Friends Trip November 2003

What a fantastic trip!!! Scuba diving the Similan and Surin Islands, Thailand.

We all met at Don Muang airport, Bangkok ready for the “off”. Alistair, the live-aboard boat owner efficiently collected us from the airport at the arranged time of around 7pm and onto Tesco Lotus we went to gather our personal “knik knacks & goodies” for the trip. Soft drinks and beers are available on the boat along with a variety of snacks but we all have our own little personal favorites.  

We boarded the “Really Wicked Witch” approximately 21:30 and checked into our allocated rooms. The more adventurous decided that the sun deck be their sleeping quarters for the trip. Despite the last 2 days due to unpredictable weather, what a beautiful place to finally get some sleep – under the stars.  

The boat set sail approximately 23:30 the evening of the 10^th ready for our first dive in the Similans approximately 8:30 on the morning of the 11^th.  

We dived many of the most famous sites in the Similans including, Garden of Eden, Deep Six, Christmas point, Elephant Head Rock, Koh Tachai, Tachai pinnacle, Koh Bon, of course Richelieu Rock and lastly the tin mining shipwreck on the way back to harbor on the afternoon of Friday 14^th. Most divers took around 12 – 14 dives on the trip. Richelieu Rock never disappoints but many said that the Tin dredging ship wreck really capped off the entire trip with an abundance of marine life including vast schools of Lionfish and an assortment of Moray eels.  

I must thank all of those on board for making the trip as special as it was. We had a great crowd from near and far bringing together a great sense of community spirit on the boat.

Who would have thought it possible to read the entire Tolken Lord of the Rings Trilogy in 3.5 days in-between sleeping and diving? :-)

Please check here to see the friends trip of March 27th 2004 - photos and all