Marinelife and conditions Dec 2-10, Andaman Sea

[Bowmouth]

Just came back from a dive trip and had a great time. Some of my personal favorite sites are Shark Point and Richelieu Rock which have never disappointed me before and once again offered some outstanding diving this time around. We did not dive Hin Daeng/Hin Muang due to fairly strong wind and choppy surface conditions. For those of you wondering what the dive-conditions are currently like and what creatures can be found here's a part of my log:



December 2

Dive 1:
Location: Phi-Phi Islands, Koh Bida Nohk
Visibility: 8 meter
Current: Slight to moderate
Marine-life: Orangutan crab, banded sea krait, brown marbled grouper, giant and white eye moray eels, hawksbill turtle, school big-eye snappers, rainbow runners, bonito’s (skip-jacks), blue ring and emperor angel fish, golden wentel-trap snails, painted spiny lobster, yellow box fish,

Dive 2:
Location: Phi-Phi Islands, Koh Bida Nohk
Visibility: 10 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine-life: Pharaoh cuttle-fish, devil scorpion fish, saron shrimp, red-bar Anthias, crinoid squat lobster, big jelly fish, many giant moray eels, titan trigger fish (!), crocodile needle fish, striped cat fish, starry puffer fish, and similar creatures as dive 1

Dive 3:
Location: Phi-Phi Islands, Koh Bida Nai
Visibility: 8 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine-life: Tiger-tail seahorse, fimbriated/zebra and giant moray eels, urchin shrimps, porcelain crabs, white devil scorpion fish, bearded scorpion fish, striped cat fish, murex shells with eggs, smashing mantis shrimp,
Nudibranch: Risbecia pulchella

Dive 4: Night dive
Location: Phi-Phi Islands, Maya Bay exit
Visibility: OK
Current: Moderate
Marine-life: BIG painted spiny lobsters, sponge crab, decorator crabs, hinchbeak shrimps, small cuttle fish, giant moray eels, tiger cowries,

December 3:

Dive 5:
Location: Koh Ha Yai
Visibility: 15-25 meter
Current: Moderate (cold water upwelling)
Marine-life: Hawksbill turtle, several large jelly fish with juvenile jacks in bell, schooling fusiliers and big-eye snappers, smashing mantis shrimp, scrawled (scribbled) file fish, juvenile bi-color parrot fish, painted spiny lobster,
Nudibranch: Glossodoris cincta


Dive 6:
Location: Koh Ha Noi (Nua)
Visibility: 12-15 meter
Current: Slight
Marine-life: Hawksbill turtle, banded sea kraits, scrawled file fish, robust ghost pipe fish, smashing mantis shrimp, golden wentel trap snails, spotfin and common lion fish, giant moray eel, brown marbled grouper, bubble shells,
Nudibranch: Risbecia pulchella, Flabellina bi-color, Trinchesia sibogae,

AFTERNOON SNORKELING AT KOH HA!

Dive 7:
Location: Koh Ha Noi (Nua)
Visibility: 12-15 meter
Current: Slight
Marine-life: Harlequin ghost pipe fish (2), hawksbill turtle, great barracuda, porcelain crabs, school squid, giant moray eels, small sea hare and similar creatures as dive #6

Dive 8: Night dive
Location: Koh Ha Yai
Visibility: OK
Current: Slight (cold water upwelling)
Marine-life: Large cuttle fish, box crab, many shrimps, crinoid shrimp, round crab (carpilius marculatus and carpilius convexus), urchin shrimps, many spotfin lion fish,


December 4:

Dive 9:
Location: Phi-Phi Islands, Koh Bida Nai
Visibility: 5-8 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine-life: Zebra shark, large hawksbill turtle (feeding), zebra/giant and white eye moray eels, porcupine fish, star puffer fish, banded sea krait, white lined lionfish, bearded scorpion fish, alabaster sea cucumber, purple dragon nudibranchs, brown marbled grouper, porcelain crabs,


Dive 10:
Location: Shark-Point (Hin Musang)
Visibility: 6-10 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine-life: Zebra sharks (3-4 animals), tiger-tail seahorse (2), Malabar grouper in cleaning station, school squid, school trevally, school diamond fish, large red snappers, masked porcupine fish, white eye moray eel, porcelain crabs, red saddleback/pink/false clown and Clark’s anemone fish, snake eel, free swimming giant moray eel,


Dive 11:
Location: Koh Dohk Mai (“Flower Island”)
Visibility: 6-10 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine-life: Tiger-tail seahorse, Jan’s pipe fish, yellow margin/giant/bar tail/fimbriated and white eye moray eels, harlequin ghost pipe fish, masked puffer fish, coach-whip trevally, scad, many scorpion fishes, common and spotfin lion fish,
Nudibranch: Glossodoris cincta, Glossodoris atromarginata, Aldisa erwinkoehleri, Risbecia pulchella


December 5:

Dive 12:
Location: Similan Islands, Koh 5-6, “Morning Glory” aka “Anita’s Reef”
Visibility: 15 meter
Current: Slight
Marine-life: Octopus (2), white patch razor wrasse, yellow-fin emperor, bigmouth mackerel, dogtooth tuna, yellow trumpet fish, bi-color parrot fish, juv. sebae anemone fish, yellow mask/regal and emperor angel fish, free-swimming giant moray eel, many shrimp-goby combinations, juv. painted spiny lobster, long-nose hawk fish, milk fish, blue spotted stingray, many garden eels, bird wrasse
SPECIAL: large titan triggerfish chewing on a plastic bottle!
Nudibranch: Reticulidia suzanneae,

Dive 13:
Location: Similan Islands, Koh 7, “East of Eden”
Visibility: 15-18 meter
Current: Slight
Marine-life: blue spotted jaw fish, blue spotted stingray, hawksbill turtle (2), octopus, giant moray eel, feeding frenzy: bluefin trevally-longnose emperors-gold saddle goat fish and checkered snappers feeding on silversides, Indian ocean flame anthias and scale fin anthias, brown marbled grouper, school striped large eye breams, blue trigger fish, blue spotted puffer fish, clown trigger fish (3)
SPECIAL: green turtle swimming around the boat!
Nudibranch: Halgerda tessellata

SNORKELING AT “EAST OF EDEN”!

Dive 14:
Location: Similan Islands, “Elephant Head Rock” (Hin Pusar)
Visibility: 12-15 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine-life: Hawksbill turtle, clown trigger fish, smashing mantis shrimp (2), giant moray eel, longnose unicorn fish, school queen fish, school crocodile needle fish, blue spotted puffer fish, bignose unicorn fish, sleek unicorn fish in cleaning station, big schools of silversides and glass fish,

BEACH-TRIP: Similan Islands, Koh 8, “Had Ao Guak”
SPECIAL: green turtle swimming around the boat!
SPECIAL: two painted morays (siderea picta) at the beach in very shallow water hunting for crabs.

Dive 15: Night dive
Location: Similan Islands, Koh 8, “Turtle Bay” (“Ao Tao”)
Visibility: OK
Current: Slight
Marine-life: Painted spiny lobster (7), slipper lobster, free-swimming giant moray eel, snake eel, round crabs (2), Andaman sweetlips

December 6:

Dive 16:
Location: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, “West Ridge”
Visibility: 25-30 meter
Current: Slight-moderate
Marine-life: Andaman sweetlips (2), crown toby, banded sea krait (2), octopus, school milk fish, great barracuda (2), blubber lips, feeding frenzy: checkered snappers, rainbow runners and double spot queen fish feeding on glass fish, school tallfin batfish, brown marbled groupers, scribbled snappers, big school big-eye snappers, smashing mantis shrimp, flatworms, giant moray eel, masked puffer fish, bearded scorpion fishes,
SPECIAL: dolphins on the surface! (South from Koh Bon)

Dive 17:
Location: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, “North”
Visibility: 10-25 meter
Current: Moderate (upwelling)
Marine-life: Napoleon wrasse (2), black tip reef shark, leopard blenny, Andaman sweetlips (2), porcelain crabs, many flute mouths (cornet fish), blue puffer fish, scribbled snappers, school rainbow runners/fusiliers/big eye snappers/checkered snappers and double spot queen fish, BIG giant moray eel,

Dive 18:
Location: Similan Islands, Koh Tachai, “Twin Peaks”
Visibility: 15-25 meter
Current: Slight-moderate
Marine-life: Longnose file fish, scribbled file fish, zebra shark, giant moray eels (5), yellow margin moray eel, feeding frenzy: bluefin trevally, yellowtail scad and bonito’s feeding on mottled fusiliers, banded sea krait (2), brown marbled grouper, school of pinjalo snappers, oceanic trigger fish,
Nudibranch: Aldisa erwinkoehleri,

Dive 19:
Location: Similan Islands, Koh Tachai, “South East”
Visibility: 15 meter
Current: Slight
Marine-life: Zebra shark, longnose file fish, porcelain crabs, tiny spotfin lion fish, Andaman sweetlips, great barracuda, juvenile painted spiny lobster, red-eye hovering goby (!)
Nudibranch: Glossodoris cincta, Halgerda tessellata,

December 7:

Dive 20:
Location: Richelieu Rock
Visibility: 10-15 meter
Current: Slight
Marine-life: BIG great barracuda in cleaning station, pharaoh cuttlefish (3), Spanish mackerels, many BIG brown marbled groupers, ornate (harlequin) ghost pipe fish (3), red scribbled pipe fishes, BIG octopi (4), golden wentel trap snails, banded boxer shrimps, crenavolva tigris (cowries), schooling shrimp-scad/big eye snappers/chevron barracuda’s/blue lined barracudas/rainbow runners/mangrove red snappers/ bigmouth mackerels/fusiliers/crocodile needle fish/big-eye jacks/skip jacks/two-spot snappers and squirrel fish, many (bearded and other) scorpion fishes, giant/white eye/bar-tail and yellow margin moray eels, Jans’ pipefish,
Nudibranch: Chromodoris geometrica,

Dive 21:
Location: Richelieu Rock
Visibility: 10-15 meter
Current: Slight
Marine-life: Smashing mantis shrimp (2), undulate and zebra moray eels, porcelain crabs, Moyer’s dragonet and similar creatures as dive 20!
Nudibranch: Dermatobranchus gonatophora, Aldisa erwinkoehleri, Flabellina rubrolineata,

Dive 22:
Location: Richelieu Rock
Visibility: 10 meter
Current: Slight
Marine-life: Similar creatures as dive 20 and 21.

Dive 23: Night dive
Location: Surin Islands, Koh Surin Tai, “Ao Pak-Kad”
Visibility: OK
Current: None
Marine-life: Orange spearing mantis shrimp, pharaoh cuttle fish, marble shrimp (saron shrimp), crinoid squat lobster, flatworm, sleeping parrot fish,

December 8:


Dive 24: Surin Islands, Koh Torinla, “East” and “Ridge”
Location: Surin Islands, Koh Torinla,
Visibility: 20 meter
Current: Slight-moderate
Marine-life: Large (2 meter) unidentified shark, Jenkins whip ray, blue spotted sting rays, bump-head parrot fish (5), big school pickhandle barracudas, school circular (round) bat fish, tallfin bat fish, pinnate batfish, juv. ribbon eel (black), banded sea krait, hawksbill turtle (2), spindle cowries, triple spot blenny, many garden eels, magnificent rabbit fish, blue and starry puffer fish, great barracuda, dogtooth tuna, bluefin and orange spotted trevally, many yellow mask angel fish, porcelain crabs, masked puffer fish, octopus, juv. emperor angel fish, blue spotted jaw fish, many black saddle coral groupers, brown marbled groupers, painted spiny lobster, giant moray eels, tiger cowries,

Dive 25:
Location: Surin Islands, Koh Torinla, South-West”
Visibility: 20 meter
Current: Slight-strong
Marine-life: Blue spotted sting ray (2), red snappers, many black saddle coral groupers, painted spiny lobster (3), giant moray eels (3), school schooling banner fish, school variable lined fusiliers, many yellow margin and titan trigger fish, smashing mantis shrimp, Andaman sweetlips, spotted coral grouper, Andaman damsel fish, red scribbled pipe fish,


Dive 26:
Location: Surin Islands, Koh Surin Tai, “Turtle Ledges”
Visibility: 15-20 meter
Current: Slight-moderate
Marine-life: Black tip reef shark, white spotted eagle ray, hawksbill turtle (2), painted spiny lobster, BIG brown marbled grouper (2), black saddle coral grouper, giant clam, yellow mask angel fish, schooling robust fusiliers, half banded gobies, juv. blue trigger fish, juv. tallfin bat fish,

December 9:

Dive 27:
Location: Similan Islands, Koh Bon, “West Ridge”
Visibility: 15-18 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine-life: BIG Napoleon wrasse, banded sea krait (2), octopus, giant moray eel, school big-eye snappers, school rainbow runners, ringed pipe fish, many-banded pipe fish, smashing mantis shrimp, razor wrasse,
Nudibranch: many Ptereolidia ianthina,


Dive 28:
Location: Similan Islands, Koh 9, “Christmas Point”
Visibility: 20 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine-life: Black tip reef shark, zebra shark, purple fire dart goby, many-banded pipe fish, giant clam, blue spotted jaw fish, worm gobies, semi-circle angel fish, razor wrasse, smashing mantis shrimp, midnight snappers, blue puffer fish, too many titan trigger fish (!), school pyramid butterfly fish,

SPECIAL: green turtle swimming around the boat!

Dive 29:
Location: Similan Islands, Koh 5 and 6, “Morning Glory” North and South
Visibility: 20 meter
Current: Slight-moderate
Marine-life: Blue spotted jaw fish (2), milk fish (6), BIG brown marbled grouper, school yellow tail barracuda’s, many schools of fusiliers, school pyramid butterfly fish, titan triggerfish attack (1), lots of garden eels, blue spotted stingrays (2), bird wrasse, tiny yellow spotted box fish, porcelain crabs

SPECIAL: green turtle swimming around the boat!
BEACH-TRIP: Similan Islands, Koh 4, Marine Park Headquarters

Dive 30: Night dive
Location: Similan Islands, Koh 6, “Honeymoon Bay”
Visibility: OK
Current: Slight
Marine-life: Egg cowries feeding on leather coral, fimbriated moray eel, cuttle fish, juvenile painted spiny lobster, flathead, marble (saron) shrimp, blue spotted stingray, hermit crab (dardanus megistos), squid (3),

December 10:

Dive 31:
Location: Similan Islands, Koh 7, “East of Eden”
Visibility: 20-25 meter
Current: Slight-moderate
Marine-life: Hawksbill turtle, comet, blue spotted jaw fish, giant trevallies, dogtooth tuna’s (2), clown trigger fish (2), yellow mask angel fish, giant moray eels (3), octopus, red snappers, blue spotted puffer fish, school striped spotted breams, gold-saddle goat fish, great barracuda in cleaning station, BIG brown marbled grouper, red-eye hovering gobies, painted spiny lobster, map puffer fish,

SPECIAL: Green turtle swimming around the boat!

Dive 32:
Location: Similan Islands, Koh 7, “West of Sweden”
Visibility: 15-25 meter
Current: Moderate
Marine-life: Hawksbill turtle, painted spiny lobster (2), leopard blennie, clown trigger fish (2), dogtooth tuna, many blue fin trevally, tiger cowries (6), longnose file fish (3), bearded scorpion fish, juvenile (black male) ribbon eel, yellow-eye file fish, big schools of fusiliers and pyramid butterfly fish, giant moray eel, bridled trigger fish,
Nudibranch: Phidiana indica, Phyllidia ocellata,

Dive 33:
Location: Similan Islands, “Sharkfin Reef”
Visibility: 20 meter
Current: Slight
Marine-life: Zebra shark (2), bumphead parrot fish, great barracuda (2), blue spotted stingrays, bonitos, feeding frenzy: bluefin trevally and queen fish feeding on glass fish, dogtooth tuna, juvenile emperor angelfish, giant moray eel, hawksbill turtle, school long fin (tall fin) batfish

 

[Ringo]

Great report Bowmouth!
Regards from all....:balloons:

 

[BigJeff]

That's only "Part" of the log! Nice to see you haven't lost the knack for recording details.

Excellent detail on the critters, needs more nudibranchs

 

[Bowmouth]

Excellent detail on the critters, needs more nudibranchs

I had a hard time finding any interesting nudi's. I hope to be more lucky when I'm diving in Myanmar at the end of this month. I will post after that trip another marine-life and critter update. I guess I'll have to bring my nudi-book though because I'm a bit rusty on the names...

 

[donalbain]

What boat did you dive with?

 

[BigJeff]

I'll answer for him, it was the S/Y Siren

 

[ladyarkles]

Thanks for that report.
I'm really interested in the marine life that exists around Thailand.
This will help me make up my mind where to head off to next.

Thanks, again.

Rach xx

 

[Sideways]

Awesome report!!!:cool2:

 

[bennyscuba]

Great report. I noticed the Vis wasn't great around Phi-Phi (~8m). Is that typical or a result of the rainy weather that's been around?

I'll be on Phi-Phi for 5 days in two weeks - any of those sites significantly better than others?

thanks,

bg

 

[lord khram]

Very usefull account, I am hoping to go diving down south myself soon.