Cuttle fish & octopus dance in Similan islands, Thailand

 
I was a bit inactive on my blog the last month but NOW its time to catch up...As it is extremely cold for end of March in Holland now I will warm you up with some images from Thailand again. Today I will take you again underwater (this entry is specially dedicated to Koryn who asked for more underwater photography:-)

 
It is simply breathtaking to see how cuttle fishes and octopuses change their colours underwater when they move or want to adjust themselves to the environment. At the Bonsoon wrack I met this cute baby cuttle fish. Whilediving at island 9 of the Similan islands at around 25m depth we have spotted the octopus. First it was hiding in a rock and its was white-grey, when it leaved its hole it change quick to brown-dark colours! Enjoy the video too:-))) 

Nudibranches in Andaman sea...

 
I am taking you one more time underwater, as I have to show still few wet beauties:-)) In the underwater kingdom of Similan Islands one may encounter several smaller and bigger nudibranches these colourful (and sometimes so tiny to spot) creatures are fascinating for photographing due to the different shapes, lines and unexpected flashy colours. The flashiness actually indicates that they contains poison, in case some of the other water inhabitants may think of eating them. So the colours is their own protection!

 
The picture with one of my finger is to help you realise the real size...and in order to show you how funny we look when taking picture of small fellows (invisible to the rest) is the pictures of Nico+myself taken by Tim, a fellow diver and uw-photographer:-)

Similan Islands from underwater: part 2, underwater temple and more

At the end of 2012 I would love to take you one more time underwater between colours and funny/ cute/ weird looking creatures...On one of our dives around Similan islands we found this stone underwater temple at around 10 meters. Some other fantastic finds were the big white nudibranch, the sea urchin known as "jewel urchin" and the crab recycling rests of other inhabitant as his home....
Wishing you all a good end of the old year and a very good start in the new one! 

Christmas underwater, around the Similan islands, Thailand

 

Merry CHRISTMAS to ALL of YOU :-)))

Today with the underwater reportage from the national park Similan islands in south west Thailand. These islands are located around 50 km from Khao Lak and may be reached in 2-3 hours from the mainland by boat. This park is famous to be a real underwater paradise in the Andaman Sea and a place not to be missed. Our pictures will show you the colourful Christmas trees, the tiny crabs, some beautiful fishes and corals.

 

However even if you may see a lot of colours we have actually spotted more dead coral and destroyed ecosystem than an intact one. It was pretty sad to see that Similan islands (advertised as one of the top10 diving spots in the world) are suffering not only from heavy coral bleaching (due to global warming of the oceans) but also from other distructive natural & especially human activities. We were told that a lot of the big fishes are gone (either to escape the crowd or being fished)...Last but not least one may see the beginning recovery of the underwater world: the growth of new corals. I truly hope that the big tourism industry built around this disappearing beauty (like diving&snorkeling trips) will support and participate in it!