Trip Report North Andaman Bust - February 2023

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We saw 1 whale shark in my December 22 live aboard, well I missed it :-(

I started diving periodically in Thailand (and Burma) in 1988. I moved here in 2005 and have dived regularly since then.

I didn't see my first Whale Shark until October of 2012. That was at Hin Reua, Koh Kra. I've seen about a dozen since then. The last was in October of 2020 at Losin (see image below).

I have no explanation for this other than that I've heard several dive guides say that the twenty teens were good years for Mantas and Whale Sharks. I have no idea if that's true or not.

WS.jpg
 
Video of recent North Andaman live aboard trip.


That is pretty darned privilledged to have dived with that much aquatic life during your recent trip and then to describe it as a "bust", "not much to see", "hard pressed to find much in the way of highlights", etc.

SMH
-Z
 
That is pretty darned privilledged to have dived with that much aquatic life during your recent trip and then to describe it as a "bust", "not much to see", "hard pressed to find much in the way of highlights", etc.

SMH
-Z

Perhaps you’re right, but it was a struggle to find enough interesting clips to fill up a seven minute video. I had to throw in the chef, some surface clips and even some clouds taken from the flight to Phuket.
 
I started diving periodically in Thailand (and Burma) in 1988. I moved here in 2005 and have dived regularly since then.

I didn't see my first Whale Shark until October of 2012. That was at Hin Reua, Koh Kra. I've seen about a dozen since then. The last was in October of 2020 at Losin (see image below).

I have no explanation for this other than that I've heard several dive guides say that the twenty teens were good years for Mantas and Whale Sharks. I have no idea if that's true or not.

View attachment 772625
It is strange, how they move around. We have been in a La Nina weather pattern for the last couple of years and the mid teens were strong El Nono years from memory, maybe this has impact on migratory routes.

I dived a lot out of Koh Tao in the 90's and Whale sharks popped up very occasionally at the pinnacle or Sail rock and I mean a few times a year, but speaking to the dive professionals on the island now it appears they are far more frequent, maybe it is more divers and visits to the sites but does feel like sightings are far more frequent. I know I never saw one and haven't seen one on my three trips to the Similians.

Similarly I dived Ishigaki last season in the peak Manta season, I saw one in the distance and no-one else saw one the week I was there, despite 5-6 boats being on Manta point every day and looking at reports from the two dive centres that post blogs in English hardly any where seen in 2022. Conversely friends went about 4 years ago and saw multiple Mantas on very dive for a week.
 
Thanks for sharing your videos, Buadhai. I just came back from Similan/Richelieu with Smiling Seahorse. Although I had hoped to see Whalesharks, the rest of the experience was excellent for me, especially Richelieu Rock. Although, I'm not nearly as experienced as you.
 
Thanks for sharing your videos, Buadhai. I just came back from Similan/Richelieu with Smiling Seahorse. Although I had hoped to see Whalesharks, the rest of the experience was excellent for me, especially Richelieu Rock. Although, I'm not nearly as experienced as you.
As long as you had a great time.
I was merely 5m behind the guide and my buddy and they had a glimpse of a whaleshark but I could see nothing! I still enjoyed that dive.
 
We saw 1 whale shark in my December 22 live aboard, well I missed it :-(

The boat I was on was talking about doing an end of season North and South Andaman trip over a week or 9 days and that certainly got me interested
Yes, there are a couple liveaboards that do few combined north/south Andamen trips per year...or sometimes the schedule allows one to create their own by booking back to back sailings.
 
That is pretty darned privilledged to have dived with that much aquatic life during your recent trip and then to describe it as a "bust", "not much to see", "hard pressed to find much in the way of highlights", etc.

SMH
-Z
Please don't take this too seriously.

After I read this post I asked my wife her honest opinion of the trip. Her simple reply: "It wasn't what I expected." OK, fair enough.

But since then she's been treating me with almost daily posts gleaned from FB with things like "Flying Manta between Koh Bon and Koh Tachai", or "Whale Sharks at Richelieu" usually accompanied by the comment, "Where were they last week?"

So, yeah, perhaps good enough, but not what we expected. I guess we're spoiled, just a bit. Perhaps "Bust" was a bit much.
 
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Thanks for sharing your videos, Buadhai. I just came back from Similan/Richelieu with Smiling Seahorse.

When were you there? We saw the Smiling Seahorse (a highlight) on our trip which was the 23rd through the 26th.
 
When were you there? We saw the Smiling Seahorse (a highlight) on our trip which was the 23rd through the 26th.
Yeah I was... 20th-25th. We hit Richelieu on 24/25.

Which boat were you on? Richelieu was crowded with live aboards. I think like at least 5, including us.
 

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