Yesterday Richard Spracklen was finally persuaded to have a break from the varied delights of Chalong and to come diving. I know Richard had reservations about diving because of a bad experience he had 10 years ago. It is suprising how many of you coming here tell me about your bad diving experiences which have put you off diving. I know the PADI course organisers would be dismayed to hear this as PADI prides itself on customer care. I have to say that in my experience I have only met one PADI divemaster who I could see was frightening his novice divers but as for the rest, I can speak only in glowing terms as to what very professional, caring and genuinely nice people they are.
Anyhow...after a bit of stuff in the pool and a gentle rope dangling session (by the hands not the neck) Richard was soon on the seabed and looking suprisingly relaxed. Our first fish sighting was of these two little lionfish hiding under a bit of coral.
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| This big shell was on the move....we rested on the sandy bottom trying hard not to move and stir up the fine sand and watched this mollusc hurtle off at speeds up to nearly a mile a fortnight.... seriously tho' it was pretty quick for a shell! |
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| Here's our Richard....just getting his balance underwater after 10 years away from diving. The picture is a bit mucky because of the sand being kicked up and the flash being scattered....but look how things had improved by the middle of the dive....no cloud of sand now. |
Here he is.....control well on the way to being established. excellent.
And with us was Geoffrey...although he had also been the day before so his control was better...
...just look and admire his neat diver, hands tucked in profile.....very nice.
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| We found a number of these pretty things on one area of coral. I don't know what they are. About 2'' long and a deep purple body with very bright yellow spOts on them. Are they a type of Nudibranc? Anyone know?? |
Kata reef is jammed full of fish life....we were moving through literally hundreds of fish and they weren't spooked by our presence...it was all very peaceful.
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| There are big shoals of juvenile barracuda all over the place. They present an impressive spectacle of silver when photographed from below and looking up into the sun. | | | | | |
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Well, that is the end of Richard's diving as he and Keith fly home tomorrow. But Geoff is staying and two years ago did his AOW (Advanced Open Water). We are going to do a couple more day trips and by then Geoff should be ready for his first Dive Liveaboard experience. We are soon to be joined by Heath Barnard from Southampton and we are off to the Similan Islands with Scubacat for a 4 day trip. Very sadly, Jai cannot be with us because of her injuries. In fact I am going to the Similan Islands tomorrow for 4 days and Jai was due to come on that trip. What a shame that someone's inability to shut a gate properly
has resulted in that bloody dog escaping and Jai being in hospital instead of coming on the diving trips we had planned.
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