Here is another couple that was underwater during the Tsunami:
Letter from a couple who were underwater during the Tsunami
Letter from a couple who were underwater during the Tsunami
Tsunami divers
- Thread starter Kaos
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There are a couple a good summary articles here at Divernet.
This one describes the effect the Tsunami has had on the diving areas and conditions:
http://www.divernet.com/news/stories/tsunami070105.shtml
and this one is a good article about divers in the waters at the time and what they experienced:
http://www.divernet.com/news/stories/tsunami040105.shtml
Also I hear mention that there were a large group of divers in Emerald cave, Thailand and at least 2 died and 70-80 others had to wait inside to be rescued. Now I have never heard of this cave/dive site, but 80 people inside, this early in the morning, sounds like loads to me. I am a little confused as well because one news story describes it as though it is a 'cave-dive' experience and the other as if it's a swim through that leads to a beach.
Anyone know any more on this, or about the divesite, or if these were divers (with diving gear etc.) or just swimmers/snorkellers or indeed why they were trapped there? After all, unless the swim through collapsed I can't see why they couldn't get out.
http://news.inq7.net/breaking/index.php?index=3&story_id=22419
http://smh.com.au/news/World/Tsunam...d/2004/12/26/1103996438450.html?oneclick=true
This one describes the effect the Tsunami has had on the diving areas and conditions:
http://www.divernet.com/news/stories/tsunami070105.shtml
and this one is a good article about divers in the waters at the time and what they experienced:
http://www.divernet.com/news/stories/tsunami040105.shtml
Also I hear mention that there were a large group of divers in Emerald cave, Thailand and at least 2 died and 70-80 others had to wait inside to be rescued. Now I have never heard of this cave/dive site, but 80 people inside, this early in the morning, sounds like loads to me. I am a little confused as well because one news story describes it as though it is a 'cave-dive' experience and the other as if it's a swim through that leads to a beach.
Anyone know any more on this, or about the divesite, or if these were divers (with diving gear etc.) or just swimmers/snorkellers or indeed why they were trapped there? After all, unless the swim through collapsed I can't see why they couldn't get out.
http://news.inq7.net/breaking/index.php?index=3&story_id=22419
http://smh.com.au/news/World/Tsunam...d/2004/12/26/1103996438450.html?oneclick=true
I just found this description of Emerald Cave:
"Emerald Cave on the west coast of Muuk Island can be reached only by boat and has an entrance on the bottom of high-rising cliffs which is narrow but wide enough for boats to pass through during low tide. However, most visitors prefer to swim into the darkness and through the winding cave, a distance of 80 metres. While the sun colours the water in an array of green, emerald and turquoise shades at the entrance, the exit leads to a shady valley located between steep cliffs and with white sand on the beach. Everyone should ensure to be out of the cave before the tide comes in or they won't get out. "
Which leads me to believe that it's a snorkelling/swimming/dive swim-through rather than a "cave-dive" situation. This description goes a long way to explaining how people might get trapped (if they can't get back out from the Beach/Valley at high tide - and they've got no scuba gear to make the swim-through underwater (not that you would want to unless you were certain there was a boat on the far side! :unsure: )) but makes the news stories which stated 'people trapped in this cave will be battered to death against the sides' seem very badly researched since the cave leads to an open area!
Unless the whole of the valley/beach itself filled with water? It's a big valley though and what happened to the boats? Anyone know the circumstances of those left trapped?
"Emerald Cave on the west coast of Muuk Island can be reached only by boat and has an entrance on the bottom of high-rising cliffs which is narrow but wide enough for boats to pass through during low tide. However, most visitors prefer to swim into the darkness and through the winding cave, a distance of 80 metres. While the sun colours the water in an array of green, emerald and turquoise shades at the entrance, the exit leads to a shady valley located between steep cliffs and with white sand on the beach. Everyone should ensure to be out of the cave before the tide comes in or they won't get out. "
Which leads me to believe that it's a snorkelling/swimming/dive swim-through rather than a "cave-dive" situation. This description goes a long way to explaining how people might get trapped (if they can't get back out from the Beach/Valley at high tide - and they've got no scuba gear to make the swim-through underwater (not that you would want to unless you were certain there was a boat on the far side! :unsure: )) but makes the news stories which stated 'people trapped in this cave will be battered to death against the sides' seem very badly researched since the cave leads to an open area!
Unless the whole of the valley/beach itself filled with water? It's a big valley though and what happened to the boats? Anyone know the circumstances of those left trapped?
rebharrop:
Batfish
Contributor
Hi all,
We had customers under water when the tsunami passed. Some were at Koh Bon, just north of the Similan Islands, and described being caught in a strong current and then spun like a washing machine. All came up safely. I also had an instructor under with 2 students at Koh Bida Nok, Phi Phi with a similar experience. Divers in Burma said they didn't know anything had happened until they got a satellite phone message.
I read with amusement this comment earlier in the thread : "I read one story where a British diver was at about 50' and apparently the tsumani placed her up on a hill on land."
I don't think so.
And the Emerald cave? I have not heard of it as a dive site, just a beautiful hidden lagoon accessed by a passage which is underwater at high tide. In the days after the tsunami, I had several interviews over the phone with UK and Australian TV, and they were all asking me about the 100 divers missing and the trapped divers in the famous Emerald Cave...So famous I had to look it up, and I've been here 5 years!
I think CNN have left Phuket now. Nothing for them to report.
We had customers under water when the tsunami passed. Some were at Koh Bon, just north of the Similan Islands, and described being caught in a strong current and then spun like a washing machine. All came up safely. I also had an instructor under with 2 students at Koh Bida Nok, Phi Phi with a similar experience. Divers in Burma said they didn't know anything had happened until they got a satellite phone message.
I read with amusement this comment earlier in the thread : "I read one story where a British diver was at about 50' and apparently the tsumani placed her up on a hill on land."
I don't think so.
And the Emerald cave? I have not heard of it as a dive site, just a beautiful hidden lagoon accessed by a passage which is underwater at high tide. In the days after the tsunami, I had several interviews over the phone with UK and Australian TV, and they were all asking me about the 100 divers missing and the trapped divers in the famous Emerald Cave...So famous I had to look it up, and I've been here 5 years!
I think CNN have left Phuket now. Nothing for them to report.
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