Diving around Phuket with Gekko Scubadivers

[Franklyhooked]

I just got back from two weeks in Thailand -- the first week diving around Phuket. A friend from California and I planned to dive for four days before a conference in Chiang Mai. Marcia at Gekko Scuba Divers did a great job arranging our dives -- a day trip to Phi Phi islands and three days on a liveaboard in the Similans. It was a lot of work coordinating our requests and keeping it in budget and all worked out well. This was my first experience on a liveaboard and I'll definitely do that again!

Warm water (I normally dive in the Puget Sound), good visibility and lots of great coral and fish. We didn't see mantas, leopard or whale sharks, but lots of smaller stuff, including three octo's on one dive. (Pictures posted on my website). One of our group found a harlequin shrimp and another found a ghost pipefish, so there was pleny of cool stuff.

Special thanks to Marcia who went above and beyond -- I lacerated my hand at the end of the trip (my dive buddy appreciated that I waited until after the dives) and Marcia got me to the emergency room and back and on to my conference.

Frank

 

[limbo]

Marcia does indeed seem to be one of the 'good fellas' and it's good to see that you enjoyed your diving in Thai waters!

Hope your hand is fine.

 

[aquamarin]

Frank, I'm happy to hear you had a good time - despite the unfortunate end. Marcia kept us posted and I hope everything will be fine with your hand!

Greetings from Khao Lak - also from Bernie and the rest of team Oktavia
Karin

 

[lord khram]

Does treating a cut hand qualify you as a scuba nurse?? :nurse:

 

[Quero]

Frank, good to hear that you're back home, and I hope the hand is healing nicely. I trust your delayed arrival at the conference only gave you a bigger audience for your talks! (Did you REALLY tell them you got in a tussle with a barracuda???)

LK, we were fortunate that there were a good number of divers who are also qualified doctors and nurses on the same trip as Frank on Oktavia, so those health-care professionals who were on board and rendered assistance are the honest-to-goodness "scuba nurses" in my estimation!