Dive Sites Of The Andaman Sea/12 - King Cruiser Right Hand side.jpg
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King Cruiser Side View
GPS Location: 07-48-06N 98-38-34E
Max Depth: 32M
Currents: Mild to moderate South to North or vice verca
Visibility: 5M-20M
Diver Level: Intermediate
The King Cruiser Wreck lies 27Km East of Chalong Bay, close to Shark Point & Anemone Reef. It was an 87M x 25M car and passenger catamaran ferry that ran daily between Phuket and Phi Phi. On May 4th 1997 the captain strayed miles off course and despite perfect conditions managed to hit the only navigational hazard within 25 miles, namely Anemone Reef. With a gaping hole ripped into her side the ship went down in less than an hour. Help arrived immediately from nearby Phi Phi and boats close to the scene and none of the hundreds of passengers died that day. As for the captain, he was not seen or heard from again! There are rumours that he is currently a guest in the infamous Bangkok Hilton for insurance fraud, but no one really knows. The wreck sits upright in 32 Meters of water with a North to South orientation. The funnels have long since fallen off and lay at the foot of the wreck in the sand making the shallowest portion of the wreck the wheelhouse at 16 Meters. It comprises 4 decks with the lower being the car deck and the upper decks passenger and VIP. Large windows and passage ways made the wreck safe to penetrate in the past but due to serious deterioration and collapse of the upper levels over the last few years this is no longer advised except where the openings are very large. Moorings exist at either the stern or the bow or both. Due to the wreck lying n the middle of the ocean with a deep average depth the site is unsuitable for beginners. Currents can be strong, visibility low and surface conditions rough, making entry and exit hazardous.
Marine Life extensive. Since its sinking, the wreck formed an artificial reef almost immediately, no doubt attracting fish from the neighbouring Anemone Reef & Shark Point. Huge shoals of snappers, trevallies and fusiliers engulf the wreck. Chevron barracuda shoals are often evident with the odd, huge, lone great barracuda putting in the occasional appearance too. Bamboo sharks have been seen sleeping under the propellers, the car ramps at both bow and stern that lay in the sand & also under the hulls. Two winches located at the stern on either side of the car deck also act as a home for bamboo sharks. Leopard sharks doze in the sand away from the wreck and whale sharks have been sighted too. The wreck is covered in bearded scorpionfish and huge lionfish so divers are advised not to touch the wreck unless there is no choice and then with extreme caution. Four species of nudibranch can be found on the wreck as well as white eyed morays and honeycomb morays. The four toilets at the stern on the main passenger deck often house these. Crabs, lobsters and the occasional hawksbill turtle have been seen also. Due to swift current in the mid water between the surface and the wreck’s top, descents and ascents are advised on the mooring line. Often there are many divers going up or down the same line, especially at the safety stop so if currents allow move away from the line and use it as a visual aid only to facilitate other divers. If due to low visibility you cannot find the line at the end of the dive, ascend using a reel and delayed submersible marker buoy. If current is present, there is usually one sheltered side of the wreck so plan the dive accordingly. Due to the deep average depth divers are cautioned to be vigilante on their air consumption and NDLs. This is a great dive for nitrox.
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