MV Giamani Trip Log: 09-13 December 2012.
Port of departure: Phuket Island.
Weather Conditions: Bright sunshine, flat seas and a mild breeze
“The season has really started now!
The trip got off to a fantastic start with a minke whale mother and cub spotted of the coast of Phuket on the way up to the Similan islands, they stayed with the boat for about 30 minutes.
Once up in the Similan Islands we were treated to perfect high season weather, bright sunshine, flat seas and a mild breeze in the early evening to help cool down.
Also underwater all was good 40 metres visibility allowing us to see all of the massive schools of snapper and fussilier, at West of Eden a Great Barracuda was posing for photos, but drift diving was the order of the day with fairly strong currents.
At Koh Bon Pinnacle we got to see 4 leopard sharks sitting on the bottom (at about 45 metres) and were surrounded by large groups of Giant Trevally and Tuna. Moving on to Koh Bon West Ridge we got a colour changing show from a pair of Octopus as well as being followed by the resident pair of Napoleon Wrasse.
At Koh Tachai we dropped into fish soup, so much life here at the moment massive Blue Fin Trevally, a large school of Pickhandle Barracuda and masses of Jacks and Mackerel feeding on the smaller reef fish, this was topped of with the appearance of two Manta Rays which spent a bit of time with us.
Onto Richelieu Rock, we’ve found the Seahorses again as well as some ornate ghost pipefish for the first time this season. We also had the continuation of the Cuttlefish XXX show, a group of three on the outer side of the rock including a massive male almost a metre long and on the inside of the rock were another pair. On the line we had a large group of Juvenile Batfish and a hovering Great barracuda.”
Guest Comments:
“Very good and professional guide, very helpful and friendly crew, got taken good care of during the whole trip. I would like to come back and dive with Giamani again.” – Grace K.
“Great crew and service, personal dive boat feeling” – Chuck M.
“Similans = Giamani” – Daniel P.