Thailand questions

[snepdiver]

Welcome to ScubaBoard. It is good to have you with us. There are lots of people on this board from your local area. Plenty of people to setup dives with.

 

[orangelemon]

Many people do their AOW at the Similans.
In PADI AOW, you'll spend a brief portion normally during the dive doing a skill
specific to the AOW unit.
Then the remainder of the dive will be a fun dive.

I done four AOW courses in the Similans this week, during one of the dives we had the company of a Manta for a short time, that doesnt happen many times during a local AOW course so would def recommend an AOW course in the Similans. Additionally if anyone is heading that way I should take some exposure protection (minimum 3mm shorty) those thermoclines are a getting a bit chilly now.

 

[aqudoc]

Thanks for the suggestion orangelemon. I've been wondering about the suit.

 

[MoonWrasse]

I done four AOW courses in the Similans this week, during one of the dives we had the company of a Manta for a short time, that doesnt happen many times during a local AOW course so would def recommend an AOW course in the Similans. Additionally if anyone is heading that way I should take some exposure protection (minimum 3mm shorty) those thermoclines are a getting a bit chilly now.

Lol, that's how you can tell the REAL instructors from the regular divers - they wear full suits when it's 95F out

Anyway, many dive shops will rent you a well peed in shorty for a few bucks. However if you are plus sized like a Sweede (read normal size M becomes a Thai size XL), you might be better off carrying your own or getting one made, say at Hotwave. Then it's yours to mark as your own

http://www.hotwavephuket.com/price_list.htm

 

[Traminer]

Mantas during AOW... what is the world coming to... Grrrrrr...

 

[aqudoc]

Made our decision!!! Going to go w/ SeaDragon out of Khao Lak, waiting to here from Alphons if we can make the 1/25/07 Mariner 3D/3N Similan/Koh Bon. After wading thru LOTS of prev. posts, this outfit seems to have a good rep, w/ a few exceptions of course,(if you're one of these, please don't pop my bubble). We'll arrive a couple days early and maybe do a day trip dive to Ban Sak wreck or Thai Muang wreck or the local reef. Anybody been?? BTW, my local dive shop/instructors will let me return gear if I don't like it, and from reading the BCD vs. BPW, I'm perplexed. The consensus seems to be most divers 'grow into' the latter. Would one then recommend a diver planning upwards of 20 dives in a month in Thailand to get used to this equipment now? When I dive local, it's Pacific Northwest, if that matters. Thanks for everyones help!!