Diving Hin deang/hin muang end August any good?

[Bowmouth]

Generally it's not difficult to dive (even when the current runs) because there's plenty of shelter on the reef. You don't have to go deep at Hin Daeng to have a good dive; there's nice coral and plenty of animals (especially giant moray eels, brown marbled groupers and juv.blue ring angelfish) in the shallow (3-20 meter) area.
Good to hear it, but another member mentioned still they might not take OW divers?

@I would be surprised if they didn't take any certified OW divers. Most shops will book certified OW divers on any of their trips; even Liveaboards to the Similans, Surin, Richelieu and Myanmar. It's the money that in the end counts I guess..


The whole ridge is current exposed and you must descent at least 16-18 meter to be able to "hide" from the current. Ascent and descent can be done on a mooring line but if you miss the mooring during your ascent you must do you safety stop in blue water and may drift quite a bit away.
What you mean by blue water? and why safty stop needed if not doing any deep dive?

@ A safety stop (combined with a slow ascent) is a stop between 3 and 6 meters you do at the end of ANY dive for at least 5 minutes and has nothing to do with depth. It will help you to off-gass from your dive.


August and September often have a lull in the rainy season and weather can be very nice with calm seas. Visibility at Hin Daeng and Hin Muang changes ALL the time and even in high season isn't often all that great. The healthy flow of current with nutrients though makes these sites so beautiful and the soft corals are literally covering large parts of the reef.
If you have the chance to go there don't hesitate and do it. If surface conditions are rough it's NOT a fun ride though and entry and exit procedures may be difficult and uncomforatble
Any information if Dcs from krabi can take you there by speed boat? and how many hourse far? if yes, what will be range thai bhat they charge?

@You best go online and check with Dive Centres in Krabi and Lanta if they have currently trips running. Some shops may have their doors closed this time of year; others may still operate and offer trips to Hin Daeng and Hin Muang.

 

[Bowmouth]

And with "Blue water" I mean the water column you're drifting in when you're away from the reef. It's basically the deeper ocean water surrounding the reef where you can see no bottom and have no visual reference point.

 

[smartecosse]

i seem to remeber you saying in an earlier post that you were not a strong swimmer so perhaps current "laden" sites wouldn't be the best choice for you

Yes, i'm not bad today and planing to swim like torpedo

lanta divers will look after you very well. there shop is still open at the moment.
Good to hear this, did you have any experiance with them?

if its padi u r doing ( think you mentioned b4) then nitrox no longer invloves u getting wet so u may as well do that at lanta and all.
Good for padi, but not me, you expect to have 2 dives when you pay close 7000 Bhat

how many dives are you up to now btw ? you seem to be enjoying after a bad start even if you do seem to have the "card collecting" bug

Total 7 dives as of today, but going to do 6-8 dives before doing another 4 dives for AOW. That's 17-19. My pocket not deep enough

lanta divers have been there a very long time and they are very well run. It is run as a proper "western" style business (now please dont flame me for the next bit ) which many dive operations in asia are not. from when you arrive to when you leave you are treated as a customer, not just 5000 baht, and the professionalism (?) shows. BTW I am NOT affiliated with Lanta Divers in any way. I have dived with them on occasssion at Hin Daeng & Hin Muang and I do know the CD there but that is it.

The point I was trying to make about the nitrox course is that as it is just "classroom" now you can do it anywhere. I am not sure why they are charging you 7000 baht for a nitrox course unless of course it is the course PLUS some diving as well. Have pm'd u the rest so i dont get flamed

As far as trip to HIn D & M the shops i spoke to organise one said that if they have 2/3 days calm weather they will then consider going on the next day if its calm....