Boonsung wreck!

[Uli Kunkel]

Im thinking about heading to either Phuket or Khao Lak in the next week or so to do some dives.

Specifically I was thinking about getting out to the Boonsung Wreck, and I had a few questions;

Are there any operations which are a little more lax with the dive time restrictions? I am a photographer and experienced diver so I'd like to spend a bit more than 60 minutes bumping around down there.

That being said, are there any recommendations for DC's which might cater to my needs a little more than others? Not too keen on sharing a boat with 24 other fun divers....

How much should I expect to pay for 2 dives there?

What are the conditions / marine life like lately? When I went a few years ago there were heaps of fish - lots of stonefish and scorpionfish there.... im more interested in the macrolife.

Ok, thats it for now! Thanks in advance for all your help!

 

[Zippsy]

9 hours ago it was teaming with fish. Hard to see through the school at times. There are still more lionfish, morays (honeycomb, white-eyed & zebra) and scorpionfish than you can count. Macro included 8 different species of nudis (including a mating pair, an egg laying one and two other egg masses), hingebeak shrimp, banded coral shrimp, porcelain crabs, anemone shrimps, (not really macro but fun) a baby white eyed moray nestled and feeding in a bunch of squid eggs. I was on a LOB though and can't comment n the balance. You may be able to get your own long tail boat though. Also, go early or late to avoid the LOB timings of 11:30 to 1:00.

 

[limbo]

Getting your own long tail shouldn't be too difficult, or even get one through a dc, will assure you a buddy.
Price will possibly be around 2 to 3K?

 

[h90]

Getting your own long tail shouldn't be too difficult, or even get one through a dc, will assure you a buddy.
Price will possibly be around 2 to 3K?

when I was recently in Krabi, there were long tail boats and a guy told he can also get the tank, so I think it is everywhere in Thailand possible. Only thing is that your are without the PADI Scuba Nurses. Might be better to go that places with a DC first to know it and than a day later private?

 

[Zippsy]

Only thing is that your are without the PADI Scuba Nurses. Might be better to go that places with a DC first to know it and than a day later private?

Silly, ironic, self-contradictory and mildly condescending all in the same sentence. How amusing.

 

[AleG]

There are still more lionfish, morays (honeycomb, white-eyed & zebra) and scorpionfish than you can count.

Heh... ain't that the truth? Groups of Lionfish stroll around the wreck like gangsters, and the scorpionfish are everywhere so be careful there.
I remember once I wanted to brace myself on a girder when I see a very well camouflaged sorpionfish right where I was about to put my left hand down. HA! I thought, I won't get fooled so easy!, then I went on to use my right hand to hold onto the girder and at the last moment I noticed another scorpionfish right under that hand.
I gave up on grabbing anything after that.

 

[aquamarin]

What Zippsy said...........yesterday was absolutely wonderful there! Several companies offer longtail trips to Boonsung with a minimum of 2 bookings. Expect to pay a couple thousand. Some companies offer nitrox for free - a must if you want to do no-deco dives and stay longer than 60 minutes. If you find an op that'll let you rent tanks, you can also hire a longtail privately. None of the companies I work with would rent out tanks to a non-professional though.

On a different note: funny how people slag off "Padi scuba nurses". Whenever these divers have a problem, they are very grateful that there is a "nurse" available. Just saying.

Happy diving
Karin

 

[Uli Kunkel]

Thanks for the help everyone!
...the trip fell through this time, but I'm sure I will be back to dive here again someday!

 

[jamiemac]

On a different note: funny how people slag off "Padi scuba nurses". Whenever these divers have a problem, they are very grateful that there is a "nurse" available. Just saying.

Happy diving
Karin

exactly! I'm happy to send divers off with tanks and weights on their own boat, but when they come back and moan like hell that they couldn't find the wreck, couldn't get down , couldn't find their way back, i just laugh, a lot.

 

[Zippsy]

BTW, on my last two dives at the wreck, I had divers with fairly large remoras huggung their tanks. It was pretty hysterical to watch but it also likely meant that some other very big critters were in the neighborhood. It's a shame the vis is not as good as further out at sea and that many divers on the wreck maen that the big fish keep their distance. None the less, don't ignore what's behind you there...