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!

Many things have happened since the keel-laying of the New Dive Asia I back in August 2007.  On 18 January, another milestone was reached when the boat was launched.  She was brought to the water with another traditional and religious ceremony.

In the months prior to her launch, we cut dozens of huge steel plates, performed a kilometer of electric welding, and used gallons upon gallons of primer.  Of course, we made plans and revised those plans again; anyone who has built a house already knows what we're talking about.  Engines and generators were selected and serviced, quotations were collected from carpenters and electricians, and we surfed the Internet for countless hours comparing for example different models of air-conditioners, finding the right mattresses, and so on.

It has been a real adventure which we have really enjoyed.

Manta, Manta. On Thursday 13 March and Sunday 16 March, Dive Asia encountered several Manta Rays during our Raja Noi daytrips.  During the Thursday cruise, all of our divers had the pleasure to dive twice with the majestic ray almost shoulder to shoulder.  During the second dive of the day, there were two Mantas present and on the third dive we dove with a huge Manta Birostris.  On board were many certified divers as well as seven Open Water students and two Discover divers.  All of them enjoyed swimming with the beautiful Mantas.

During the Sunday dive, we once again had two Manta Rays at the "South Tip" of Raja Noi and our divers also had the opportunity to observe the Gracie Rays. 

Mantas have a wing span up to seven meters and can weigh as much as 2000 kilograms.  Compared with many other rays, Mantas are not poisonous.  They are peaceful animals who eat plankton.  They spend most of the time close to the lighted waters near the ocean surface and therefore are easy to observe by divers.  Similar to the Eagle Rays, Mantas use their fins much like a bird's wing.  They reach a top speed of twelve kilometers per hour.  Mantas are known as underwater acrobats and are able to jump a few meters out of the water.

They did it again.  At the beginning of March our friends from the Blue Fins Dive Club joined us once again for a

total of 28 dives on the M/V Dive Asia I.  For the first part of the cruise, the Blue Fins had the boat to themselves.  They were later joined by three South Tyroleans – two Japanese and one French diver.  This mixed group matched perfectly and had a lot of fun on board.  Robert, a Blue Fin, had the pleasure to celebrate his birthday with old and new friends.

Of course, they also had great dives with good visibility.  One of the highlights was their ability to view a four centimeter long by three millimeter flast Short-pouch Pygmy Pipehorse (Acentronura breviperula) at Rocky Point.  They also encountered three Cobias, a huge Napoleon Wrasse, and a Pink Whipray. 

But the real highlight was a three-meter Giant Guitarfish.  The Rhynchobatus djiddensis was sighted during the last dive at Shark Fin Reef.  This fascinating fish, which is related to skates and rays, is very rare in this area.

Everybody was excited to follow the call of the Blue Fins on these trips.  Despite a bit of rain during the evenings, both trips were a huge success.  A lot of laughter was enjoyed, pictures and emails were exchanged, and plans made for the Blue Fins' next visit.  We are already looking forward to welcoming Klaus and Joerg along with the rest of the Club for a future visit.

The schedule for the 2008/2009 live-aboard season aboard the new M/V Dive Asia I is now online.

We have designed our live-aboard cruise itinerary and schedule to offer 16 dives in Thailand's best diving areas during the 5-night and 4-day cruises. The schedules, itineraries, and fares of our live-aboard cruises can be used to plan your diving holiday.  We provide full details of the diving destinations which will further assist you in making your decision. Once you have chosen the trip that suits you best, please use our simple online form to make your booking or to ask any further questions you may have.

The MV Dive Asia I will be ready for your dive adventures by the end of October 2008.  She will be 29 meters long with a beam of six meters.  Twenty divers will be accommodated in ten cabins all furnished with their own en suite cabin.  Nitrox will be available for all sixteen dives during the five-night and four-day cruise to Thailand's best dive sites.  The cruise through the Similan and Surin National Parks includes Richelieu Rock as a highlight.

You will also find our special offers, photos, and much more.

We hope to keep you updated and entertain you with interesting stories and news items.

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Your Dive Asia team