Christmas tree worms feed by using their radioles. Radioles are hair-like appendages that circle outward from the central spine to catch phytoplankton and some small zooplankton once the worm gets older which float in the water column. Once the worm catches the food, it is then passed down the food groove by tiny hair-like extensions on the surface, that generate water currents to move food or mucus. The food particles are sorted, but larger particles are discarded. Any sand grains the worm collects are directed to storage sacs to be used later for tube building. The radioles also act as a form of gill to allow the worm to gather oxygen from the water.

The radioles you see protruding from the coral are in fact only a small part of the worm; the main body is safely encased in a tube surrounded by the coral. When the worm catches food, as stated above it also catches sand which it uses to produce the tube in which it lives. The total length of the worm can be anything from 2-4cm and never moves from this tube as they don’t have any specialised body parts for movement.

The radioles are extremely sensitive and passing divers or snorkelers may see them retract back into the tube for protection. Around the island of koh tao many of the dive sites have high concentrations of Christmas tree worms giving them colour and fantastic photography opportunities.

Andy Cartledge

Top French video artist Raphael has created an audio visual adventure called “Liquidity”. Shot on Koh Tao whilst diving with Davy Jones Locker Raphael and Elliott from Koh Tao PROvideo shot samples of the aquatic world around the island using HD cameras and blue screen backgrounds to animate later in After Effects.

4th April 2011

Luckily here at Davy Jones’ Locker, due to our location, we suffered very little loss and were able to dry out and clean up as soon as the water levels subsided. We are now ship shape again and its business as usual with the dive boat running regular trips for our students and customers.

We would like to reassure any potential divers who have already booked or are thinking of booking a course, that all is safe and well here on sunny Koh Tao…

We look forward to diving with you soon!

Also the two runners up get a discount! No previous dive knowledge necessary. The warm waters, tropical fish, sharks and white beaches have made Koh Tao has over recent years become one of the best places in the world to learn to dive. Adding to this Thailand offers cheaper diving courses than anywhere else.

So become a professional diver today and work all round the globe in some of the worlds most exotic and unique places. No previous diving knowledge is needed to take part in this chance to become a Divemaster for free. Plus most importantly there is no obligation to work for us for free after like with most free Divemaster Internships.

The draw will be held on the 30th of August so those who are just finishing and those who are just starting both get to see it take place

BOOK BY: 29th August 2011
STARTING BETWEEN: July 2011-August 2011

Despite Bangkok being unsettled due to the current protests, Davy Jones Locker would like to confirm that we are still open for business on a very calm and placid Koh Tao.

If you are in any doubt whether or not to come and dive in Koh Tao at the moment, we can assure you that this beautiful island is in no way linked to any of the protests in the capital and you can expect a warm, no hassle welcome.

If you wish to avoid Bangkok you can still travel to Koh Tao by flying via Kuala Lumpur or Hong Kong then on to Koh Samui, where you can take a short boat ride to Koh Tao. It is also possible to take an overland train from Kuala Lumpur to Surat Thani then a boat direct to Koh Tao.

If you have any queries or concerns on travelling to Koh Tao, please drop us a line at info@davyjoneslocker.asia

Diving in Koh Tao you get used to warm water and I was feeling the cold at the end of the first dive; a chilly 21 degrees, but we warmed up on the boat and during the surface interval entered a very large cavern. Legend has it that during the second world war a japanese sub’ used the cavern to effect repairs away from the eyes of the NZ navy patrols. Our second dive was made just outside the cave around kelp forests and swim-throughs. Cracking couple of dives in the Poor Knights; shame we have to move on,  thanks to the Jeroen and the team at diving.co.nz for making us feel so welcome. One more stop off and its back to Tao and some more diving expeditions…

Covered in protective sand the Sea Goblin makes his move

Sea Goblins have elongate bodies without scales, with the exception of 13-15 buried in the lateral line. They are covered with skin glands that have the appearance of warts. They seem to range approximately between 130 mm to 200 mm in length. Being bottom dwellers, Sea Goblins display a number of benthic predatory specializations.

Like a Spanish Dancer leaving home for the first time, the goblin spreads its wings

The species has a depressed head that is strongly concave on the dorsal side. The head is also covered with flaps of skin and raised ridges, and tentacles are present on the head, trunk, and fins. Its mouth points up almost vertically, and its eyes protrude visibly outwards. A raised knob at the end of its snout gives it the appearance of having an upturned nose. All these make it extremely easy for the fish to catch its prey.

With his raised knob, Bob found it easy to catch his prey

The pectoral fins are large and their coloration is significant in identifying the different species of Inimicus. In I. didactylus, the underside of the pectoral fins bears broad dark bands (containing smaller, lighter spots) at the basal and distal ends. The lower 2 rays of its pectoral fins are free from the rest of the fin and used in “walking” along the bottom. I. didactylus is able to slowly crawl or drag itself along the seafloor. When not in motion, they spend most of their life buried in mud or concealed in coral reefs.

This Goblin wonders when the photographer will turn off the spotlight

The Sea Goblin is mainly piscivorous. It lies partially buried in the seafloor with its eyes protruding above the substrate waiting to ambush smaller fishes. Its natural coloration allows it to blend in seamlessly with its environment, making it more difficult for its prey to visually spot it. If threatened, this species also flashes the undersides of its pectoral fins when disturbed as a warning signal. These, in addition to its natural camouflage, discourage other organisms from feeding on it.

Like some Lotus Bar visitors, nice from far, but far from nice.

The dorsal fin is composed of 15 to 17 venomous spines and 7 to 9 rays. Like other members of the scorpionfish family, I. didactylus possesses powerful venom that is stored in glands at the bases of its dorsal spines that can be injected upon contact. Because it is so well concealed, swimmers or divers may accidentally brush against it. It is also commonly caught by prawn trawlers. With a basic amount of care, observing these fish as they are slowly relocating from one hunting ground to the next can be an amazing experience. The key to finding them is landing in the sand, and remaining motionless for a few minutes. After the fish habituate to the diver’s presence, they will start moving about in slow, rhythmic motion usually matching the motion of the waves if in a shallow location.

With it's beady eye, the goblin inspires fear in passing fish

A multitude of species of sea cucumbers, with elongated bodies and leathery skins, are found on the sea floor worldwide. Sea cucumbers can live between 5 and 10 years and generally are scavengers, feeding on debris in the benthic zone of the ocean. The diet of most cucumbers consists of plankton and decaying organic matter found in the sea water or in the bottom sand. Marbled sea cucumbers common to Koh Tao position themselves in currents and catch food that flows by with their open tentacles. Others sift through the bottom sediments using their tentacles. Sea cucumbers communicate with each other through sending hormone signals through the water which others pick up. A remarkable feature of these animals is the catch collagen that forms their body wall. This can be loosened and tightened at will, and if the animal wants to squeeze through a small gap, it can essentially liquefy its body and pour into the space. To keep itself safe in these crevices and cracks, the sea cucumber hooks up all its collagen fibres to make its body firm again. Sea cucumbers have hundreds of tiny suction-cup tube feet that they use to crawl across the sea floor.

Sea cucumbers obtain oxygen from water in a pair of respiratory organs that branch off the cloaca just inside the anus, so that they ‘breathe’ by drawing water in through the anus and then expelling it. A variety of fish, most commonly pearl fish, have evolved a symbiotic relationship with sea cucumbers in which the pearl fish will live in sea cucumber’s cloaca using it for protection from predation. Many bristled worms and some crabs have also specialized to use the cloacal space of sea cucumbers for protection by living inside the animal.

Some species of coral-reef sea cucumbers can defend themselves by expelling their sticky cuvierian tubules (enlargements of the respiratory organs that float freely in the colon) to entangle potential predators. When startled, these cucumbers may expel some of them through a tear in the wall of the cloaca in an autotomic process known as evisceration. Replacement tubules grow back in one-and-a-half to five weeks, depending on the species. The release of these tubules can also be accompanied by the discharge of a toxic chemical known as holothurin, which has similar properties to soap. This chemical can kill any animal in the vicinity and is one more way in which these sedentary animals can defend themselves.

Many holothurian species and genera are targeted for human consumption. The harvested product is also referred to as sea cucumber, or as trepang, bêche-de-mer, balate, or sea slug, though you shouldn’t expect to be able to purchase any of these dishes on Koh Tao.

It’s very rare to see these large blue water fish - they’re rarely seen hanging out around the dive sites, rather spending most of their time in the open sea. Plus they are very fast [so no photo this time].

Image: DJL Diving’s twin engine high speed RIB

Diving from our high speed RIB, the blue marlin was visible as the divers entered the water and descended down towards the dive site. It didn’t stick around for long, quickly dispearing off into the blue!

For the rest of thedive, the guys got to witness the more predictable sharks, bat fish, barracuda and giant grouper that congregate at the spectacular Chumphon Pinnacle.

It all goes to show, that by making the effort to get out to the distant dive sites when there are no other Koh Tao dive operators there, is more than worth it. When the dive site is quiet, you never know what will turn up!

If you interested in taking advantage of our High Speed RIB diving, get in touch.

Experiencing our usual post full moon party rush, divers taking scuba diving courses and fun dives have been enjoying flat seas and good visibility.

Image: Divemaster internship trainee Christian [Australia] prepares his dive equipment

DJL Diving’s Divemaster internship candidates have been getting invloved in the start of high season, assisting the instructors with PADI diving courses and learning to guide certified divers.

Image: Soon-to-be Divemaster Trainee Julia [Australia] catches some sun on the dive deck

The big boat has been heading out each day diving at Koh Tao’s local dive sites such as the Japanese Gardens, Twins & White Rock near Koh Nangyuan. Meanwhile we’ve been continuing to run our high speed RIB out the Chumphon Pinnacles, for our popular late afternoon ’shark diving’ sessions. On one trip a couple of days ago, the divers reported seeing 11 sharks at one time!

Image: Getting ready to enter the water

This morning we also ran our intro to technical diving session, visiting the Unicorn Shipwreck north of Koh Tao – today there was good visibility right down to 48 metres!

Image: Instructor Alex teaching a PADI Open Water course

So if you’re visiting Koh Tao in the near future, you’ve got some great diving to look forward to!

Each page displays our latest scuba diving news stories in the left hand tab – readers can access the full story by clicking on each headline.

To check it out [and read about the beach accommodation available at Silver Sands Resort] visit http://www.silver-sands-resort.com

With many visitors still in ‘party mode’ it’s not too busy around the Koh Tao dive sites, but Sairee Beach resorts are filling up quickly or already full!

If you’re planning on arriving on Koh Tao, Thailand in the near future our advice is this:

Get in touch before you arrive and reserve some accommodation – it will save you a lot of hassle once you get here! If you’re interested in scuba diving or want to learn to dive in koh tao we’re happy to help out!

It’s been perfect for making use of our high speed RIB. We’ve been running regular dive trips out to the deep pinnacles off Koh Tao, Thailand - Chumphon and Southwest, plus wreck diving on the Unicorn. At Chumphon, the divers saw more than 15 sharks in one dive!

So if you’re traveling to Koh Tao to learn to scuba dive after Xmas, don’t hesitate to get in touch – you’ll be sure to get some fantastic diving in!

We already have a Buddy Evolution unit here in Koh Tao, and a second Buddy Inspiration will be coming in early 2008. We’ll be expanding our CCR Rebreather capability throughout 2008. 

Both a 1 day ‘intro to CCR rebreather diving‘ and full IANTD rebreather certification courses are now available here on Koh Tao Thailand. Plus Leon will be helping to make DJL Diving more rebreather friendly, both here in Koh Tao and on our tec/wreck liveaboard expeditions.

We’ll be redeveloping the technical diving section of our website to incorporate info about the rebreather training which Leon is available to teach, and the rebreather diving support provided by DJL.

In the meantime please feel free to contact us if you have any CCR rebreather related enquiries.

The start of November saw Koh Tao, Thailand receive an incredible amount of rainfall. Portions of Sairee Beach became flooded, as drainage systems failed to cope with the excess rainfall!

One glass shop window even collapsed in, under the wash of water displaced by a passing taxi!

At last the sun has returned, so we can continue to enjoy the great scuba diving which Koh Tao has to offer.

Image: Whip corals at Laem Thian, Koh Tao, Thailand.

These great underwater images were recently taken around the Koh Tao dive sites by Marc & Beate (Germany).

Diving with DJL Divemaster Tom Alden, together with Ben & Tash (UK) & Steffan (Germany) the guys enjoyed a series dives off our RIB.

Images: Macro photographs of nudibranch & tiny blenny, Koh Tao.

We managed to get the guys out to all the best sites, ‘out of sink’ with other Koh Tao dive operators – more fish and less divers! We also enjoyed the shallow diving on the quiter Eastern coast of Koh Tao – diving highlights included Laem Thian & the Hin Wong Pinnacles, Shark Island, the rarely dived Samran Pinnacles plus Southwest.

As you can see, Marc & Beate managed to capture some great macro photos of the nudibranchs and flatworms around the Koh Tao dive sites.

Image: Cowrie shell, scuba diving Koh Tao Thailand

Thanks to Marc & Beate for the photos!

If anyone else has anyone has any great underwater images of the diving here on Koh Tao that they want to share, just e-mail to DJL Diving and we’ll happily put them up on this blog page.

Image: Anyone know what this is called?

We’ve started to experience the unwashed zombies washing up on Koh Tao throughout the day.

Accommodation on Koh Tao is filling quickly – if last year is anything to go by within one or two days people we be resorting to emergency shelter – restaurants, laundry rooms . . . even sleeping on Sairee Beach.

If you’re travelling to Koh Tao over the next few days our advice to you is this: Get accommodation on Koh Tao organized in advance!

For anyone interested in diving or learning to scuba dive on Koh Tao please feel free to contact DJL Diving & we’ll help organize accommodation on Koh Tao, Thailand.

Go Pro Diving Intern James (UK), Wendy (Holland), Penny (UK) & Louis (UK) all passed under the instruction of Alex (assisted by PADI Divemaster Trainee John [Canada]).

From Left [proceeding clockwise] James, Wendy, Alex (instructor), Penny, John (Divemaster Trainee) and Mr Ali.

This was a four day course, commencing with the emergency first responder (CPR & 1st Aid Course) then proceeding into dealing with suface and underwater problems, managing an emergency, running underwater search patterns then surfacing and egressing an unconscious diver. The course concluded with ‘final scenarios’ in which they guys had to respond to a series of simulated problems and control the situation. The group all performed well, and Alex was more than satisfied. If you’re interested in finding out more about the PADI Rescue Diver Course check out this link.

Alex & Louis sharing the love!!

James, Penny & Louis will now carry on to PADI Divemaster. We’ll make sure we capture photos of their snorkel test!

Sea conditions throughout the Gulf of Thailand couldn’t be better. No waves and great visibility – we dived Sail Rock and had at least 30 metres vis above the thermocline, plus a lot of pelagic fish around the site. Hopefully the diving remains constant throughout summer! Perfect weather for running the diving RIB out around Koh Tao!