Annual Photo Clinic: Six Days of Underwater Photography in the Andaman Sea
Our Annual Photo Clinic started from Khao Lak this time, heading out into the Andaman Sea with eager guests from Belgium, France, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, the USA, the Philippines, Denmark and the UK.
We were joined again on this journey by our talented friend, Alex Tyrell, to lead our 5th joint workshop. A professional underwater photographer renowned for his skills behind the lens and rewarded by many photo contests, Alex has over 20 years of experience capturing the underwater world and teaches underwater photography all year round at Dive4Photos.
Day 1: Exploring Similan National Park
Our first dive took us to Shark Fin Reef, where we kicked off with a relaxed check dive. The stunning underwater boulders provided a majestic backdrop as schools of yellowfin goatfish and lunar fusiliers glided past. Bluefin trevally darted in and out of sight, while giant trevally patrolled the area. Moray eels peeked from crevices, and oriental sweetlips added splashes of colour.
The second dive at West of Eden delighted us with the rare sighting of a baby banded sea krait slithering gracefully through the reef. A small hawksbill turtle greeted divers near the coral formations, while vibrant Chromodoris nudibranchs adorned the rocks. Butterflyfish, such as the saddleback and Meyer’s butterflyfish, hovered near the reef, accompanied by emperor angelfish and a playful pair of red-toothed triggerfish darting around coral bommies.
Adding to the excitement, a starry dragonet fish was spotted resting gracefully on the sandy bottom, and a rockmover wrasse entertained divers with its peculiar behaviour in search of food.
Elephant Head Rock, our third dive site, held an exciting surprise at 24 metres: a zebra shark resting peacefully — a rare sight in recent years. The dive also revealed blue ribbon eels swaying gently, a blue dragon nudibranch shimmering on a rock and a stunning Limenandra nodosa hanging from a ledge.
We ended the day with a thrilling night dive, where giant moray eels hunted in the shadows alongside a zebra moray eel and a fimbriated moray eel. Massive hermit crabs scuttled across the seafloor, and an octopus performed a mesmerising display, changing colours and textures as it captivated our divers.
Day 2: Koh Bon Bay and Koh Tachai
Our morning began with two dives at Koh Bon Bay, where the highlight was spotting two juvenile blacktip reef sharks gliding gracefully along the sandy bottom. Giant moray eels lurked near crevices, while a large school of batfish hovered elegantly over the reef. Divers were thrilled by the partnership between a giant blue-lined pufferfish and a bluefin trevally, a rare and fascinating sight. African pompano cruised by briefly, and Maldivian sponge snails dotted the coral garden.
In the afternoon, we ventured to the northwest of Koh Tachai. Although the sea conditions made access to the pinnacle challenging, we explored the surrounding reef. A small hawksbill turtle swam lazily through the currents, and colourful Flabellina exoptata and blue dragons (Pteraeolidia ianthina) caught the photographers’ attention. Surgeonfish, such as the powder-blue and velvet species, mingled with schools of twinstripe fusiliers. Sweetlips gathered near the bommies, and vibrant anemonefish darted among the tentacles of bulb-tentacle sea anemones.
Our night dive at Torinla Island’s west wall in Surin National Park was alive with activity. Moray eels prowled the reef, while a curious blacktip shark circled at a distance. The reef revealed nocturnal wonders such as red squirrelfish, copper sweepers and cave sweepers glowing under torchlight.
Day 3: Surin National Park and Richelieu Rock
Our first dive took us to the iconic Richelieu Rock, a pinnacle rising from the seabed like an underwater cathedral. Known as one of the top dive sites in the world, Richelieu Rock did not disappoint. A great barracuda hovered midwater, being cleaned by wrasse, while schools of yellowtail and pickhandle barracuda circled the site. A massive school of bigeye trevally darted around us, joined by giant trevally and yellowback fusiliers. One group delighted in spotting a tiny tiger tail seahorse clinging to soft coral. Richelieu Rock is renowned for its rich marine life, offering encounters with everything from macro critters to pelagic species.
To escape rough waves, we returned to Surin Island for our second dive at Torinla Pinnacle.
Here, we encountered adorable Pikachu nudibranchs, large potato groupers and blue-spotted stingrays resting on the sandy bottom. Peacock mantis shrimps peeked out of their burrows, while jawfish darted between holes in the seabed.
Our third dive at Yellow Rock introduced us to a vibrant underwater world, with schools of yellowtail barracuda weaving through the water. A Jenkin’s whipray glided effortlessly along the sandy floor, and slate sweetlips formed tight schools beneath rocky overhangs.
We concluded the day with a dive at Bungalow Wall, west of South Surin Island. Cuttlefish danced gracefully in the water, banded stick pipefish hovered near the reef, and lobsters hid within crevices. Schools of fusiliers streamed by, while colourful Robastra gracilis nudibranchs adorned the coral.
Days 4 and 5: Richelieu Rock – A Photographer’s Paradise
The next two days were dedicated to Richelieu Rock, providing ample time for our photographers to capture its legendary marine diversity. Schools of blacktail barracuda, yellowtail barracuda and pickhandle barracuda swirled around the pinnacle. A tiny tiger tail seahorse clung to gorgonian coral, while cobias moved gracefully alongside bigeye trevally.
Macro photographers revelled in the sight of the new generation of reef inhabitants: juvenile oriental sweetlips, juvenile emperor angelfish, and anemonefish tending to their not-yet-born babies, while new ghost pipefish already blended seamlessly into their surroundings.
Eagle rays glided through the blue, offering breathtaking moments for wide-angle shots.
Among the corals, divers found Flabellina exoptata, baby Chromodoris risbecia pulchella and tiger cowries with their eggs. A cryptic Phestilla laid eggs on a Pavona coral, and whip coral gobies peeked out curiously.
Day 6: Final Dives at Richelieu Rock
Our last two dives on Day 6 ensured every critter and tropical reef fish Richelieu Rock had to offer was immortalised in stunning photographs, bringing an unforgettable journey to a close.
Stay tuned for more adventures and stories from the Andaman Sea!
