Khao Lak Weather - april 2008

Nice days to day, but predictions are for a storm in the next 48 hours.

that's okay, we are deep inside - preparing. Polishing all the dive gear, servicing the equipment and painting.

Next season look forward to our new classroom. Chill room. This is the more casual classroom meant for studying, relaxing and "chilling" with a TV and movies.

We will also be redoing the office and rinsing up area.

Much much more on our Divemaster programs, liveaboard charters and exciting dive paclages in the next weeks as well. Stay tuned.

Khao Lak Diving

Similan Island Divemaster Internship Training

We are very proud to announce the first of new programs for next season!

We are now taking applications for Internships at Wicked Diving - Khao Lak's Premier Dive Center. The divemaster training program will commence October 15th, 2008 and our last candidates can join March 20, 2009. Space is limited!



Similan Divemaster Internship!!!

Take this unique opportunity and become a professional diver. Join our Similan Divemaster internship program. Dive from our liveaboard in the Similan Islands, while living, diving and learning in the world-famous tropical paradise of Khao Lak, Thailand.

Our Divemaster training program will bring you experience, knowledge and skills that allow you to work as a professional diver any where in the world.

All of this AND you still join at least 2 of our Similan liveaboard diving safaris. With these trips you will have the opportunity to see and dive with Manta Rays, Whale Sharks, Turtles, Sharks and the hundreds of other species of Marine Life that make this one of the Top Ten Dive Sties in the world – the Similan Islands.

Want to know more?

Wait! This price is incredible! Only 35,000 Thai baht to become a professional diver!!!
We also offer discounts on Equipment, future Similan Island liveaboards and all our selection of specialty courses. We are also an instructor Training facility, so you can move up to the next level after you complete Thailand’s best Divemaster training course.

We do not offer “short courses” and we are not a factory school. We only enroll a very limited numbers of divemaster interns at one time. We aim for the most thorough training and our goal is to make you an employable, experienced member of the worldwide professional diving community. Our course is twice as long as most other shops, and almost all our former Divemaster students are working as DM’s in the Similan Islands and around the world.

You will be “immersed” in the world of scuba diving. Not just being taught, but actually working alongside your instructors on our Similan Island liveaboard, on our speedboat and maybe even arranging and conducting trips to Khao Lak’s local shipwrecks! You will learn how a shop runs, how to coordinate a dive trip, to supervise divers in the water – even how to assist in teaching courses! Our Similan Divemaster course is for the passionate diver – who wants more!

You will find your head “swimming” with all the new experiences – imagine showing the incredible dive sites of the Similan Islands and Richelieu Rock to “your divers”. You will be tending to our guests safety as you share your passion for the marine life you see on each dive, while readying them and their equipment for the next dive. In the shop you will get hands-on training for the real world – seeing how trips are planned and prepared for, equipment serviced and paperwork (yup, there is STILL paperwork – even in diving) readied for each guest.

When you join our “school”, you’ll see that things are different. We are passionate about safety and service. We conduct lectures every two weeks for the whole diving community in Khao Lak regarding safety, marine life and even the results of our exploratory dives around the region. We are a small school with the personal touch. You will be mentored through the divemaster internship with your own instructor, but all our staff lend a hand in training.

It is not often you can take 6-8 weeks out of your hectic life to live in the tropics, enjoy one of the worlds truly great cuisines, dive some of the best dive sites in the world (Similan Islands, Richelieu Rock, Koh Bon , Koh Tachai) , visit white sand beaches for your lunch break and still end up with a career!

Please realize that by joining this diving adventure you are not guaranteeing your certification in any courses since PADI course certification is a result of completing/passing required coursework, completing dives and/or examinations

Want to know more?

Staying and living in Khao Lak:
We are happy to help you organize accommodation while doing your course. Living here is inexpensive. Unlike Phuket, this is a small town with lots of relaxed places to live. You can choose from serviced units (like hotel rooms) or actual houses with kitchens. Often times you will find that staying with other DMT’s (Dive Master Trainee’s) is a great way to live cheaply and share study time.

Khao Lak is about one hour North of Phuket Airport, but is a world away from the madness and chaos of Phuket. Khao Lak is a small town with lots of beaches and quiet laid-back restaurants. We are surrounded by the Khao Lak – Lamru National Park, and of course the World Famous Khao Sok National Park is just up the road from here.

Please bear this in mind – unlike Phuket, Khao Lak is quiet. Lacking in real nightlife and “go-go” bars, we like it. If you are coming to Thailand to party, this is NOT the town for you. On the other hand if you are here to dive, learn about diving and to see some of the best dive sites in Thailand – come on up!

Khao Lak is about a one hour drive up the coast from Phuket. Khao Lak is a lot more chilled out than Phuket - it's quieter and cheaper. There is a great beach, and several bars and restaurants. There is also the amazing Khao Sok national park nearby.

As always, please contact us with any other questions you might have. WE are very excited about this opportunity to share our knowledge and experience and hope you are too!


Khao Lak Diving

Divemaster Internship Link

Khao Lak Weather - april 2008

Nice weather again today, but it looks like another storm day after tomorrow.

that's okay we are getting everything ready for the best diving season ever!

All the equipment is being shipped off for servicing (come look at our records - we track all service!!!) And everything is being cleaned and made pretty.

Of course our huge line up of projects and offers for the season ahead is growing, so keep checking back in here often!

Khao Lak Diving

Khao Lak Weather - april 2008

Ah...the weather....

Well it's here! We had a few lovely days of blue skies and flat seas, but twice in one week we have had big storms roll through.

This officially marks the end of the season. It is no longer safe (or fun) run our speedboat and longtail trips. While a few liveaboards are running - The Similan National Park closes on May 15th - we expect more weather like this over the next month.

Of course we will be back open and ready to offer the very best in Similan diving in October.

Please send you queries for charters, liveaboards, day trips and diving education for the upcoming season.

Khao Lak Diving

Khao Lak Weather - april 2008

Today is a very pleasant day, with the lovely fluffy clouds and calm winds that let us know things are good in the world.

Khao Lak diving

Khao Lak Weather - April 2008

After a few days of rain we finally got a break in the clouds and looks like we hav e aweek of good conditions for trips.

We have officially stopped running our daytrips and longtail trips due to the possibility of storms coming up. Currently we are only operating liveaboards.

as always, keep checking back for continual updates on our progress and upcoming events.

In the season ahead look forward to our NEW liveaboard boat!

The most incredible Dive Master Training program in the region!

Interested in turning PRO? We will be able to offer Instructor Training. Turn you passion into a career!

Whale Shark Research projects
Exclusive Snorkeling tours

Continued support of local NGO programs


and so much more...


Khao Lak Diving

Wicked Diving - What we did this summer

As we have mentioned before - our commitment to the community is essential to us as people and to us as a commercial enterprise. As part of this philosophy we donate 10% of our proceeds to local charities. After putting our time and effort behind tsunami recovery efforts, we feel that these projects are either dwindling down or exploited for the benefit of the donors and not the receipients.

This year we are sponsoring these 20 children to go to summer camp. They are all children of migrant Burmese (Myanmar) workers who are prevented from attending local schools and often not even allowed basic healthcare.

In the summer camp the children are taken and taught some skills that most of us would take for granted. they have never seen a map before and have no idea how one works! Or the basics of their own anatomy.


Here, Michelle (head of the summer camp program) is telling them a story.





As you can see the conditions are very basic. Our donation not only paid for the materials, but the food, accommodation and necessities for their two weeks.

This donation is not ours - it's yours. Everyone who joined us this year helped make this possible. Each time you dive with us, you are contributing to projects just like this.

So to everyone this year a huge thank you!





There will be more pictures next week! stay posted


Khao Lak Diving

Khao Lak Weather - april 2008

Another nice day, with the afternoon rains.

Khao Lak Diving

This year's projects....

As we proudly point out on our site and as part of our core operating philosophies - we contribute 10% of our profits to local Charities. In the past we have assisted with Tsunami recovery projects like the Saori foundation.

This year we really did some research and we honestly feel that there is very little need for continuing assistance in short-term Tsunami projects. There is still a dire need for people who are willing to contribute 1 or two years for teaching projects and/our counseling. But our impact would be minimal.

This year we have changed our focus and we are sponsoring 20 promising children to go to an educational summer camp. But these are migrant Burmese children. A huge population in this region and very much overlooked by both the government and international community at large. The recent news of 54 migrants suffocating to death inside a truck made international news. While the attention to their plight is rare, their suffering is not.

Among the many problems are healthcare, education, basic services, human rights and of cose safety.

Burmese children are often not allowed to attend school (if they are illegal immigrants) or are only proficient in their native language, so suffer a huge gap in communication. Any assistance to bring them extra education is incredibly helpful.

GHRE, the only legal NGO allowed to assist Burmese in Thailand has set up a summer camp for the most promising children in the work camps to be given an educational scholarship. We are sponsoring 20 children for 2 weeks, all their housing, food, transportation, materials and costs are paid for by us. They just need to celebrate in their curiosity and passions.



We have always tried to make a positive impact on our community - not just divers or tourists. We strive to purchase our goods locally, to have our money make an impact locally and to make the community around us a better place.

If you wish to make some simple and easy contributions - we ask for nothing. However there are some very simple, very inexpensive programs that do need your assistance. One of the best and simplest is the Road safety program. This is just a request for reflector vests for the children and migrant community to wear at night. If you have any unused vests, or would like to buy one next time you see one, please send them to....

	PO Box 13, Takuapa Post Office Takuapa
	Phang Nga Province
	82110
	Thailand

If you look around the GHRE website you will find several other worthy projects to assist on. They do need your help. Better yet - your time and skills!



All of us here at Wicked Diving hope that you are able to make the world around you a better place.

Khao lak weather - april 19

Weather is nice, 33 right now - but on the humid side, so we expect rain this afternoon.

Still nice diving conditions and plenty to see. The Similans have 20m+ viz and many sightings of Manta's this week.

Khao Lak Diving

Khao Lak Golf Courses

We at Wicked Diving, Khao Lak are always up on the local news, and while it is funny that places like Phuket are so busy that can't notice all the gems off their island - we sure do. Our local Golf Course, is one of the best bargains and best locations in Thailand. Only a few minutes south of Khao Lak, it is right on the beach, rarely crowded quite serene. Of course it has taken 3 years for the Gazette to notice - but hey, that's okay. We try to ignore them too!

Did you know we have several more golf courses in the area? And 6 National Parks, and multiple waterfalls, and more than 40km of white sand beach...oh yeah...the best diving in Thailand.

Anyhow...

From the Phuket gazette today!


Khao Lak's golf course back on par once again

The 2004 tsunami devastated it, but now the navy's 18 holes by the sea are better than ever, writes Achadtaya Chuenniran

With cheap green fees and an attractive landscape, a navy-run golf course in Phangnga province, hit by the December 2004 tsunami, has become a major magnet for both Thai and foreign golfers after being restored. Situated in the compound of the Phangnga Naval Base in tambon Lamkaen of Thai Muang district, the Tub Lamu Navy Golf Course facing the Andaman Sea draws many people who love to play golf and get close to nature. The challenging 18-hole, 72-par course, measuring 7,160 yards, is one of Thailand's most beautiful.

The navy-run golf course was devastated by the Dec 26, 2004 tidal waves. Thirty people, including staff and players, were killed by the tsunami. The natural disaster forced the golf course to close for one year.

In 2005, the government and the navy allocated 30 million baht to restore the golf course, its fairways and facilities and another 35 million baht to build an embankment wall near the 17th and 18th holes to protect them from being hit by tidal waves.

Efforts have been made by executives of the golf course, mostly naval officers, to make it popular not only among officials but also tourists. Its closeness to nature, its cheap green fees and special discounts have been used as selling points to attract individuals and group tours. It has also been offered as a new alternative for long-stay tourists.

Rear Admiral Tharathorn Khajitsuwan, commander of Phangnga Naval Base who is in charge of the golf course, said about 50 caddies working at the golf course were insufficient to serve the rising number of customers.

If there were many customers, management had to ask naval officers to help them.

After reopening for only one year, the course would earn eight million baht, he said.

''We expect the number of customers to increase sharply because there are only two golf courses in Phangnga. One is in Thai Muang and the other in Tub Lamu. The privately-run course in Thai Muang has already been shut down.

''Our customers are both Thais and foreigners. Most customers, especially foreigners, like the atmosphere of our golf course as it is near the sea, particularly the 9th, 17th and 18th holes. Our green fees are also very cheap,'' he said.

The green fees at the navy-run Tub Lamu golf course are only 400-600 baht, while other privately-run courses charge customers 1,000-2,000 baht.

He said discounts on green fees would be offered to customers travelling in groups. Government officials would be charged only 200 baht per head.

The cheap green fees do not compromise the standards of the Tub Lamu course. Children who accompany their parents to the golf course can also make merit by releasing turtles from ponds in the naval base compound.

The golf course is under the supervision of Phangnga Naval Base and the Third Fleet. Built in 1991 during the tenure of Capt Preecha Littakup, then commander of the Phangnga naval station, the golf course was first opened to the public on Nov 21 in the same year.

Send us your query....


Similan Diving

Have you been in to see us lately?

Well, I have left Khao Lak and am getting ready for a journey down to Indo for the next 6 weeks - but Paul and Marcel are still going strong, and WICKED is still DIVING and providing great trips out to the Similans, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, and don't forget about Boong Song! Drop by and say hi to the guys - =)robyn WICKED DIVING

Khao lak weather - april 2008

The weather is starting look a bit grim today, but still getting sun and it is sure staying hot!

Khao Lak Diving

Similan Information

Similan Diving

Richelieu Rock - the history

The following article relates some history from Thailand. The famous dive site - Richelieu Rock is named after this little known piece of Thai naval history. Enjoy

Bringing back a piece of Thai history back - robes

OUTLOOK
Robe revived; Will this piece of Thai history find its way back?
1366 words
8 September 2007
Bangkok Post
O1
English
(c) 2007

USNISA SUKHSVASTI

A robe of heavily embroidered gold threads lay in a state of suspended existence in Denmark. But like Sleeping Beauty waking up from a 100 year sleep, it has recently been roused from its bed of silver paper and, wrapped in white linen, hidden away in the hushed security of a bank vault.

And this is no ordinary robe. The heavily embroidered, loose open style with intricate hem and cuffs is typical of those of those worn by members of the royal Siamese court of old, reflected today in the simplified graduation gowns worn at Chulalongkorn University commencement ceremonies. The filigree gold and silver threads that still shimmer despite their antiquity have a story to tell if you look closely enough. The intricate floral and vine patterns are interspersed with marine motifs - anchors, ship's wheels - that provide a clue to its original owner: Vice Admiral Andreas du Plessis de Richelieu.

It was in April of 1875 that Lt Richelieu arrived in Bangkok, bearing a private letter from King Christian IX of Denmark. An officer in the Danish Navy, he had come to offer his services to King Chulalongkorn during the height of European colonial expansion into Southeast Asia, a crucial period in Siamese history.

He was appointed chief of the naval inspection ship, the Regent, which patrolled the Bay of Bengal. In 1877, he had become commander of HMS Siam Mongkut, and by the following year he had been titled Luang Cholayuth Yothin and appointed chief commander of HMS Vesatri.

In this same year, as chief of the Naval Arsenal, he was also put in charge of a new unit, the Marines, which had been created to handle the newly imported Gatling guns.

Within the next decade, Richelieu's status grew, and his title elevated from Luang to Phra and later Phraya.

He played an increasingly significant role in the Royal Thai Navy. Eighteen ninety-three was a year that is etched in every Thai history book. Known as the Gunboat Crisis of Rattanakosin Era 112, the French sent gunboats to block the Chao Phraya River estuary. In his book of 1895 titled The Peoples and Politics of the Far East, British MP and journalist Sir Henry Norman, who had travelled extensively in the region, noted that the Thai navy was at a significant disadvantage due to the lack of experience of its personnel and its smaller fleet. He noted the presence of two or three foreign officers, among whom was Phraya Cholayuth Yothin, or Richelieu. Henry noted that Richelieu had suggested using HMS Maha Chakri to attack the French fleet, since it was the Royal Thai Navy's most modern and fastest vessel, but this particular ship was berthed at the Grand Palace landing for the king's personal use only. It was equipped with state of the art guns which, unfortunately, none of the local officers knew how to use. Had the HMS Maha Chakri been deployed, suggests Norman, things might have been different. As it was, Siam had to cede its Lao territory to the French.

Richelieu was to go on to become the first and only foreign commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy, from January 16, 1900 to January 29, 1901.

He also served the king in various other capacities, acting as the king's adjudant general. In 1883 he accompanied two royal princes to Europe for education in Denmark, during which trip he also negotiated the purchase of ships for the navy as well as ammunition. On this same trip he is said to have bought generators and lamps to be installed at the Royal Palace in Bangkok, the first time the palace was fitted with electric lighting. In 1897, during King Chulalongkorn's first visit to Europe, Queen Saovabha was installed as Regent, with Richelieu as one of her advisers.

In 1898, he accompanied Crown Prince Maha Vajiravudh on visits to the Russian tzar and tzarina (the Danish Princess Dagmar), to the king of Sweden and to the king of Denmark while attending the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, in England.

Richelieu was often in the entourage of Prince Damrong Rajanubhab and Prince Devawongse, who held the positions equivalent to the Minister of Interior and Minister of Foreign Affairs, respectively. With these two princes he developed a particularly strong and lifelong friendship. Prince Damrong subsequently visited Richelieu in Denmark several times, the last time in 1930, two years before Richelieu's death.

When Wat Benjamabopit was being built in 1901, he oversaw the shipment of the presiding Buddha image (copied from that in Phitsanulok) to be installed in the chapel. His name appears at the foot of the Buddha image together with that of King Chulalongkorn.

For his services to the king, and after he was elevated to the rank of vice admiral in 1902, he was awarded the Ratanaporn Medal Rama V, or the King Chulalongkorn Royal Cypher Medal (Rama V), prior to his return to Denmark at the end of a long and eventful time in the service of the king of Siam.

With this decoration came the gold robe which was to be worn on all formal ceremonial occasions as a full dress robe. According to the book Phra Phusa Song Nai Rajasamnak Siam (Royal Robes in the Court of Siam), written by historian Paothong Thongchua and published by BankThai, the tradition of the robe can be traced back to the Ayutthaya period as a ceremonial court costume adapted from the Persians and Indians.

The close friendship he retained with the king and members of the royal family can be seen in a description of the touching farewell given to Richelieu when he retired from the royal court in 1902, as recounted by his grandson, Allan Aage Hastrup, 76, who is now in possession of the robe.

"When my grandfather left Siam, the king, queen, Prince Damrong and a lot of other princes and royals followed him to Singapore. At the Governor's Palace dinner, grandfather sat next to the king, and the king said in his speech how much he appreciated him, how sorry he was to see him leave, and how he hoped he would soon come and visit. He also gave him a beautiful silver plate, covered with diamonds showing his coat of arms ... at the same time the king gave him the title of 'Admiral en Suite' and a pension. This was on February 24, on grandfather's 50th birthday!

"The next day, at 9am at the Maha Chakri, everybody was on deck when the king came out from his cabin. The king then asked my grandfather to appoint his successor as commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Navy, and to give the Seal of the Navy to the one he found the most important after the king himself. Grandfather gave it to the only full-blooded brother of the king, Prince Bhanurangsi Savangwongse, who was also the minister of the War Cabinet."

When King Chulalongkorn undertook a second visit to Denmark in 1907, he made a point of visiting his old friend of 28 years, V Adm Andreas du Plessis de Richelieu. Photographs from the period show a mature vice admiral constantly in the presence of the King during his Denmark visit.

Richelieu married his half-cousin, Dagmar Lousie Lerche, in 1892 and had five children, three of whom were known to have been born in Siam in 1892, 1894 and 1897.

The youngest of these three - Agnes Ingeborg du Plessis de Richelieu, known as Abi - inherited the robe from her father, and she in turn passed it down to her only son, Allan Aage Hastrup.

Despite its sentimental value, Hastrup feels that the robe should be returned to its place of origin, Thailand, a sentiment that is echoed by the auction house, Bruun Rasmussen, in Denmark, which is planning to exhibit the robe in Bangkok at the end of the year. It is hoped that a Thai buyer will be found for this magnificent robe, and if possible, it will make its way back into the Royal Thai Court, its place of birth.

Khao Lak Diving

Congratulations Darcy!!!! Khao Lak's newest Divemaster

And another Divemaster trained by Wicked Diving

On Songkran, the Thai water festival, Darcy Bradley finished her Divemaster Training with Wicked Diving. Darcy has been a guest of us the whole season. She worked as an english teacher at the Thai school in Bangsak, a village a bit north of Khao Lak. And since she was in the area anyway, she did a liveaboard trip in the beginning of the season, a few daytrips to the local wreck and later on took the Emergency First Response and Rescue Diver course. She also took her family out on an overnight trip to the Similans.

When she finished her work for the school, she started her Divemaster Course at Wicked and had a great experience in these last 6 weeks in Thailand. During her training she assisted on several courses, joined our reef cleanup program with the Similans National Park, helped out on our Whale shark Conservation Program, joined another 4 day liveaboard trip and also finished her DAN Oxygen Provider Course with Paul, our own mr Safety.

Always a pleasure to have her around, she did very well on her theory and exams, got to lead a lot of dives (including night dives) and is more than ready to go out and look after people under water. And as I am writing this article, she is actually on her way to Indonesia to dive Pulau Weh in Sumatra and then do an 8 day liveaboard trip in the Komodo Islands between Flores and Sumbawa. What a life!

Well done Darcy, great job and thanks for choosing us to do your Divemaster Training!

Marcel Bruijs

Khao Lak Diving

Simlan Liveaboard

Another great trip with Wicked Diving!

At the end of March, 8 people from Wicked Diving joined the MV West coast Explorer for an amazing 4 day dive trip to the Similan Islands.

With a great vessel run by experienced staff, a nice bunch of people, some great dive sites, wonderful food and splendid diving conditions you can't really go wrong.

The members of the Wicked Posse were:

• Ricky and Louise (Ricky used to be a dive instructor in Thailand way back in the days and this is how he met Louise)


• Ella, the beautiful baby daughter of Ricky and Louise, she didn't dive


• Anders (brother of Louise)


• Pia (doing her Advanced Open Water course)


• Darcy and Adam (divemaster trainees at Wicked)


• Marcel, who had the privilege of guiding this bunch underwater and trying to teach them some more about diving

We started with and easy day of diving with a checkout dive on Eel Garden and from there on it seemed like the diving was just getting better. Ricky, Louise and Anders rotated the dives, so one of them could look after Ella (or was it the other way around?). If Darcy and Adam were not assisting on the Advanced Open Water course with Pia, they got to guide them gaining valuable experience in their divemaster course.

Some of the best dives were done at Richelieu Rock where we found Seahorses, tiny Tiger Cowries and a Zebra Moray completely in the open. Another great dive was at North Point, of Koh Bangu (island #9) where we decided to look swim out to the deep pinnacle. We say no less than 5 leopard sharks, 3 Napolean wrasse and another 3 turtles. On the northern part of Breakfast Bend we saw 5 turtles on the end of our dive, feeding in the shallows.

The last day had another two great dives: First at Koh Bon Pinnacle, a deep divesite of the island of Koh Bon where we saw lots of leopard sharks in action. And then on the last dive we finally saw a beautiful Manta Ray hanging around in the shallows. This was the first Manta Ray for Ricky, Anders and Pia. And of course this was also the first time that the Manta Ray saw Ricky, Anders and Pia. Don't know who was more excited though.

Anyways, thanks again guys for a great trip and we only have to wait another 8 years before Ella can take her first breaths underwater.

Marcel Bruijs

Wicked Diving

Whaleshark Exploration Program

On the 24th to the 30th of March, the crew from Wicked Diving and Golden Buddha Beach Resort organized the first Whale shark Exploration Program.

The main objective for this project was to try and find whale sharks and identify them by taking pictures from their spot pattern on their skin. The project was inspired by the ECOCEAN Whale hark Photo-identification Library (www.whaleshark.org). This is a visual database of whale shark encounters and of individually catalogued whale sharks. The library is maintained and used by marine biologists to collect and analyze whale shark encounter data to learn more about these amazing creatures. Founder of the program, Brad Norman, has been collecting information since 1994 and so far there have been around 4000 photographs submitted and 1200 whale sharks are already identified from all over the world.
The Library uses photographs of the skin patterning behind the gills of each shark and any scars to distinguish between individual animals. Cutting-edge software supports rapid identification using pattern recognition and photo management tools.

Golden Buddha Beach Resort, the only resort on the beautiful and isolated island of Koh Prathong, is an eco friendly resort. This island is probably one of the closest places to a divesite called Richelieu Rock, an underwater pinnacle in between the mainland of Thailand and the Surin Islands. In the past, this dive site held one of the best records for whale shark encounters in Thailand and therefore we planned to dive this place extensively over a period of three days.

In total 9 guests of the resort joined (part of) the program, and it turned out to be a great group of divers from all over the world:
Dick, Marianne, Wouter & Elke Wynberg - Dick and Marianne grew up in South Africa, but have been living around the whole world. Lets say they are dutch
Susan Marx and Chris Serjak - S African / US, but currently working in Afghanistan
Nick Tan - Canadian
Melinda Friend – Originally from the US, but currently living in Switzerland with her family
Sander Koch and Daniella deBuvry – from Holland, but currently living in the Middle East.
Darcy Bradley (US) and Adam Jeng (Sweden) - trainees from Wicked Diving joined the program to guide the dives and help with the logistics.

The program started with a presentation about whale sharks, the Ecocean Program and a briefing on the dive site and a dive safety briefing on the evening before the first trip.

The next day we left the resort by private speedboat and we were off to Richelieu Rock. After only 45 minutes we arrived, the fastest I have ever reached this dive site from land. We had very good surface conditions, as the sea was nice and calm. Expectations were high and I was the first one to jump into the water. When I looked down to check the visibility and the current, the first thing I saw was a 4 meter Manta Ray passing over the pinnacle!!!
Needless to say that everyone was quite quick getting into the water. Luckily everyone saw the Manta Ray on the first dive, so that was a good start of the program. We did three dives on Richelieu Rock that day, most people were armed with a camera and we saw lots of different marine life.

The second day we did our first dive on Richelieu Rock and then decided to try our luck a bit further to the west and took the speedboat to the beautiful Surin Islands. The Surin Islands offer some of the best snorkeling on Thailand and we all jumped in close to one of the white sand beaches for a bit of exploration. The second dive was on a dive site called Turtle Ledge, a sloping reef, dense with corals. No whales harks but a very nice, easy and relaxed dive, which was a nice break as Richelieu Rock does have a bit of current once in a while. Then we had lunch on the islands itself, and after a quick dip in the beautiful lagoon, we were off to do the last dive of the day at R Rock. Again, loads of stuff to see, but mr Whale shark didn’t visit us that day.

On the last diving day our group certainly had the best dive where we had another massive Manta Ray circling us for about 20 minutes, giving us a beautiful acrobatic show. Still no whale sharks, but by the end of the day I am sure we must have seen every single fish on Richelieu Rock. I even suspect they started to get to know us by now…

Since Richelieu Rock is the only rock formation for miles around, it attracts an amazing variety of marine life, both small and big. Having dived around most places in Thailand I can say it is certainly one of the best dive sites around. The list of stuff to see is endless and it seems like there is something special in every nook or crannie that you look. Tiny little boxfishes, seahorses, mantis shrimp, tomato anemonefish, zebra moray eels, Jans and Schultz pipefish, schools of barracuda, lionfish, scorpionfish, ribbon eels, schools of fusiliers and jacks, carpets of anemones and soft coral, nudibranchs, it’s all there.

Of course it is a popular dive site and most companies go there by liveaboard boats as part of a 4 day / 4 night schedule. But by being so close to the resort, we managed to avoid the crowds and most of the time, we were alone underwater on the last dive of the day.

Day 4 of the program was a rest day and on day 5 we had a local snorkel trip arranged around the island of Koh Prathong. Rumours have it that in the past, whale sharks have been seen close to the rivermouth, so we decided to try our luck. Again, no whale sharks, but a great day on the longtail and it’s always nice to explore a bit around these isolated islands.

Despite having not seen any whale sharks, we all had a great week. This is all part of the game. I know people who have been diving tropical waters for years and have never seen one and I had students in their Open Water course seeing them on dive 3 and 4. But I guess it would be as much fun if it was a guarantee.

Thanks a lot for all the people who joined the trip and for Golden Buddha Beach resort for setting up the program and providing accommodation for the staff of Wicked Diving. Hopefully we will be able to do more whale shark exploration in the future.

And if you are ever lucky enough to encounter a whale shark under water and you happen to have a camera with you, don’t forget to take a few pictures of the spot pattern on the left side behind the gills and send it in to: www.whaleshark.org


Marcel Bruijs
Wicked Diving

Bon soong april 15

We visited Bon Soong today and I must say these were the best conditions of the year! I could see all the details of the wreck right from the surface! No current, perfect viz and so many fish that we could not see a thing! We had to move the fish out of the way to see the wreck!

The weather today is perfect! 20 meters viz

Another successful Day of Khao Lak Diving!

Coral Reefs can bounce back from this!

What does a coral reef look like 50 years after being nuked? Not so bad, it seems. Coconuts growing on Bikini Atoll haven't fared so well, however.

Three islands of Bikini Atoll were vapourised by the Bravo hydrogen bomb in 1954, which shook islands 200 kilometres away. Instead of finding a bare underwater moonscape, ecologists who have dived it have given the 2-kilometre-wide crater a clean bill of health.

"It was fascinating – I’ve never seen corals growing like trees outside of the Marshall Islands," says Zoe Richards of the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies in Australia.

Richards and colleagues report a thriving ecosystem of 183 species of coral, some of which were 8 metres high. They estimate that the diversity of species represents about 65% of what was present before the atomic tests.

The ecologists think the nearby Rongelap Atoll is seeding the Bikini Atoll, and the lack of human disturbance is helping its recovery. Although the ambient radiation is low, people have remained at bay.

Atomic idyll

"Apart from occasional forays of illegal shark, tuna and Napoleon Wrasse fishing, the reef is almost completely undisturbed to this day," says Maria Beger of the University of Queensland in Australia. "There are very few local inhabitants and the divers who visit dive on shipwrecks, like the USS Saratoga, and not on the reef."

Beger took a Geiger counter with her on dives and says that the background levels were similar to that at any Australian city. The same could not be said of coconuts growing on the islands.

"When I put the Geiger counter near a coconut, which accumulates radioactive material from the soil, it went berserk," says Beger.

Journal reference: Marine Pollution Bulletin (DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2007.11.018)

Songkran khao lak part two

The excitement builds

Khao Lak diving - Trip report

here is a posting from some of our recent guests on a forum for diving! I can't say how nice it feels to hear this. Brings a tear to my eye!

  "Just got back from our trip to Khao Lak diving the
Similians over the
Lunar New Year holidays. Dived three days at Similians
(Island 8 & 9),
Koh Bon and Richelieu Rock.

The diving got off to a very bad start with Sea Bees
to the Similians.
Fearing the crowds, we had made a prior booking with
them before our
arrival because they were recommended by this board
and appear to be
well regarded. We soon regretted making our deposit
without checking
them out in person. Sea Bees was to be one of the most
expensive options
to the Similians at 6,300 bh (US$200) for trip, nature
park fees and
gear hire when most other outfits only charge 4,900 -
5,000bh (US$150)
all inclusive for a speedboat trip. The Sea Bees boat
is also a slow
catamaran which takes at least 2 hours to hit the
Similians while the
speedboats will make the trip in less than an hour.
Although the boat
was quite spacious and efficiently run, there was
little to be done to
alleviate the stress of jumping into the water with 34
other people.
Despite being charged preminum prices, we were not
impressed with the
meagre food selection and soft drinks/beer are only
available for an
extra charge.

The day did not improve with the insipid dive sites we
were dropped into
at the Similians. Our DM later confessed that we were
made to dive in
the same sites together with the snorkellers because
the inflatable
onboard was not working. To make a bad day worse, we
made to wait in the
open sea for half an hour because the Sea Bees boat
was on the other
side of the island picking up the snorkellers. To his
credit, our DM was
quick to reassure the 13yo diver in our group who was
distressed about
floating away to India. Needless to say, she and her
older sister
refused to dive again this rest of the trip because of
their experiences
with Sea Bees.

Our trip improved the next day diving with Khao Lak
Scuba Adventures
(KSA) to Koh Bon. We were excited to play with the
mantas (95% chance of
spotting mantas, they claimed!) and was happy to try a
speedboat
instead. The trip was quite affordable at 5100 bh
(US$160) all
inclusive. We made the journey to Koh Bon in less than
an hour and the
boat was comfortable even with 18 divers. The
atmosphere onboard was
also more warm and friendly compared to the chilly
Teutonic silence on
the Sea Bees the day before. Koh Bon was stunning with
great visibility
and a huge variety of fish and coral. We had seriously
enjoyed our time
with the lovely Vicky exploring the sites. These were
good dives that
would have been spectacular if the mantas had made
their appearance. We
were unlucky as it was the first day in the week where
they were off sick.

For our last day, we were booked on Wicked Diving to
dive at Richelieu
Rock on a speedboat they share with Big Blue Diving.
We were quite
impressed with Wicked the minute we stepped into their
friendly shop on
the main street in Khao Lak. One of the boat staff,
Klaus actually took
the time to patiently explain to a bunch of noobies
about the various
dive sites in the Similians and what to look out for
out there. The
awesome Wicked service continued with one of their
friendly DMs,
Kristian from Sweden, doing a fantastic job guiding us
through at
Richelieu despite the strong currents and the
underwater horde. The Big
Blue speedboat is an excellent option for day trippers
as the silent
fast boat only takes an hour from the mainland. With
the flexibility of
speed, we had the site to ourselves most of the time
in between the LOBs
dives. Richelieu was easily our favourite dive of the
weekend with the
colourful soft corals and amazing stuff. No whale
sharks, no mantas but
lots of little critters for the macro lovers.

With so many outfits in Khao Lak offering the same
options, we all feel
strongly it is that personal touch that sets one dive
shop above all the
others. We will be back next time to dive again with
the fantastic
people at Wicked who also offers overnight diving in
Similians/Koh Bon
and Richelieu with an option to spend the night
camping on a Similian
island underneath the stars on solid ground.

That's our crew!!!

Thanks !

Khao Lak Diving

robyn's last night part 2

Jens taking pictures of Robyn...me taking pictures of Jens...luckily Robyn was not taking pictures of me!

Khao Lak Diving

Liveaboard Guide

Robyn's last night

Robyn getting ready to head off into the wild wild world. LAst night at RObbie's pasta - our new favorite (cheap) italian restaurant.

You should be seeing updates from all our core family during the "green season" and of course continuing updates on our fishies, dive sites and more.

Khao Lak Diving

Similan Islands

Aoy hard at work....

Here is our shopstress working away at our bookings. We are still doing business and looking forward to our end of season - it's been a long hard season so far.

Aoy is preparing for Songkran which will be coming up on saturday! That's the party where everyone throws water on one another. it's all good fun unless you are driving a scooter!

Here are some pictures from last years festivities (and here and here)

Khao Lak Diving

Liveaboard Thailand

Diver Safety

Khao Lak Weather - april 2008

The weather has been overcast most of the day, but not raining, so just a hot day without sun.

That's okay, the diving has been great! Huge compliments from all the guests. It just goes to show that the busiest season is not always the best time to visit.

We are fast approaching some really exciting news, so keep an eye. I am squirming with excitement - but can't tell our secrets yet!

Khao Lak Diving

Liveaboard Diving Thailand

safe diving

KHAO SOK, Lakes and Diving!

Thanks to Eric for taking Adam and I on a cavern excursion to Rajjaphapa Lake by Khao Sok National Park. We did 2 dives int