The Underwater Adventures Continue

SCUBA SCUBA SCUBA - Hooked! I am now officially certified as an ADVANCED Open Water Diver. Imagine this if you will. You take a scuba boat out about 2.5 hours from the Ko Lanta and stop - you look around, and there is no sight of land in any and all directions - yet you climb down to the boat's lower level - gear up - and jump into the turbulent oceanic waters. You inflate your BCD to stay on the surface despite the large waves that attempt to carry you away - you plunge your mask into the water to orientate yourself with your surroundings, but see nothing but deep blue color surrounding you. You look around to your fellow divers and buddy and signal to begin your descend. Luckily there is a reference line in the water that is anchored to the ocean floor that you hold onto so you aren't carried away. For the first 5 to 10 meters, the current is so strong that you literally are holding onto the line with your hands as the rest of your body is carried horizontally with the waves. You think to yourself - what have I gotten myself into - let's just stretch this scuba idea and ascend to the safety of the boat - afterall, this is only my 7th time diving ever. Yet, you gather your composure and continue onwards - at about 12 meters the current begins to die down and you no longer need to hold onto the line to control your descend - you look down and you see it - hazy at first - but there certainly is a large sunken mass about about 16 meters below you - as you continue to sink - the mass becomes clearer and clearer - its a ship wreck. Now the current is practically non-existent and the visibility clears up as you lower yourself to the stern of the ship. There is 100 feet of water separating you and the breathable air that is somewhere above you.

This is the Kickcruiser wreck - its a vehicle ferry boat that sank in 1997 transporting people from Phuket to Phi Phi - while everybody was saved after the ship hit a rock, the ship slowly sank and settled about 2 kilometers and several hours later. The ship is huge - at least 250 feet long and 80 feet wide - its covered in developing coral and surrounded by fish - and not just the typical small reef fish that live in the traditionally reef - but large schooling tuna and barracuda (with shimmering big teeth). There is a big eyed Travelly that is just floating there, motionless, about 5 feet in front of you. This thing is the size of a large car tire - with an eye starring at you that is about the size of a silver dollar coin. A nurse shark, about 4 feet long, swims by along the ocean floor.

Your divemaster signals to begin perimetering the boat and you follow - the entire wooden side is absolutely covered in coral and surrounded by thousands of tiny yellow fish - you see a window in the boat and peer in - it takes your eyes a minute to adjust to the darkness, but you see more fish swimming around inside. As you continue your journey, you notice that the entire back haul of the ship has caved in, creating dangerous caves and other hazards. You follow your divemaster through one of these entry-ways, navigating through several large beams of wood, ensuring not to disturb the beautiful, yet poisoness Lionfish. The reality of what you are doing hits you, as you continue exploring the beauty of what mankind lost and nature has taken over. The wreck is now the playground to millions of fish - and you realize the power of nature.

Your final stop is the exposed toilets in the ship - even 100 feet underwater, you still maintain your sense of humor as you take turns hovering over the toilets pretending to crap. After you have disposed of your mock waste, you begin your ascend, and 8 minutes later (including another safety stop at 5 meters where you once again hang onto the rope for your life), the dive is over just 40 minutes after it has begun.

So, that is my poetic description of a dive. And today, was just as remarkable - diving at Hin Duang and Hin Maung, which both are giant sea walls that descend over 70 meters into the sea, and are frequent homes to Manta Rays and Whale Sharks. After dive 1, dispute all the beauty of the coral and reef fish, we were disappointed not to have encounter any rays or sharks - but just after I got out of the sea, there is a frantic as other divers just breaking surface signal that there is a manta in the water - you see it from the boat about 2 meters deep - since your dive is complete, you can't descend again, so you strip off your tank, BCD, regulator, and wet suit, but keep your mask, snorkel, and fins, jump back in and watch the ray, with a 10 foot wingspan for several minutes. And that's just dive one. The second dive (2 hours later after lunch) contained more and more fish, and several leopard sharks! It's amazing to think that a week ago, I was learning how to breathe underwater for the first time ever in a swimming pool, and now I have dove at the one of the best sites in the world that is reserved only for advanced open water divers, like myself!

And now my adventures are nearly over, I have one last destination - Railey Beach in Krabi for 4 days/3 nights for some rock climbing, kayaking, relaxation, and partying prior to getting a quick flight back to Bangkok in time for my nighttime flight on the 27th. I'll keep you all posted. But, now its time to relish my last night in Ko Lanta with all the friends I have made here diving and otherwise before heading out tomorrow.