephant Head, Morning Glory, and East of Eden that day but Elephant Head was certainly the best - 24C or 75F for almost the entire dive.

@ Brrrr.

How is it that some operations are diving the Closed Sites?

@ The Park Rangers don't check. The dive operators don't ask. The divers just dive!

 

[Bowmouth]

24c 5mm wetsuit enough.

I for one need 10 mm on the chest AND a 5mm hood for temperatures like that! Then again; I'm a whimpy diver...

 

[proffumdiver]

How is it that some operations are diving the Closed Sites?

@ The Park Rangers don't check. The dive operators don't ask. The divers just dive!

and you think that is acceptable why????????