I'll be heading to Ko Tao next week and am thinking of diving Sail Rock and Chumphon Pinnacle. Can anyone comment on difficulty of these dives? (Depth, current etc). I've not dived for about a year and am wondering if I need a refresher or can do those straight off.
Difficulty of Sail Rock and Chumphon Pinnacle
- Thread starter jjaacc
- Start date
Please register or login
Welcome to ScubaBoard, the world's largest scuba diving community. Registration is not required to read the forums, but we encourage you to join. Joining has its benefits and enables you to participate in the discussions.
Benefits of registering include
- Ability to post and comment on topics and discussions.
- A Free photo gallery to share your dive photos with the world.
- You can make this box go away
this is what I found about it, I hope it helps
Koh Tao : Sail Rock
Depth: 0 - 35m
Viz: 10 - 30m
Currents: Can be strong
Koh Tao : Chumphon Pinnacle
Depth: 14 - 35m
Viz: 5 - 25m
Currents: Can be strong
I wish I'll go also there next month, my last dives March 09 have been little more southend, Lang Tengah/Redang where I found also some currents this time, nevertheless I think I'd do some easy dives before to go to Sail Rock & Chumphon Pinnacle
Koh Tao : Sail Rock
Depth: 0 - 35m
Viz: 10 - 30m
Currents: Can be strong
Koh Tao : Chumphon Pinnacle
Depth: 14 - 35m
Viz: 5 - 25m
Currents: Can be strong
I wish I'll go also there next month, my last dives March 09 have been little more southend, Lang Tengah/Redang where I found also some currents this time, nevertheless I think I'd do some easy dives before to go to Sail Rock & Chumphon Pinnacle
Bowmouth
Contributor
I think one can say that both dive-sites are fairly "advanced", especially on days when vis is low and current strong. If you haven't dived in a long time and/or are not a regular diver you may be best of to do a couple of easier dives first or join a "refresher course".
Reefers Diving
Registered
Sail Rock is a site for all level of divers - we dive it very regular all year round - but can have strong current and low viz depending of time of year.
Chumpon Pinnacles is a site for more advanced divers - it starts at 14 m depth and can have strong currents and low viz.
If you haven't been diving a lot we highly recommend a refresher course/dive after a long period not diving - it's for your own safety and enjoyment.
Would be a shame to dive these great sites and not being able to enjoy 'cause you're not comfortable in the water! Better be safe then sorry!
Chumpon Pinnacles is a site for more advanced divers - it starts at 14 m depth and can have strong currents and low viz.
If you haven't been diving a lot we highly recommend a refresher course/dive after a long period not diving - it's for your own safety and enjoyment.
Would be a shame to dive these great sites and not being able to enjoy 'cause you're not comfortable in the water! Better be safe then sorry!
DevonDiver
N/A
Refresher courses is an issue that always brings up a multitude of opinion. Really, it depends on two factors....
1. Dive Shop Policy. Many dive shops will have a set policy that dictates when a refresher course is warranted. This policy will take into account your experience/certification balanced against the length of time since you last dived. If you disagree with the policy of a certain shop, you can always ask around until you find a shop that won't be insistant. However, in my experience, those shops that are lax with refreshers tend to be lax about other safety issues.
2. Your personal comfort. Regardless of what a dive shop policy may state, you should always conduct a refresher if you feel that you will be more confident and relaxed for having taken it. As such, it doesn't matter whether you are going to an 'advanced' site or not - the purpose of the refresher is to make you safe and comfortable underwater. If you need it for an 'advanced' site, then you need it for a shallow site.
From my own personal experience, the demands of both these sites are entirely dependant on the depth you will be going to (deeper is better if you want to see sharks) and the prevaling weather conditions and visibility.
Some dive schools run OW dive 3/4 at those sites...because both allow diving within the 18m range....so don't be discouraged from the sites. But to get the most out of them....you want to be with a group that will be going to 30m....
1. Dive Shop Policy. Many dive shops will have a set policy that dictates when a refresher course is warranted. This policy will take into account your experience/certification balanced against the length of time since you last dived. If you disagree with the policy of a certain shop, you can always ask around until you find a shop that won't be insistant. However, in my experience, those shops that are lax with refreshers tend to be lax about other safety issues.
2. Your personal comfort. Regardless of what a dive shop policy may state, you should always conduct a refresher if you feel that you will be more confident and relaxed for having taken it. As such, it doesn't matter whether you are going to an 'advanced' site or not - the purpose of the refresher is to make you safe and comfortable underwater. If you need it for an 'advanced' site, then you need it for a shallow site.
From my own personal experience, the demands of both these sites are entirely dependant on the depth you will be going to (deeper is better if you want to see sharks) and the prevaling weather conditions and visibility.
Some dive schools run OW dive 3/4 at those sites...because both allow diving within the 18m range....so don't be discouraged from the sites. But to get the most out of them....you want to be with a group that will be going to 30m....
Similar threads
