Lionfish the dangerous beauty

By , 15 April, 2014, No Comment

Petrois Volitans also known as the lionfish. The lionfish can live to around 16 years in the wild and lionfish often live longer if looked after well in captivity. There are around 8 different recognised species of lionfish that are found in the Pacific Ocean. The lionfish is natively found in coastal waters around rocky crevices and coral reefs where there are lots of smaller fish for the lionfish to eat and also places for the lionfish to hide.

Here on Koh Tao it is rare to find lionfish but there are a few places where you can see one or two of them such as the dive site junkyard an artificial reef just off the beach at Mae head, at the back of the site there is a table tipped over on its side with 3 benches around it here inside the table stand a baby lion fish stays and is almost always there either sleeping or just resting.

The largest of lionfish can grow to about 15 inches in length, but the average is closer to 1 foot. Lionfish prey on a wide variety of small fish and crustaceans that inhabit the tropical reefs. The lionfish is prey to few predators due to the large size of the lionfish and also the fact that the appearance of the lionfish is very intimating to other animals. The spikes that protrude from the body of the lionfish contain venom that the lionfish uses to defend itself if it is being pursued.

The lionfish although dangerous is a beautiful creature and is not inherently aggressive towards humans, this allows us to view it without much worry and admire just how stunning the lionfish really is. So come to Koh Tao request junkyard for your dive and go see the lionfish in all its glory

Nick Kelly

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DJL Do Just Laugh – A Guide to Davy Jones Locker

By , 15 April, 2014, No Comment

So you arrive on Koh Tao a little  worse for wear,

Tired and with glow paint still in your hair,

What to do when the party has ended,

divings the answer until you have mended

 

Davy Jones Locker, just along Sairee Beach

might just be the destination you need to reach

Passionate Instructors who know a thing or two

about diving Koh Tao and where’s best for balloons!

They’ll make sure your appetite for the water is hearty

And when the pools free – let’s have a party!

 

Chris and Jo, our annointed king and queen

more dives under their belt than you could possibly dream,

Schmike, Ed and Dave, are famous for Tec

Give them a bell and they’ll show you a wreck

Pete’s not just a top instructor, he’s great on the bass,

Emil will spread laughter all over your face

Hussell the duo will improve your dive manner

In case you were wondering that’s Russell and Hannah

Nat might be small but her personalities not,

Try diving with Felix the brave hearted Scot.

Linco the Aussie with Straya laid back ways

Mike the strong silent type will have you diving for days

Lizzie and Anne will teach you with grace and a smile

Heather will help you overcome every underwater trial

If your look for Robert he’ll answer C’est moi”

And his diving will teach you that “je ne sais quoi”

Then there’s the newbies, Nick, Alex Ollie James Jack Sophie and I,

With anyone of us you’ll never want to be dry

But I’m already certified I just want to dive!

Then Karen and Chris will be your tour guide

 

 

It would be unjust for me to talk about our DJL

without a nod to the other staff who keep us oiled so well

As you walk through the entrance as intrepid explorers

Yu Thien will greet you and sort out your quarters

Sam is the bar keep, and still a DMT

I’m pretty sure he’s been doing it since 2003

Spud the ideas man listen and he’ll teach ya,

Very good luck though if you attempt all his pizza!

No night is complete with  Natso Oop and Ta

Just seeing their faces makes you go to the bar

 

So when your course is finished, come back for more,

with Davy Jones Locker you’ll never be bored!

 

by Chris NuttalDJL CDC

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Koh Tao, l’Eldorado des scuba divers

By , 10 April, 2014, No Comment

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L’île de la Tortue est connue pour être l’un des meilleurs spots de plongée du golf de la Thaïlande. Moins développée que ses grandes sœurs Koh Phangan et Koh Samui, elle a été investie par les backpackers à la recherche de cours de plongée à prix réduits.

Il ne vous faudra que quelques minutes, voire quelques heures pour vous laisser séduire. L’eau translucide et les plages de sable blanc ; l’atmosphère paisible la journée et fêtarde le soir ; les sourires distribués à tous les coins de rue. Oui, il fait bon vivre ici. La vie est peu chère (on mange un excellent plat thaï pour moins de 3€) et l’on rencontre des voyageurs de toutes nationalités. Et dire que dans les années 1930 l’île servait de prison politique…

C’est dans les années 1990 que les premières écoles de plongée se sont installées. Depuis, plus d’une quarantaine de clubs ont ouvert leurs portes. En plein Sairee, vous trouverez Davy Jones Locker, un club PADI 5*. L’équipe d’instructeurs et de divemasters sont là pour vous accompagner, peu importe le niveau de plongée que vous voulez atteindre. Du simple Discover Scuba Diving aux diplômes professionnels. Toute la gamme de cours est détaillée sur le site Internet du club (http://www.davyjoneslocker.asia/), et ça vaut franchement le coup. La cerise sur le gâteau : si vous allez jusqu’au Divemaster, vous aurez le droit de plonger gratuitement et A VIE avec Davy Jones, sur Koh Tao ou au centre de Koh Lipe, une autre île paradisiaque située au Sud de Pukhet.

Plonger à Koh Tao, c’est entrer dans un monde à part. Ne manquez pas l’occasion de partir à l’aventure à Mango Bay, dans des eaux turquoise, où vous aurez peut-être la chance de croiser une famille d’hippocampes ; ou à Hin Pee Wee observer une majestueuse tortue de mer ; laissez-vous approcher par les poissons perroquets et les poissons-anges. Attention, vous allez vite y prendre goût !
Les sites de plongée offrent tous des choses différentes à voir. L’un des plus originaux : Junk Yard, un terrain de jeux sous-marin. Vous pourrez y soulever des poids, conduire une voiture, vous asseoir à une table ou sur des toilettes… de quoi prendre une série de photos délirantes !

Vous croiserez beaucoup de plongeurs passionnés qui n’étaient censés rester sur l’île que quelques jours… et qui sont là depuis des mois, parfois des années. C’est la magie de Koh Tao.

Robert

 

 

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Springtime… When a man’s fancy turns to love.

By , 6 April, 2014, No Comment

Titan Trigger FishThe same can be said for some of the marine life we see here while diving on Koh Tao.  For example, it’s just becoming triggerfish mating season here and we now see them digging pits to lay their eggs in.

Other fish are becoming amorous as well nowadays.  And in some crazy ways:

Anenomefish are initially all males when they are young.  The largest of them becomes the dominant female and mates with the males.  Should something happen to her, the dominant male will switch genders and become the dominant female!

Nudibranch get frisky as well.  However, they move so slowly that sometimes finding a partner can be a challenge.  Fortunately for them, they are all hermaphrodites, so everybody has both male and female genitalia.  So, should any two happen to meet, it’s time to get it on.

 

Even the coral get into the action.  They can’t move of course, so instead of finding a partner, they time their spawning with the cycle of the moon, so that everybody ejects their sperm and eggs into the water at the same time.  Ah, romance.

 

As for the mating behaviors of the humans on the island, I have no comment.  I’ll leave you to discover that on your own.

 

-Pete

 

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Did you know that our lovely green turtles around koh tao are all vegetarian

By , 4 April, 2014, No Comment

Turtle are reptiles scientifically called chelonian. They are characterised by a special bony or cartilaginous shell developed from their ribs and acting as a shield. Turtles are classified as so called amniotes, which means those reptiles  breathe air and do not lay eggs underwater, they must surface at regular intervals to refill their lungs. Sea turtles lay their eggs on dry, sandy beaches and in many cases breed every few years rather than annually.

Sea turtles typically feed on jellyfish, sponge and other soft-bodied organisms. Some species of sea turtle with stronger jaws have been observed to eat shellfish while some species, such as the green sea turtle do not eat any meat at all and, instead, have a diet largely made up of algae.[21]

The earliest known turtles date from 220 million years ago,[5] making turtles one of the oldest reptile groups and a more ancient group than lizards, snakes or crocodiles.  Unfortunately some of them are endangered. Seven different species of sea (or marine) turtles grace our ocean waters. The green and the hawksbill turtle are two  types you can find in and around koh tao. The green turtle is one of the largest sea turtles Green turtles named for the greenish color of their cartilage and fat, not their shells. Like other sea turtles, they migrate long distances between feeding grounds and the beaches from where they hatched. Hawksbills are named for their narrow, pointed beak. They also have a distinctive pattern of overlapping scales on their shells that form a serrated-look on the edges.

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They are a fundamental link in marine ecosystems and help maintain the health of coral reefs and sea grass beds. Unfortunately we take them their hatching areas away by taking over a beach. And the last beaches were they are able to hatch, are full of human and non human egg thiefs. Make sure to be aware when you see one of those little big fellows under the sea

Natalie

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