April 2008 Archives

We look forward excitedly to the maiden voyage of the "New" MV Dive Asia I – just 193 days to go!

Everyday, we come closer to our goal.  You can already see the beauty of the boat; as we walk through the hull we feel the relaxed atmosphere in the cabins, smell the delicious food, and dream of the first cocktail at the bar while cruising into the sunset.  The MV Dive Asia I is large and spacious; the bright color of the interior's wood emphasize this size.  There are now hundreds of meters of electrical cables and dozens of meters of water pipes installed.  Boxes of welding electrodes, nails, bolts, and nuts have been used up.  Countless wooden slats have gone up as the sub-construction for the interior has been worked up.  Parquet floor and bathroom fixtures have been ordered.  Our designer is working on an attractive exterior paint as well as creating easy-to-understand deck layouts.

The dream is moving forward…

On Monday, the first day of the new Thai calendar, we sailed with 27 divers from all over the world to Phi Phi Island. The first dive at Ko Doc Mai was beautiful as ever with Seahorses and Ghostpipefishes. After this dive we headed to Phi Phi Island enjoying fabulous lunch and beautiful weather. At 1:30 pm we started the second dive of the day at Ko Bida Nok, south of Phi Phi Lee Island. Just a few minutes into the dives he showed up; he the largest of all living Sharks and the largest living fish species – the Rhincodon typus better know as whale shark. The 6 Meter long Fish stayed with most of our divers for 30 Minutes. What a great experience and than directly for half an hour, great!

Did you know that the longest ever measured whale shark was reported 13,7 Meter long. Whale sharks can weight up to 12000 kg and they can reach an age of up to 100 Years.

The whale shark is a filter feeder and it feeds on plankton and other nektonic like. Therefore the shark constantly pumps water over its gills with a rate of 6000 Liter per hour.  As a filter feeder, it has a capacious mouth which can be up to 1.5 Meters wide and can contain between 300 and 350 rows with up to 3600 tiny teeth. This species, despite its enormous size, does not pose any significant danger to humans and for divers is the highlight of every divetrip.

After more than 300 Similan cruises with our good old lady, it is now time to say goodbye.

Many of your have very fond memories of the "old" MV Dive Asia I.  Perhaps you sighted your first Manta Ray or Whale Shark diving from her.  Surely you made friends from all over the world that you are still in contact with.  The many excellent dives from the MV Dive Asia I along with the countless hours spent aboard with you will remain fond memories.

We will bid farewell to our first grand lady on the 8^th of May with both smiling and crying eyes.

Please take the opportunity to join us on during the last seven trips for a farewell cruise aboard the MV Dive Asia I.  We will dive in the Similans, at Ko Bon and Ko Tachai, as well as Richelieu Rock.

We offer you a choice of one among four different promotions throughout the month of April:

1. free scuba rental equipment during your cruise; or
2. free day trip including two dives; or
3. free PADI Advanced Course (book and certification  are an extra charge); or
4. 15% discount on the cruise fee.

We hope that you will join us!