Similans update!

[Bowmouth]

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

I never said that its acceptable. I just said what it is like.

 

[shellbackdiver1]

This is interesting. I will be meeting with two different operators next week that are coming to Taiwan to promote the Similan Liveaboard trips. For sure I will inquire about this. We plan on a trip to the are the first week of Feb07.

 

[BigJeff]

Just to make sure everyone understands what these are - here is a not so good picture.

They are small and dark coloured, so photos are a challenge. Bowmouth or JoeDiver need to find some yellow ones !

 

[Ringo]

It's the Park Rangers that will tell you that Christmas Point is CLOSED if you ask them. As far as I know there haven't been any updates send to local diveshops about the closed sites.
Again, imo the main problem is that the Rangers do not have much (if any) good communication with the diving community and nobody really knows what's going on.I asked about the closed sites last week at Island 4 and the Rangers said " Similan 1, 2 and 3 CLOSED for scuba diving and both Fantasea Reef and Christmas Point CLOSED for scuba diving as well".

Yup, a case of nobody knows again. The dive operators have not been informed and many of the Liveaboard owners say that they have not heard anything about this....not even from the Rangers. So guess it depends on who talks to whom where and when.

Similan 1, 2 and 3 and Fantasea Reef were closed a couple of years ago and that was the last we heard about sites being officially closed.

 

[Ringo]

Drop in the water on the southermost tip of Island 5 and descent to 18 meters. There's a huge boulder with a bit of an overhang and the pipe horses are on the bottom just under the overhang on the deeper side.
Please do NOT swim UNDER the overhang because you may stir up the bottom sediment and damage the pipehorses environment. There were 7 of them 3 days ago!
Enjoy!

By the way; the seahorses at Richelieu Rock are tiger tail seahorses.

Wish you could get some pics Bowmouth for us poor office people

 

[BigJeff]

Ringo, look up two posts - the picture was taken 2 days ago while with Bowmouth

 

[Bowmouth]

Just to make sure everyone understands what these are - here is a not so good picture.

They are small and dark coloured, so photos are a challenge. Bowmouth or JoeDiver need to find some yellow ones !

I think it ALL has to do with ones photo skills!!!

 

[Ringo]

Thanks BigJeff - did not realize you could enlarge it. Voila - I can see it now. Very very cute!!!!

 

[kapula]

Drop in the water on the southermost tip of Island 5 and descent to 18 meters. There's a huge boulder with a bit of an overhang and the pipe horses are on the bottom just under the overhang on the deeper side.
Please do NOT swim UNDER the overhang because you may stir up the bottom sediment and damage the pipehorses environment. There were 7 of them 3 days ago!
Enjoy!

By the way; the seahorses at Richelieu Rock are tiger tail seahorses.

Cheers Bowmouth!
Need to pass this info to my dive operator - if that's ok with you?
And yes those fellas at R rock are infact tiger tail seahorses. Don't think there are such species as dragon tail seahorse. Thanks for straightening that

 

[caribbeansoul]

Hey Bowmouth or Ringo,
Are the water temps still as cold as you mentioned 2 weeks ago? I think you said it was like 24C/75F...brrrr! I am leaving tomorrow for Phuket and will be on a liveaboard in the Similans and wanted to make sure I bring the right wetsuit for conditions.

Thanks!