|
Racha Yai - Siam Bay
GPS Location: 07-36-42N 98-22-15E
Max Depth: 5-20M
Currents: Mild to moderate
Visibility: 15M-20M
Diver Level: Beginner
Siam Bay lies directly to the North of the island and is a large bay with a beach and restaurant. Similar in shape to Bungalow bay, the diving is best on the East side. Maximum depth is attained towards the mouth of the bay at 20M and although currents are slight inside the bay, caution is advised when nearing the mouth as they increase in strength, whipping around the headlands. Towards the bay’s opening between two mooring buoys running roughly East to West at a depth of 12M -20M lies an interesting dive site of memorial statues, dropped after the tragic tsunami of December 2004. Artificial reefs consisting of concrete square lattices lie next to each mooring block and between them are a Thai temple entrance, guarded by two statues, two elephants about 4M high with ample room between their legs to accommodate a diver and a concrete sala. Although reef life has yet to colonise these structures, a few lionfish and moray eels lurk around this very unique tribute.
Marine Life consists of hard corals along the reef slopes and the usual assortment of angelfish, butterflyfish, surgeonfish, groupers, wrasses, damsels and parrotfish. Morays and lionfish are common, lurking in the staghorn coral while cuttlefish, Kuhl’s stingray and flounders may be observed in the brilliant white sand at the foot of the reef.
|
