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The
recent introduction of direct international flights to Phuket
Island is got to increase the popularity of Thailand as a
destination for UK divers. Visas are not required for less
than 15 days stay and English is widely spoken.
Local
operators quote a diving season of mid-October until May,
but in recent years the monsoon has dragged on into November
and by April it is getting very hot, So December through until
March is the best time. to go.
Several
international diving operators work out of Patang beach and
have modern diving equipment for hire. The diving around Phuket
island is somewhat spoilt by the local tin mining industry;
so live-aboard cruises to the Similan and Surin islands have
more appeal to the serious; diver.
The
Similan islands, 56 miles north west of Phuket. are usually
reached overnight, taking around 11 hours cruising. There
are 9 islands, uninhabited apart from occasional tourists,
all having spectaclar reef formations and clean, empty white
beaches, against a backdrorp of tropical rain forest,
Despite
their Marine Park status, the Similans are heavily fished
commercially. Many of the better open water dive site have
large fiih traps in situ, which not only spoil the diving,
but, as happened to us, can be very dangerous if you are diving
on such a site when a large fishing vessel turns up and proceeds
to cruise back and forth over you, trailing a large hook in
the hopes of finding its fish trap.
The
result of this fishing is that inshore pelagic fish are almost
non existent, but the corals and smaller marine life, on which
the larger fish would normally feed, are prolific.
The
underwater scenery is granite cliffs, boulders and canyons
littered with sea fans, soft corals, black corals, whip corals,
hard corals, and brown, yellow and green featherstars. Visibility
is generally good but strong currents often make photography
difficult.
For
underwater photographers and less energetic divers, the sheltered
bays have good visibility, little current and prolific growth
of stag corals sheltering smaller fish. plus a multitude of
sea urchins and starfish with occasional sightings of turtles
and sea snakes.
A
further overnight cruise to the north, near to the Burmese
border, lie the Surin islands; even more heavily fished commercially,
despite being a Marine Park, The Surin islands are very similar
to the Similan islands above and below water, but less visited
by dive boats. Thev have the added attraction of a colony
of Sea Gypsies (a dark skinned fishing race, related to the
Andaman Islanders far to the west).
Thailand
diving is not in the same class as the Red Sea. but prices
are falling fast. The Thai people are outstandingly friendly
and enjoy giving good service. Food, beer and quality hotels
are cheap. You get that unmistakable taste of the Orient.
Bangkok, the world's capital of cheap fake designer fashion,
is only one hour's flight away, if you wish to treat the love
in your life. If you like to combine your diving holiday with
above water attractions, Thailand is now a cheaper alternative
to the Caribbean.
Footnote
I
elected to use the South East Asia Yacht Charter Co Ltd, and
its trimaran "Wanderlust", because it was English
and Australian managed. In the event this turned out to be
a mistake. Before departure I was promised: long and short
wave radio, radar, satellite navigation, depth sounder, Nagrafax
weather printout, autopilot, television, video and stereo
system. luxury cabins, two compressors, Honda generator for
battery charging and plenty of freshwater for washing cameras.
Of these only one compressor, the radar, depth sounder and
the Captain's own "Walkman" turned out to be available.
The luxury cabins were only berths and those in single berths
had to put up with some of those in doubles walking through
their "luxury private cabin" area to reach their
own berth! The lack of charging facilities severely limited
underwater photography. The freshwater, for washing equipment,
was only changed once in the whole trip, so we had the inevitable
equipment seizure due to salt build-up.
The
local dive master was not in tune with underwater photographers
and despite the fact that we had chartered the complete vessel,
made little effort to give us the type of dive sites we required.
The
boat had its boarding ladder next to the propeller, making
diver pick-up dangerous, as we could not anchor on most dive
sites. An inflatable was available, but its use to pick up
divers in the water was refused, except when the dive master
himself had to be rescued from a rip current. In the event
of a boat accident (and we cruised mostly at night), the inflatable
was too small for the size of the group and no life rafts
existed.
When
I complained about all this on my return to Patong, the English
manager said, and I quote, "l am amazed that you have
the temerity to complain about my organisation and dive master".
There
are several good dive operators In Patong, who have been around
for nearly ten years, On my experience, the South East Asia
Yacht Company is best avoided. |
