A cruise focused on learning new UW photo skills and daily Blackwater diving in Surin and Similan islands
Blackwater diving is an extraordinary new way of night diving!
What is Blackwater diving?
|
Blackwater diving is an extraordinary new way of night diving!
You will dive on top of very deep water with no other reference than a downline fitted with powerful lights. Blackwater dives give us the opportunity to encounter marine life never seen on usual dives, such as all types of larvae and baby fish, crabs or shrimps still floating mid-water until they are strong enough to settled down on the reef or deep sea creatures who will never visit a reef such as this Paper Nautilus we encountered last March! How will this cruise work?We will plan 3 day dives and 1 Blackwater dives per day!
The days will be something like this: 7am, wake up, coffee, briefing 8am 1st day dive 09:00 substantial breakfast 12:00 2nd day dive 13:00 lunch 16:00 3rd day dive 17:00 Snack and watch the sun go down 20:00 4th dive, Blackwater 21pm Dinner. |
You will see all kind of baby fish such as this juvenile Sailfish
|
|
| ||
|
Itinerary: North Andaman
Day 1: Embark on The Smiling Seahorse at 4pm in Tian Sin Pier (Phuket) and wake up on the dive site the next morning! Day 2 to 6th: 3 day dives per day in the North Andaman best national parks: Surin, Similan + 1 blackwater dive every night 7th day: 2 dives and back in Khao Lak around 4pm. (last dive on the last day at 11:00) We will take advantage of this special "blackwater" cruise to go diving at the edge of the continental plate, a few hours west of the Similan Islands and we will have the opportunity to dive above hundreds of meters of water. |
Baby bannerfish
|
What can we see during the day dives?
Macro and wide angle...
|
|
|
|
What can we expect to see on the blackwater dives?
Cephalopods
|
including the Paper Nautilus
you might even get lucky with a Pelagic sea snake
|
|
Daily free presentations about UW Photo By Alex Tyrrell !After years of experience as an underwater photographer, Alex set up his own underwater photo school in 2012 and is now a leading underwater photo instructor in Thailand.
Alex's images and technical articles have been published in numerous dive magazines and he regularly wins international photo competitions. Optional private lessons: Learn new photo or editing skills with Alex TyrrellAlex Tyrrell will be exceptionally available on this cruise for one-on-one training you can choose 1 of these 2 options:
1. a course of 7 hours, 2-dives included for 8,000 THB 2. boat based theory sessions, dives non-included for: 2,000 THB for 1 hour 3,700 THB for 2 hours 5,000 THB for 3 hours |
|
Whether you shoot Jpg or RAW learning about photo editing will give your shots a massive boost.
Adapting to your very need, Alex can explain you the basics you need to know about softwares like “Photoshop” or “Lightroom” or go into much more detailed lecture. He can also be your private guide and underwater photo coach for a dive (count 2h for an hour dive + 30 minutes briefing before the dive to set session objectives or look at your gear set up + 30 minutes debriefing for a short image review session). |
|
If you are a photographer, you will love our boat!
Designed by Camille and Franck Fogarolo (a seasoned underwater photographer) and built at the end of 2018, The MV Smiling Seahorse is perfectly fitted to match photographer's expectations.
Not only is it a very comfortable vessel to explore the Andaman Sea, but it is also the only liveaboard in Thailand with a camera room or offering photographer's coaching and blackwater diving!
Not only is it a very comfortable vessel to explore the Andaman Sea, but it is also the only liveaboard in Thailand with a camera room or offering photographer's coaching and blackwater diving!
plenty of space and plugs for editing sessions
|
our camera room and dive deck
|
The exclusivity of a boat for only 16 guests
Diving certification required
Because you need to be a diver prior to bring a camera down, we ask you to be certified up to 30 metres by any dive organisation like Padi, Naui, ssi, Cmas or similar, and you need good buoyancy skills. Nitrox is available for EAN certified divers.
Blackwater dives cannot be guided and are only suitable to divers able to dive safely as a buddy pair; it is essential to have a control over you buoyancy and air consumption.
|
BLACKWATER DIVING EXPEDITION
|
|
INCLUDED
• Full accommodation and board (Breakfast, Lunch, afternoon bites, Dinner) • All soft drinks, drinking water, fresh coffee & tea • Fresh fruits, yogurt & snacks all-day • 12 L scuba tank, Weights & Weight Belt • PADI Professional Dive Guide (for up to 4 divers) • up to 22 Dives • Towels, reef-friendly amenities • Sea kayak and hammock |
NOT INCLUDED
• Marine Park Fee* 2,600-THB / diver *subject to government's change • DIVING INSURANCE COMPULSORY • Alcoholic drinks and cigarettes • Equipment rental (600 THB/ day) • Computer rental (300 THB/day) • PADI Courses • Private guide 3000 THB/day • One one one photo courses by Alex Tyrrell (from 2000thb) • Nitrox : 250 THB/tank or 4,500 THB for the whole cruise • Transfers to and from the boat on-demand (prices) |
Be careful, these special trips are rare and fill up quite quicky!!! book ahead of time
