Minke whale off Lanta

[watboy]

Back from a long weekend diving off Koh Lanta. We spotted what I believe is a minke whale off Koh Ha on our boat ride to Hin Daeng/Muang. We all took this as a good sign and at Hin Daeng there was a 7 meter whale shark. Of course, nature again plays with me as it was spotted by the group 50 meters behind me and was gone before I could see it and did not return.

On a side note, when I was in the similans, it was like a bell factory down there with near constant rattling/banging, especially at Richelieu rock. There is absolutely no need to bang for a ornate ghost pipe or a sea horse or any other macro life that will still be there 15minutes later. I say this because if I hesitated a little less when i heard the banging I might have caught a glimpse of my first whale shark. I do have a tank banger, I only ever bang if 1) manta 2) whale shark 3) someone is in trouble.

 

[Arizona]

That is too bad! So close... like the boy who cried wolf. Richelieu gets so crowded it is no wonder you hear the clutter. How do you compare the diving to the Similans in general?

 

[Bowmouth]

Cool about the minke.
About every year or so there are a few sightings of minke whales and I've seen them near Shark Point and Racha Yai.

You're right about the banging. It drives me nuts too when divers are frantically banging the wits out of their tanks because they see a lion fish or a white eye moray eel.
It's great be be excited when seeing marine-life but all the extreme noise-making should be reserved for truly unusual creatures only. (and even then I think a gently rap or tap should be enough to get diver's attention).