The sea
From swell
to flat water
- September
- More swell
- October
- Flat and clear
These weeks have been a little unusual. September came with more swell than we expected, so some days were bumpier than usual on the way out.
October has turned it around. We get some rain, but the surface of the sea is flat, and the visibility underwater is even better than in September. If you are on the island now, this is a very good moment to get in the water.
Scrawled filefish · Sail Rock
At Sail Rock
A pair of
filefish
The last whale shark was two weeks ago. Since then, a beautiful pair of filefish has been hanging around the rock on almost every dive.
Whale sharks come and go, and nobody can promise one. But a pair of filefish that turns up dive after dive is a small joy of its own. We have also added two new species to our marine life guide: Weibel's butterflyfish and the bluering angelfish.
The boat
A new engine
for the Rungworawan
Low season is when we look after the boat. The Rungworawan, whose name joins three Thai words, dawn, colour and radiant, is in a shipyard in Chumphon for a full refit:
- A new engine
- New paint
- Safety guards at the back of the boat
- A camera so the captain can watch divers going into the water without leaving the wheelhouse
- New fittings on deck, including a rack for the tanks
She will be back in November. November is monsoon time, though, so we will keep her in until Christmas, when people start to come back to the island. Until then we dive from a partner company's boat. The trips to Sail Rock carry on, with one change: this boat leaves at 8:00 instead of our usual 9:30.
In the water
Low season,
good company
It is quiet, but not empty. These weeks we have had first-timers on Try Dives, Ben on his Deep and Nitrox courses, Alexander finishing his Advanced Open Water, and a first aid course with CPR practice. Thank you all for letting us share your photos.
Coming to
the island?
Send us your dates and we will tell you honestly how the sea has been and what is turning up at Sail Rock.