An Extraordinary Cruise with More Than 15 Dives on Richelieu Rock = Happy Underwater Photographers 🙂
Franck had been out of the water for a few weeks due to an ear infection, so we hadn’t shared much news lately. But he was back with another fantastic trip report from a cruise that took place from 8 to 11 March 2022 – and this one was particularly designed to satisfy some very demanding underwater photographers!
In order to maximise our photography opportunities, we planned to spend more than three full days around Richelieu Rock, giving everyone plenty of time to explore and photograph one of Thailand’s most famous dive sites.
The cruise started wonderfully from Thap Lamu Pier, where we set sail beneath an exceptional sunset over the Andaman Sea. After a quick briefing about life and organisation onboard, we got to know everyone over a lovely dinner. There was plenty of excitement among the group, with everyone eager to wake up and discover the underwater wonders of the Surin and Andaman Sea.
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More than 15 dives exploring Richelieu Rock
What was exceptional about this trip was being able to spend so much time at Richelieu Rock. For once, we had the opportunity to explore practically every crack, corner and hidden section of the pinnacle.
It is often frustrating to leave Richelieu Rock after only three or four dives, especially when there is still so much to see. On this trip, we completed more than 15 dives at the site and left with plenty of beautiful photographs and memories.
We encountered many wonderful species, each one seemingly more beautiful than the next. With so much time underwater, the photographers could slow down, search carefully and return to subjects several times rather than having to rush from one encounter to another.
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My favourite photos this week are of ghost pipefish, regal angelfish and the pretty pipefish. What do you think?
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A surprise whale shark encounter
The highlight for most of the divers was undoubtedly the surprise visit of a magnificent whale shark. Unfortunately, all the photographers had gone on this dive with macro lenses! So, while we didn’t manage to get any new whale shark photographs, thankfully a talented videographer was there with the right equipment and captured a great video.
Thanks, JC!
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Blackwater diving at the edge of the continental plateau
Always eager to explore further afield and try new things, we cruised west to conduct our blackwater dives at the edge of the continental plateau, where the seafloor drops from around 80 metres to several hundred metres deep.
What an awesome feeling – and what an incredible larval population! The blackwater dive was fantastic, with a completely different world of tiny and unusual pelagic creatures appearing in the darkness. It was such a good experience that we decided we would definitely do it again.
Have you tried blackwater diving yet? Tell us in the comments!
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Discover More
- Dive Richelieu Rock – Explore one of Thailand’s most famous dive sites, with opportunities for both macro and wide-angle underwater photography.
- Learn more about whale sharks – Discover more about the world’s largest fish and the encounters you may experience in the Andaman Sea.
- Discover blackwater diving – Learn about our night-time dives into the open ocean and the strange pelagic creatures that rise towards the surface.
- Read our guide to nautilus and paper nautilus – Discover more about these fascinating marine animals.
- Explore marine life in Thailand’s Andaman Sea – Discover the incredible variety of marine life found throughout Thailand’s Andaman Sea.
- See our current cruise schedule – Find your next diving adventure with The Smiling Seahorse.
