Technical divers return to shore after 4 days at sea

Khao Lak, Thailand - The Valentines Tech Expedition contingent of Big Blue Tech return to Khao Lak today after coming ashore from the Mv Pawara after the completion of a 4 night technical diving liveaboard on the Similan and Surin islands.

The liveaboard was the base of our diving while completing a TDI Extended Range course which trained the divers to conduct accelerated decompression dives to depths of 55 meters / 180 ft using 3 mixes of gas with air, nitrox and oxygen over 4 cylinders worn simultaneously.

This course was delivered by James Thornton-Allan and Andy Cavell for students Yvonne Fries, Helen Artal, Duncan Tyler and Thomas Hallstrom.

This would be the second technical diving trip in the similan islands for Big Blue Tech this season and again it proved to be a holiday setting with challenging and interesting dives. While the diving conditions are described below it was the extra touches of relaxing watching movies, sun tanning on the roof and trips in the dinghy to the beaches, which really made this trip relaxing and enjoying as a holiday.

Technical diving is saturated with bravado and peer pressure which have lead to serious diving accidents around the globe, we’re more about having fun on the surface and focusing as a team underwater which allows each diver to relax and progress at their own pace. In addition to our relaxed atmosphere we also encourage a alcohol free environment and no smoking during the diving day which has contributed to our perfect record of no diving related injuries.

The Similan Islands is located off the west coast of the west side of Thailand just north of Phuket from a town called Khao Lak. There are several ways to reach the similans by speed boat, long tail or liveaboard and is listed as one of the best diving destinations in the world.  The Similan and Surin Islands are protected marine parks managed by the Thai government to prevent fishing and destruction to help the marine environment sustain for generations to come.  Divers must pay a park fee to enter the marine park which is enforced by roaming park police boats. It seems the greatest enforcement in the area is getting the money from the dive tour operators rather than protecting the environment from fishing or negative effects like litter or pollution but it’s a better system than nothing at all.

The dive sites we visited on our trip was East Of Eden, Boulder City, West of Eden, Elephant Head Pinnacle, Christmas Tree Point, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, Richelieu Rock, Richelieu Rock(sunset), Koh Bon Pinnacle, Boonson Wreck.

Over these sites we found ourselves at the mercy of very strong currents pushing us in all directions with changing temperature. On a dive a Elephant Head Pinnacle at 55m a freezing cold wall of cloudy water washed over us making the visibility very limited and giving all of us instant brain freeze that took your breath away. While we were struggling to adjust to the temperature we were being pushed all over the place at a very fast rate, so strong that you couldn’t kick against it to keep in place, our only option was to hide behind rocks and do strategic zig zag movements through the dive site back up to recreational diving depths where is was warm and clear again but it was an experience that taught everyone how to handle vicious currents and how to stay together as a team.

On a dive to Koh Bon we finally saw Manta Rays, thankfully our instructor dropped his mask off the back of the boat, as he went do to get it just below the surface we noticed two large manta rays circling us about 10m below us. This would be a first for some of the divers who have had plenty of chances but never actually seen one. The Giant Manta Ray or “Manta Birostris” is mostly black with a white underbelly, long triangular wings and a tail without stinger. It also has a pair of movable flaps just in front of its mouth. They can grow up to 3-4 meters wide and are recorded as up to 22ft or 670 cm in diameter or “disc” size making these very exciting animals to be witness to. These gentle giants are also one of the few rays that don’t sting so you can get quite close without worry of harm. We spent in total about half an hour with these majestic animals, while other divers were restricted by their single cylinder and no decompression limits we spent over an hour at depth without any concern for air or decompression since the dive was planned well in advance.

As the final night rolled around many started falling asleep after dinner showing clear signs of fatigue from the days diving. It was decided as a group that we would skip the last 2 dives and sleep in, we would come back with the speed boat to visit Koh Bon Pinnacle at a later date. It was also the 11th of February which is Andy Cavell’s 27th birthday. We all knew that coming back from the trip and it being Andy’s birthday that we would be well into a few drinks so it’s good to rest up for such vigorous Olympic style consumption.

Returning to shore we unloaded the boat into our taxi and headed off to our hotel for a nap, shower and relaxed for the next few days until the 13th when we would head off to the big shipwreck off the coast called the Sea Chart 1 which is 85m long in 40m of water.

Special thanks to the staff of Big Blue Khao Lak and Mv Pawara for taking such good care of us and bending over backwards to accommodate our trip.

Technical divers leave Koh Tao heading for Khao Lak on the west coast of Thailand

Koh Tao, Thailand - Big Blue Tech departs Koh Tao island heading through Chumphon City to Khao Lak to start the expedition phase of the tech course for Yvonne Fries, Helen Artal, Thomas Hallstrom and Duncan Tyler conducted by TDI Instructor James Thornton-Allan and assisted by Andrew Cavel.

The team departed from Seatran Ferry peir on Koh Tao and headed to Lang Suan Peir in Chumphon. Arriving in Chumphon we were met but a mini bus who would take us on the 4 hour drive to Khao Lak and our hotel which would accomodate us for the night.

While in Khao Lak the tech team will be diving on a technical liveaboard called the Mv Pawara which is owned by Big Blue Diving, the parent company of Big Blue Tech. After the 4 day, 4 night liveaboard in the Similan Islands we’ll be staying in Khao Lak to dive on the Sea Chart 1 shipwreck and a few speed boat trips before heading off to Khao Sok for some cave exploration diving over a few days with a planned return to Koh Tao on the 17th.

Technical divers race to Koh Bon divesite for Manta Rays by Speedboat.

Khao Lak, Thailand - Big Blue Tech members Andy Cavell, Mark Slinn and James Thornton-Allan raced to Koh Bon dive site this morning to go looking for Manta Rays. Travelling at over 30 knots it took just under an hour to reach the dive site in the Similan Islands on one of our speed boats. Koh Bon dive site is best known for the abundance of manta rays found there and is the only place in Thailand where these animals can be seen.

Big Blue Khao Lak, the branch for diving in the simian islands has 2 speedboats and a liveaboard so we jumped in one of them for a relaxing days diving.

However, our luck with these animals seems to be consistent and there wasn’t a single manta ray which was annoying since the past few days before divers have been enjoying multiple manta rays. This is a running theme now since we saw none on the liveaboard.

Although there were no Manta Rays there were some white tip sharks and other fish, some yellow and some blue, basically all of Nemo’s mates were there but it wasn’t what we were looking for.

The second dive was a Koh Tachai dive site where, again, there were no Manta’s so the tech crew (now without Emily) did what any lads do on a speed boat with nothing else to do, we jumped in the drivers seat and took the boat for a spin which was absolutely brilliant. Most of us have driven boats before and also have our powerboat license but this boat is built for speed and that’s exactly what it did, it went fast, very very fast.

Unfortunately for Andy who forgot his dive bag in the truck he ended up very sun burnt from the entire day in the sun but hope it teaches him a good lesson about equipment awareness.

Tomorrow is scheduled for more diving where Panos will join us, it’s been ages since Panos moved out here to look after Big Blue Tech in Khao Lak and since he’s been so busy there’s been no chance to get in the water. Hopefully we’ll have both Panos and Rick together at Richeleau Rock for some tech diving and then it’s off home to be back on Koh Tao for the 25th.

Similan Islands have been listed as one of the top 10 diving destinations in the world. It’s limited season of November to March gives teh national diving park a chance to recover creates an abundance of marine life seldom seen anywhere else.

Last season we did quite well with only one speed boat, we did day trips to and from various islands in the similans. But there was one thing missing, a live-aboard. After months of shopping around we powers that be found the perfect vessel; The MV Pawara which is a luxury live-aboard based in Khao Lak.

The MV Pawara is 32m or 105ft in length, and built of steel making her one of the largest live-aboards plying the western Indian Ocean. She takes a total of 20 divers in 10 air conditioned cabins on regular departures, but some of her cabins are large enough to accommodate more than this on special request. She has two types of cabins deluxe and standard, and both types are air conditioned, have twin beds and en suite bathroom arrangements.

Probably the boat’s finest features are three: One, her huge interior saloon which seats everyone comfortably and is completely air-conditioned; two, she has a ‘breakfast nook’ and briefing room right next to the dive deck so you can duck in for a quick bite or a cup of tea without having to walk upstairs to another deck; three, her huge dive deck and dive platform making getting in and out of the water a breeze.

The saloon is generously appointed and has comfortable seats centered around the huge flat screen TV situated on a well organized bookshelf with a large library. The saloon is designed so that small groups can gather comfortably for private chats, yet still at the same time seat all passengers.

There are two types of cabins on the MV Pawara, standard and deluxe. Both of the cabins have twin beds only, there are no double beds on this vessel. For couples who require double bed sleeping arrangements, best look further.

There are two air conditioned deluxe cabins located on the main deck. They are well laid out and spacious, and have private en suite bathrooms. The twin beds are perpendicular to each other, and the cabin features a large vanity mirror on the closet. Each cabin has a large picture window looking forward. These cabins are the first to be sold on each cruise.

There are eight air conditioned standard cabins on the boat, four on the main deck and four on the lower deck. Each cabin is spacious and comfortable and has two twin beds. The prices are lower for these cabins. Have a little bit less comfortable cabin and paying less is not a problem with the Pawara as there is so much room on the boat. It’s easy to spread out and find a quiet place for reading or listening to music.

This vessel will also be fitted with on board nitrox blending, oxygen filling and trimix blending for full technical diving.

The similan islands is quite unexplored, the majority of the diving is done at the 30m mark with double that depth below you.

Bookings are starting now for the November to March period. Prices will be release shortly.

Those who complete the Advanced Nitrox to Extended Range course will get this liveaboard included!

oh, we also got another speed boat, so that’s 2 speed boats and 1 luxury live-aboard!