Koh Tao is coming into its own. The season is in full swing here, and it’s even more beautiful than the last time I was here. So is the diving.
This morning, 3 groups of Advanced divers went out to Chumpon Pinnacle for our Deep Skills Dive. Since our group was so small (only 3 + instructor) it only took about 3 minutes to do all the skills (math at 30 meters? surely you jest!). Afterwards, we had plenty of time to swim off on a bit of a shark hunt. While the other dive groups stuck close to the pinnacle (and the boat), hoping to see the odd barracuda, we headed straight out into the open water. 500 meters out, hanging in the endless blue, they came. First, there was a King Mackerel. Then, two black-tip reef shark (about 1 meter long). And then, the payoff. The grey reef shark, all around 2 meters long, took notice of us and got curious. Most kept a distance of about 15-20 meters, but a few were more adventurous. 4 meters off on my right side, I had an unobstructed view of one attacking fish for his breakfast, while 3 more of the gorgeous creatures circled just at the edge of our field of vision. Just when we thought we couldn’t possibly get any luckier, one shark began to approach us. It swam closer and closer – I think we all must have been holding our breath – and then passed directly underneath, only 2 meters from our dangling fins. It parked for a second or two, as if posing for us, and then slowly swam off into the distance.
We stayed down until half of us were seriously low on air, and then began our ascent. By the time we got to the surface we were so far from the boat that they had to come and pick us up. Comparing notes with the other groups, we discovered that of the 3 groups diving at the Pinnacle, we were the only ones to see any shark. We saw 8.
Later, on the second dive, white-eyed moray eels, who customarily hide in little holes and crevices in the rocks, lounged on top of the reef, feeding.
It was a fantastic morning. And tonight, there’s a night dive. I think I need a nap.
My lord, how cool is that. I’m sitting here burning with envy. Right on Weeza, I think you had some fantastic time coming to you. 🙂
Personally, I’m trying hard not to chew my hand off in envy.
Man, you’re getting all Crocodile Hunter on us.
Hey, as long as she doesn’t start sticking her thumb up the shark’s bum I’m cool with it. 😉