A cruise focused on learning new UW photo skills and daily Blackwater diving in Surin and Similan islands
The itinerary will look something like this... 07/01: Meeting in our Ranong office between 12pm and 2pm Departure from BC Badin pier, Ranong, around 4pm, overnight cruise to Surin national park 08/01: 3 dives in Surin Islands + 1 night dive 09/01: 3 dives in Richelieu Rock + 1 sunset dive 10/1 : 2 dives at Koh Tachai + 2 Blackwater dives 11/1 : 2 dives at Koh Bon, + 1 dive at Three Trees + 1 blackwater dive 12/01: Elephant Head + Xmas Point + Koh Bon, 3 dives + 1 blackwater dive 13/01: 2 dives in the morning at Koh Bon and back in Khao Lak around 3-4pm. The last dive ends no later than 11:30 am. 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. |
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. |
What can we see during the day dives?
Macro and wide angle...
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What can we expect to see on the blackwater dives?
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!
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
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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 - Free 4 Blackwater dive • 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 * 3000 THB / diver *subject to government's change . COMPULSORY IF YOU DON'T HAVE YOUR OWN: - PERSONAL INSURANCE (General Travel insurance is highly recommended) - Computer rental 300 THB/day - Equipment rental 600 THB/ day . OPTIONS: - Nitrox : 250 THB/tank or 4,500 THB for the whole cruise - 15L Tank 300 THB / day or 1,800 THB for the whole cruise - Private guide 5,000 THB/day . COURSES: - PADI Courses - Photographer private coaching . Transfers to and from the boat on-demand (prices) . Alcoholic drinks and cigarettes . Gratuity/ tips (1000 THB / day /pers is common practice) |
Be careful, these special trips are rare and fill up quite quicky!!! book ahead of time
![]() Review:
5, based on
194 reviews
"The best Similan diving expérience!!" by
fiftystatesevenconts, written on
April 21, 2024
The title says it all and every component of the Smiling Seahorse stands out. The dive sites were varied and each one offered something new to shout about. I reached my 900th dive on this trip from Khao Lak to Phuket, and have been on many live-aboards, and this one knows what divers want. They help you don your wetsuit, hold on to your tank before you jump in or climb back up the ladder, to save your back for your 24 dives in a week, put your fins on for you, remove them after the dive, and would likely breathe for you if requested.
James, my extremely experienced guide and cruise director, did everything in his power to make all my dives special. What resulted in that, were some pretty special dives: 8 black tipped sharks in a few minutes, 5 massive blotched fantail rays, a guitar shark, a leopard shark, a deadly stonefish, giant clams, and rivers of fish swimming through the corals, actually blocking my view of him at one point, and it was hard to follow him, like in a fog! These big schools of fish are one of the main reasons for a live-aboard, remoteness, and these are some incredibly healthy reefs.
The food was excellent as well, with mountains of it offered 3 times a day, plus a "snack", which really amounted to 4 meals a day.
If you want to feel like every day is your birthday, with your invited guests including countless green morays, cuttlefish, huge schools of giant trevallies and bright fusiliers carpeting the ocean, get aboard the Smiling Seahorse.
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