A whale shark a day…

New Year’s Diving in Burma: Whale Sharks, Rays and a Firework Show Underwater

Makes for a good holiday! And that’s exactly what this New Year’s trip in Burma had in store for us. We welcomed the beginning of 2015 surrounded by an incredible variety of marine life, from a massive eagle ray and sleepy nurse sharks to blotch stingrays and bamboo sharks.

And the smaller creatures were certainly not left out. The reefs were full of ghost pipefish, new families of harlequin shrimps and many more fascinating encounters for the divers who took the time to look closely.

Above all this underwater activity, huge schools of fusiliers and snappers were constantly on the move, creating a spectacular display around the reefs. With so many fish filling the water column, it felt like a firework show beneath the surface — a very appropriate way to celebrate the New Year.

A New Year Full of Marine Life

The Mergui Archipelago is famous for the variety of marine life that can be encountered during a liveaboard cruise, and this New Year’s trip certainly lived up to that reputation.

Large animals made their appearance alongside the smaller reef inhabitants. A massive eagle ray was one of the highlights, while two sleepy nurse sharks provided another memorable encounter. Their relatives, the blotch stingrays and bamboo sharks, added even more variety to the list of rays and sharks encountered during the trip.

For macro lovers, there was just as much to discover. Ghost pipefish seemed to be everywhere, while harlequin shrimps provided another reason to slow down and carefully inspect the reef. These tiny animals can be easy to overlook when surrounded by schools of fish and larger marine life, but finding them is part of the fun of diving in Burma.

Large blotch stingray gliding over vibrant coral in Burma — Gliding over vibrant corals, a huge blotch stingray.

Whale shark encountered during a New Year's diving trip in Burma — One. Per. Day. Somebody said “spoiled” ?

Ghost pipefish gathered together on the reef — Ghostpipefish family reunion.

Close-up of the delicate skirt of a giant clam — The silky skirt of a giant clam.

Curious mantis shrimp on the reef — Curious and alert, the mantis shrimp.

The encounters with whale sharks were another major highlight. Seeing a whale shark underwater is always a remarkable experience, but repeated encounters during a single trip are something divers are unlikely to forget. These enormous, gentle filter feeders can completely transform a dive when they appear from the blue.

If you want to learn more about these magnificent animals, have a look at our guide to everything you ever wanted to know about whale sharks.

When the Weather Changes the Plan

The wind and waves prevented us from going all the way to Black Rock, but our group of adventurous divers was more than happy to turn the change of plan into an opportunity.

Instead of simply giving up on the dives we had hoped for, everyone agreed to help us discover some new sites. We explored unknown places and were rewarded with some amazing dives in areas that were new to us.

Sometimes these unexpected changes are what make a liveaboard adventure particularly memorable. Conditions at sea can influence the itinerary, but they can also lead to discoveries that would never have happened if everything had gone exactly according to plan.

A Golden Underwater World

“Golden” was the theme of these unexpected dives. Bright yellow soft corals covered the underwater landscape, creating a spectacular backdrop for the marine life moving through the reef.

And the fish were everywhere.

With the golden corals surrounding us, huge schools of fish filling the water and more whale sharks making appearances, these newly discovered sites quickly became some of the highlights of the trip. It was a reminder that the Mergui Archipelago still has plenty of surprises waiting beneath the surface.

For divers, there is something particularly exciting about being among the first people to explore a site during a trip. Instead of knowing exactly what to expect, every descent becomes an exploration. A new rock, a new coral formation or an unexpected animal can turn an ordinary dive into a story that stays with you for years.

Ghost Pipefish, Giant Clams and Mantis Shrimp

The larger encounters may have stolen the headlines, but the macro life was equally impressive. Ghost pipefish were present in abundance, creating what could only be described as a family reunion.

Giant clams added another splash of colour to the reef, their delicate mantle creating a silky, flowing appearance around the shell. And for those with a keen eye, the ever-alert mantis shrimp provided another fascinating subject to search for.

This combination of large pelagic animals, reef fish and tiny macro creatures is one of the things that makes multi-day diving trips so rewarding. You never quite know what the next dive will bring, and there is always another subject to discover.

Starting 2015 in Style

2015 was starting amazingly, full of promises and still more beauties to discover!!

After a New Year’s trip filled with whale sharks, rays, sharks, ghost pipefish, harlequin shrimps, colourful corals and huge schools of reef fish, it was difficult to imagine a better way to begin the year.

And, of course, no New Year’s trip would be complete without the people who made it happen. We were lucky to have such a fantastic team of adventurous divers on board, ready to embrace the changing conditions and explore new sites with us.

Happy New Year to you all!