Manta Queen 3 # 189
It truly was a starry, starry night when we left Khao Lak harbour, bound for 4 nights and 4 days Liveaboard of outstanding diving in the Similan Islands.
Our check-out dive at Three Trees was a brilliant introduction, offering the entire range of landscape you can find in the Similans. Shallow reefs teaming with life, huge boulders with beautiful sea fans, and sandy stretches hiding an amazing array of underwater creatures. As an extra special welcome, a bulky leopard shark drew lazy circles around some of us.
We then continued via North Point with its deep channels and Turtle Rock with its endless series of swim-thrus. On the way, a big school of pilot whales enchanted the crew as much as the guests. Day 2 was “shark day”, with sightings of white and black tip reef sharks at Elephant Head Rock. On to Christmas Point and Koh Bon Island, where we met the Green Monster, a wall of cold and turgid wall of water welling up from the sea floor. With it came the nourishment to feed the thousands and thousands of fish that surrounded us. Next we did 2 dives at Koh Tachai Island on the main pinnacle and its northern smaller brother and sister. Such a fantastic way of waking up on day 3!
Another short trip took us into the Surin Island Marine Park, just 5 km south of the Burmese border. Richelieu Rock did not disappoint: there were big fish and small fish, all kinds of crustaceans and nudibranchs galore. We swam through schools of yellow snappers, played bubbles with the batfish and imitated the frigate shape of lionfish. Plus, there were so many types of moray eels we lost count.
We ended our trip on day 4 with an amazing deep dive at Hin Luang and another visit to Koh Bon. The last dive, at Boonsung Wreck, was a perfect end to the trip, with a whaleshark passing by to say goodbye. The crowd on board was fantastic.
Congratulations to Erika, Estefania, Lidia, Christophe, Randy and Dan on becoming PADI Advanced Open Water Divers with your instructors Jeff and Fernando. And “Well done!” to Markus, Henry and Francisco on becoming PADI Enriched Air Divers with your instructors Anja and Joe. May all of you be always safe underwater!
