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23rd Mars 2022:  Manta by day and Paper nautilus by night

29/3/2022

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Female paper nautilus all over this week on the blackwater and 2 Manta visits!

23rd Mars 2022 trip, beautiful Andaman Sea and Manta show!
We started this fantastic cruise in Tap Lamu pier with a lovely mix of international divers from Austria, Germany, France and England and what a treat this week was!
Divers
Chris, one of our regular and talented underwater photographer
James hovering in the light
couple of diver
Day 1: woke to an amazing sunrise in the Surin islands. With our check-out dive at Koh Chi followed by Torinla Rocks, had lunch and during our surface interval we were greeted by a large male green sea turtle. Our next dives were at Yellow rock and we finished up the day with a night dive at Ao Pragaad.
Amongst others, we had the chance to see big schools of Fusilier, Trevallies, Batfish as well as lobsters and colourful nudibranch.
blue fin trevallis
blue fin trevallis
School of yellow back fusilier
School of yellow back fusilier
Richelieu Rock was our spot for the whole of the second day, with a calm sea to enjoy 4 these beautiful dives; and there was so much to see! Between the Ghost Pipe Fish, Peacock Mantis Shrimp, Longnose Emperor and trevallis hunting together, it was a lovely show for all, even for the most experimented divers diving Richelieu Rock throughout the season.
4 ghostpipefish together
not 1 ghost pipefish but 4!
reef landscape with tomato grouper and bannerfish
reef landscape with tomato grouper and bannerfish
silver sweetlips
silver sweetlips
The chef and his son prepared us a wonderful barbecue to end this perfect day! and to accompany this superb dinner, Franck prepared us a rhum based cocktail.
Music, good atmosphere, and fun discussions made this superb evening one we will remember.
Beautiful ghost pipefish
Enjoying a cocktail before the bbq
Barbecue and good vibes
Barbecue and good vibes

A big "surprise" 3rd day! 

We started the third day with 2 dives at Koh Tachai Pinnacle, large granite boulder formations on the south side and a beautiful coral garden to the north with many school of different Reef fish to keep us entertained. 

Our third dive for the day was at Koh Bon, diving the West Ridge where we spent the whole dive with a  majestic Oceanic Manta Ray and a Spotted Eagle Ray swimming a ballet around all the divers from the boat. Wow! Everyone came back on the boat with stars in their eyes, excited to share the moment and photos with the other guests.
Wonderful lionfish
Lionfish
Giant oceanic Manta ray
Hello again manta!
Star of the cruise: the Manta ray
Perfect belly shot for Thailand's Manta ray database
Lobsters on coral reef
Lobsters on coral reef
While the plan was to do only one dive at Koh Bon, we decided to stay and meet the manta again!​But that day was also the day we planned the blackwater dive and many people found it hard to choose between a manta dive and a blackwater dive so we decided to do both!
After dinner, we head offshore to the end fo the continental plateau for a perfect blackwater dive, what a great experience to see these pelagic and deep sea creatures we would never otherwise see. We saw the sea butterfly, paper nautilus, turnicates, jellyfish, a pelagic sea snake and so much more. 


​It was a first for most of the divers and everyone loved it! What a funny feeling to float motionless in this dark, but far from empty space!
Pelagic snake
Pelagic snake
Paper nautilus riding a jellyfish
Paper nautilus riding a jellyfish
Day 4: for our ur last diving day we decided to go back to Koh Bon Pinnacle and Koh Bon West Ridge and guess who decided to greet us again? If you are thinking Manta! You'd be correct, a friendly Manta Ray spent more than 20 minutes swimming gracefully around us! Second dive at West Ridge, our hopes were high to see again Mrs Flappy but no luck this time. 
A big thank you to mother nature for these two magnificent dives with these gentle giants!
Manta visit us again
Manta visit us again
Time to head back, but with a quick stop and dive on our way at Boonsung Wreck. There we saw Honeycomb Moray Eels, White Eyed Morays, Nudibranch with weird shapes and patterns, a school of Yellow Tail Barracuda, massive schools of rainbow runners and snappers and all the Porcupine fish you can imagine. The dive on the wreck was fantastic and concluded the this perfect week so well!

To top it all off, Franck gave us an amazing photo presentation documenting the trip and all the amazing things we have witnessed while we ate yummy burgers as we made our smooth journey back to the pier to say our goodbyes.  

Congratulation to Adrian, Laura, Jean Louis and Noelle for completing their Nitrox certifications and well done Xavier for your fantastic improvement with Franck's photographer's coaching. 
Sunset on Similan
Sunset on Similan
Divers and beautiful seafan in Thailand
Divers and beautiful seafan
Upside down underwater...
Divers have fun underwater
Diner time
Diner time
READ MORE BLOGPOST ABOUT DIVING IN THAILAND...
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15th March 2022: Whale shark expedition but Manta and paper nautilus sighted!

23/3/2022

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15th March 2022: Whale shark expedition but Manta and paper nautilus sighted!

This trip was all about Whalesharks with daily presentation by Kirsty Magson, Marine Biologist and WS specialist.

We took off from Tap Lamu around 6pm, ready to navigate a few hours toward our first dive site in Surin with 15 wonderful guests onboard. Amongst them, 3 more marine biologists from Israel who came to study the reef and Manta inhabitat.
In the mood for diving, eating, sleeping and again!
In the mood for diving, eating, sleeping and again!
On the sea again!... So happy!
On the sea again!... So happy!
Koh Chi in Surin National Park was a perfect check dive but we headed to the south of Surin islands for our 2nd dive, choosing to dive Torinla where we've spotted many Pickachu nudibranch this season but instead we got loads of Jenkins rays! Which was a great surprise beside the fact no one was equipped for wide-angle photography on this dive…
Butterfly fish under the coral reef in Thailand
Astonishing school of sweetlips in Thailand
"Diving is life a box of chocolate, You never know what you're gonna get"
Yellow rock and the sweetlips welcomes us for the third dive that day with some barracudas as well as napoleon wrasse and did the night dive not too far from that in search of the colourful Saron shrimps.
School of fish are magic in Thailand
Similan soldier fish
Next day was all about Richelieu, we had to deal with a lot of current dues to full moon, but is created for a lot of action, jacks and snappers made the dive!

One of our guest, “Pin”, signed up for 4 photo coaching dives, and Richelieu Rock was the perfect place to do 2 of them as the best dive site in Thailand offers so many opportunities for a photographer.
Underwater photographers are spoil for choice in The Rock and the hardest part is probably selecting the lense as there are so many subject both in Wide angle and Macro.
Harlequin Shrimp
Harlequin Shrimp
Clown fish eggs
Clown fish eggs
Nemo’s eggs, harlequin shrimp and lots of ghostpipe fish to practice Macro. 
We then headed south for the 3rd day to Koh Tachai where there was a massive school of barracudas as well as jacks for 2 consecutive dives there, it was mind-blowing!
We finished the day with a night dive at Koh Bon.
psychedelic sea slug
psychedelic sea slug
ghostpipe fish
ghostpipe fish
On the following day, we left Surin National park and headed into the Similan National park starting at 3 trees, for a very pretty dive before a tropical storm come from the west forcing us to get shelter on the east side, so instead of North Rock, we dived breakfast bend, which was also very nice and that's where we found batwing sea slugs, a pshychedelic little critter hiding in plain sight (1mm).
The weather calmed down as quickly as it went rough, so we could carry on with our plan to dive elephant head rock in the afternoon.
Franck carried on with Pin's photographer's coaching, and her photos are improved a lot!
Baby ribbon eel
Baby ribbon eel
baby octopus
baby octopus
Baby Flounder
Baby Flounder
We went to the edge of the continental plateau for our Blackwater dive that night. 
We navigated an hour toward the west before we got about 150 m depth under the boat, we deployed 2 lines of lights to give more room for all divers and the dive was amazing.

​We were all surrounded by special critters the whole dive, from larvae mantis shrimps, flounders, stargazer, ribbon eel and reef octopus, but the night's favorite was for sure a male paper nautilus!
Male Paper Nautilus
Male Paper Nautilus
Pelagic Nudibranch
Pelagic Nudibranch
We headed back to the Similan islands for the night and explored shark fin reef in the morning… what a surprise for me to see my first feather tail sting ray there…
The day went on just as planned with 1 dive at deep six playing in the swim throughs followed by 1 dive at Christmas point where we completed the photo coaching with Pin.
Damselfish
Damselfish
Beautiful coral reef in the Andaman Sea
Feathertail sting ray
Feathertail sting ray
Enormous Barrel sponge
Continuing on our Ultimate Surin and Similan 7 days route, we dived Koh Bon next, where we were greeted at the ridge by the visit of a Giant Oceanic manta ray!

It went a bit too fast to get the perfect ID Shot for Thailand Manta project database, but it was still seen by almost every one onboard!
Manta ray
We were hoping to see it again at Koh Bon pinnacle for the next dive but no manta luck this time … It was still a very nice dive and a big eagle ray played its part and some schooling barracudas kept us company for a while.
coral reef in Thailand
Surprised ribbon eel
Thailand sunset on the sea
Thanks to all our lovely guests for joining us on this great adventure as well as to our special guest Kirsty from Thailand Whale Shark Project.
We were a bit sad the Whale Shark didn't turn up for its appointment (these gentle giants are so unreliable) but we loved Kirsty Magson's presentation and learned so much about them and their environment.
We will run another Whale shark expedition with Kirsty in 2023 from 4th to 12th of February 2023 and will visit this time both North and South Andaman from Richelieu Rock to Koh Lipe!
Get in touch for more info!
Whaleshark expedition 2023 Thailand
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08 Mar 2022: a cruise for photographers around Richelieu Rock

21/3/2022

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Trip report Andaman cruise

An extraordinary cruise with more than 15 dives on Richelieu Rock = happy underwater photographers :)

Franck has been out of the water for a few weeks due to an ear infection and we didn't share many news lately... Here is our latest Trip report, a cruise from 8th to 11th of March 2022 particularly designed to satisfy the most demanding underwater photographers.
In order to maximise the photo productions, we planned more than 3 full days on Richelieu Rock to see and photograph the wonder of Thailand's best dive site.
​

The cruise started wonderfully from Tap Lamu pier from where we set sail with an exceptional sunset on the Andaman sea.

After a quick briefing about the organisation onboard, we made acquaintance with everyone over a lovely diner.

Excitation was there for everyone eager to wake up and discover the aquatic wonders of the Surin islands...
Sunset andaman sea
Amazing sunsets on Andaman sea
happy diver on the Smiling seahorse at sunset
Ghost pipe fish in healthy reef
Ghost pipe fish wide angle shot
Ghostpipe fish
Ghost pipe fish macro shot
What was exceptional on this trip was to spend so much time on Richelieu rock, where for once, we were able to explore every cracks and corner! It is often frustrating to leave the Rock after only 3 or 4 dives, on this trip we left with plenty of nice photos after 15 dives!!!
​
We met many wonderful species, each one more beautiful than the next.
Richelieu Rock ghost piefish serie
under a GPF, Richelieu Rock
​My favorite photos this week are of Ghost pipefish, the Regal Anglefish and the pretty pipefish... What do you think?
regal angelfish
superbe regal angelfish
Harlequin shrimp, diving richelieu rock march 2022
ADVANCED Harlequin shrimp
Picture
boxfish
thailand school of batfish liveaboard
friendly school of batfish
pipefish in thailand
pipefish
school of fish in thailand
School of Jacks
The highlight for most diver was for sure the surprise visit of a magnificent Whale shark but unfortunately all the photographers went on this dive with a macro lense! So we didn't get any new photo but thankfully a talented videographer got a great video! Thanks JC!
Picture
Thanks for coming back Suli!
Share drink on boat
What a great time we shared above and below water
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, were seafloor drops from 80m deep to severals hundreds meters!

What an awesome feeling and great larvae population! Our Blackwater dive there was fantastic so we will do it again!

Have you tried Blackwater diving yet? tell us in the comment section.
Don't forget to subscribe to our blog for the latest trip reports and fishy stories!
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All about the magnificent Ribbon Eel

14/3/2022

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The Marine Drag Queen

ribbon eel the drag queen of the seas blog post
Scientific name : Rhinomuranea Quaesita

The ribbon Eel is the only member of its genus. Scientists thought for a long time that there were 3 types of ribbon eel, the black, the blue, and the yellow species. But now we know they form a unique species changing sex and colour during its lifespan!

1) ITS HABITAT

Ribbon eels can live up to 20 years, and can grow up to 1 meter long. The biggest individual observed measured 1,30 m.
You can find the Ribbon eel in sandy areas around reefs and lagoons of the Indo-Pacific Ocean. It can be found in very shallow waters down to 60m.
It usually stays in the same cave for months or even years and two individuals (usually adult males) can be seen sharing the same hole.
Adult male Ribbon Eel out of his hole blue yellow ribboneel underwatercreature snake
Ribbon Eels are rarely sighted out of their hole

2) ITS BEHAVIOR

males ribbon eel blue and yellow
​The ribbon eel is a carnivore which preys on small fish and other animals that swim too close to their hole.

​They can be generally observed poking their head out of their hole waiting to catch  prey as it wanders past.

 
3) ITS COLORATION TELL ITS AGE AND GENDER

Black ribbon eel juvenile male
Ribbon eels are first males: black with a yellow dorsal fin
Adult female ribbon eel
Maturing individuals become female : a blue and yellow ribbon eel
 Female Yellow Ribbon Eel
Yellow Ribbon Eels are older female, ready to find a mate
Every individual is born as male.
Juveniles and sub-adults are black with a yellow dorsal fin. When they reach adulthood, they keep the yellow fin but the body turns blue and starts developing female reproductive organs.
​When they reach their full size, they turn into female and change their color to complete yellow.
They will then find a mate, lay their eggs, and die within a month.
blackwater ribbon eel larvae juvenile
Ribbon eel Larvae on a blackwater dive- Thailand 2022
It is due to their short lifespan that the female ribbon eels are rarely observed.

The ribbon is the only protandric 
​hermaphrodite eel, meaning they are capable of changing sex to female if there is a shortage of natural females in the environment
.

Ever seen a Ribbon Eel Larvae? We regularly spot them on our blackwater dives!

Totally transparent, you would easily take them for a jelly of some sort before you see them swimming towards you with bright eyes!!
​
You can even see their tube gut (the stripe down the middle). 
Beautiful female ribbon eels
Can you guess the gender of these beautiful ones?
Beautiful ribbon eels made the show for us!

4) ITS MAJOR THREATS

.Did you know that the major threat of this species is the aquarium trade??

While writing this post, I found more websites giving advice about keeping the animal alive in captivity, or selling them, than information about the animal itself... Better to leave them in their natural habitat and observe them while scuba diving, don't you think...?

Come see them in Thailand and Myanmar while they are still around :) 

​Subscribe to our blog to learn more intersting facts about the wonderful Marine Life we have in Thailand.
Picture
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All about the Shaded Batfish - Platax Pinnatus

12/3/2022

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Platax Pinnatus, a colorful juvenile fish

Shaded Batfish - Platax Pinnatus
​The shaded Batfish... loved by divers, he is not so easy to observe in its juvenile form, which is drastically different from its adult form.

Why is it called Shaded Batfish?

Platax pinnatus, the red platax or shaded platax, is a species of marine fish of the family Ephippidae.

​The origins of the scientific name:
​

Platax: from Greek [platos] = flat, wide
Pinnatus: from Latin [pinnatus] = which has wings, feathers, in connection with its long fins, especially in the juveniles.
Adult Batfish

Where do shaded batfish live?

Picture
Distribution of shaded batfish.
It is found in the Indo-Pacific and regularly sighted in the Andaman Sea, both in Thailand and Myanmar. Unfortunately, the juvenile stage of this species is the most stunning and only last a few months.
​Its adult counterpart is less striking/ popular with underwater photographers.


​

How to recognize Platax Pinnatus? And at what stage of its life?

Small juveniles are black with a bright orange-red border around the body and fins; fins have a scalloped outline; they swim with exaggerated movements; small juveniles are thought to mimic similar-looking flatworms.
juvenile batfish
post juvenile batfish
With age, a grey spot appears on its side, starting behind the pectoral fin; the dorsal and anal fins lengthen and become more pointed.

It is the beginning of its transformation from a black elongated juvenile to a round shaped grey adult.
school of shaded batfish
adult shaded batfish
Once adult, two black bars appear at the level of the eyes and just before the pectoral fin. The dorsal and anal fins have elongated well and are yellowing a bit. Its body is now silver. It can reach the forty centimeters

​

Batfish reproduction

The sexes are separated and there is no sexual dimorphism. Platax pinnatus is ovuliparous and the fertilization is external, in open water. The larvae are pelagic a few days then undergo their last metamorphosis and the juvenile begins its life near the bottom.

There are several types of Batfish, the most commonly encountered in Thailand and Myanmar is the Platax teira, also known as longfin batfish or longfin spadefish, but surprisingly we do not often encounter their juveniles...

If the Platax Teira is not afraid about you, it is even curious, it's not the case of the Platax Pinnatus, ​which stays away from you.
adult schooling batfish
Beautiful batfish in the blue

READ ALSO...
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    ​The Smiling Seahorse has been running dive cruises from Ranong since 2012.
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  • When & Where
    • Schedule and Prices
    • Destinations >
      • North Andaman Thailand >
        • Similan Islands
        • Surin Islands >
          • Richelieu rock
        • The essential Underwater photo Guide to diving Thailand
      • South Andaman Thailand >
        • Phuket & Koh Phi Phi National Parks
        • Koh Lanta National Park
        • Koh Lipe and Tarutao National Park
      • Mergui Archipelago >
        • Marine life in the Andaman Sea
        • Burma's best dive sites
        • The Ultimate Underwater photo Guide to diving Burma
  • ABOUT
    • Our Boat >
      • DELICIOUS FOOD
    • Diving in Thailand
    • Diving in Myanmar/Burma
    • Itineraries
    • Blackwater diving in Thailand
    • Marine life in Thailand's Andaman Sea
    • Dive Courses >
      • Learn to Dive
      • Continue diving education
      • Rescue diver
      • Professional Dive Courses
      • Hone your dive skills with a PADI specialty course
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    • Taxi services >
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    • 10 things to do around Ranong
  • PROMO
    • HOT DEALS
    • Special Expeditions >
      • Ultimate Underwater photo combo expeditions
      • Video & photo expedition North Andaman 05 Nov 2023
      • Blackwater expedition 23 Jan 2024
      • UW Photo clinic North Andaman 31 Jan 2024
      • Special Marine Biology - 18 Feb 2024
      • Whale Shark Special - 19 Mar 2024 - North and South
      • Manta rays expedition - 20 April 2024
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