Abtauchen

After 7h bus to Chumphon and another 2 hours on a catamaran we finally arrived at Koh Tao. Koh Tao is an island off the southeast coast of Thailand. The island's name means “Turtle Island” and comes from a time, was inhabited than the sea around the island still a large number of sea turtles. Today there are very few turtles there.
We had almost 2 weeks in advance, the “Super Diver Package” (Open Water und Advanced Tauchkurs) at Stefan's diving school, the Rainbow Fish Divers, booked. This was recommended by Frank, we on Koh Thmei had met, recommended. And we should not be disappointed.
In the afternoon we checked out first, and made nothing else. The Open Water diving course so began the next day.

12. May 2013: Open Water Kurs Tag 1

In the afternoon finally started our diving course. We started first with a round of introductions. Next to us made Clemens, Susan and Andrew, with. Our dive instructor was Meike. She and her Assisstentin Eve had but little to do on the first day. We had to do only the administrative part and then look for another 40 minutes of video. Besides the theoretical part, we get open even homework.

13. May 2013: Open Water Kurs Tag 2 – First dive

In the morning, we dealt with the diving equipment, before the first dive decency. We built the equipment together and made a buddy check, d.h. the buddy check each other's equipment. Then we went on the beach in front of the diving into the water. The hardest part was going to swim 100m far into the deeper water, because this beach is very flat and strewn with sharp coral. After our “Training Area” had reached, we started with the first exercises under water at 2m depth: familiarize you with the underwater breathing, Take out the regulator and simulated recovery of the regulator. After 35min but then it went back again to the shore on the coral. I think each of us then had larger or small cuts caused by the sharp coral.
In the afternoon we went on to the next theory lesson, So again watch video.

14. May 2013: Open Water Kurs Tag 3 – Second dive & Ladyboy-Show

On Tuesday we had our second dive. We got back from the beach into the water. This time we knew how we could best swim out without hurting us on the coral.
It went on 2m depth with further exercises:

  • Repetition of the exercises from the previous day
  • Water bubbles from the scuba mask
  • Mask under water from- and re-place
  • someone with the second air regulator (Octopus) give
  • Turn oxygen bottle and breathe until no more air comes so long
  • swimming ascent and manually inflate the jacket at the surface
  • Emergency ascent with positive buoyancy, that is shed weight belts
  • Tighten weight belt on the surface again
  • BC from the water surface- and tighten

Overall, we were under water this time 76min. In the afternoon we had with Meike again theory lessons.
Meike and Eve had us also endorsed the ladyboy show display times. Mit Susan, Andrew and Clemens evening we went to eat first and then it went to 22 o'clock ladyboy show. It was really quite interesting to watch. Some can not be seen at all, that they were once a man, in other cases it is more than obvious.

15. May 2013: Open Water Kurs Tag 4 – Dive 3 and 4 & Theory test

On Wednesday it was the first time for us from the boat into the water. First we drove to the port and then went by boat to the dive site “Twins”. There, we dived down to a depth of 8m and practiced the BC and the underwater weight belt to- and take off. Nicole had this time not quite so comfortable, because they had problems with the pressure equalization during descent. You got it but then after a while but still in the grip.
For the next dive we went to another dive site. At the “White Rock” went there on a rope down to 12m down. This time we have the tare, So hovering in the water, practiced. After 45 minutes but it was just the air with me, so that Meike gave me her second regulator and we all had to appear together.

In the afternoon there was still the theory test on the program. Previously repeated Meike and Eve but again everything, so we were well prepared. Since Nicole and I had done our homework exemplary, we were well prepared … and of course we have also passed all 5 :-).

16. May 2013: Open Water Kurs Tag 5 – Dive 5 and 6

In the last 2 dives of the Open Water course we were even filmed by Michelle. First we drive to “Chumporn” and there emerged from the first time up to 18m. Some exercises we repeated again, because “Practice makes perfect”. After lunch, we went again to the “White Rock”. For this dive we had even considered us a funny action. We tried the underwater Limbo, which worked more or less well. Anyway, we had fun doing it.
In the evening we all watched together our dive video (you see below). The next day traveled Clemens, Susan and Andrew from, so we were just the two for the Advanced Course. But we placed first for one day, do not dive a.

18. May 2013: Advanced Kurs – Low-, Wreck- and night diving

On Saturday, we went further with instructor Jo. Since Meike already rumplagte all the time with severe toothache during our beginner's course, they fell out for a few days now. This time were 3 dives in one day. We started at the “Green Rock” where we dived with the deep dive up to 30m depth. But a very big difference does not matter the depth. For the first time we can enjoy diving the right way, because we no longer were able to focus on exercises but to the beautiful underwater world. Jo showed us also, that trigger fish are not as aggressive as most say. Among other things, we saw clown fish, Crabs, Barracudas and a sea serpent! After lunch we went to “Satakunta” to the wreck to 27m depth. The visibility was not very good, but by the wreck had a lot of mystical.
19 clock we went for another night dive. Then we enjoyed particularly, since all of them swarmed. Armed with flashlights went back from the beach into the water. Jo with his quiet, relaxed manner and his enormous experience showed us some features of the nocturnal underwater world. We saw a blue spotted stingrays, Slugs, tiny squid, a sleeping anemone fish family, a feather star, a hermit cancer in a large shell, Crabs and lots of sea cucumbers. Since we were only 7m deep maximum we could almost 80min watch this fascinating world.

19. May 2013: Advanced Kurs – Tarier- Diving and Navigation

At the end of the Advanced Course were still the tare- and navigation dive on the program. At “Twins” begaben wir uns in the Buoyancy-World, a dive under water playground. Here we made headstand by using only the tip of the nose to a metal bar “balanced” and blew us out with forward rolls through metal rings at the playground. Of course we also saw lots of fish again. For the first time we saw a moraine and a boxfish.
For the navigation dive, we were equipped with a compass and navigated around and through the reef of “White Rock”.

The next day we enjoyed a break again. At noon I played with Khai, from Flower Restaurant next door, Football booth, Then we snorkeled a bit and in the evening we strolled along on Sairee Beach.

21. May 2013: Discover Koh Tao

As we were busy with diving and had not seen much of Koh Tao itself, we wanted to explore the island a little. With Pooh's scooter went after lunch to the first viewpoint “John-Suwan Rock” in the south. From there you have a magnificent view of Koh Tao. Then we went to the beach of Ao Leuk on the southeast coast. When I arrived there, moved to a dark rain front. Therefore we made at the beach restaurant for lunch and waited until the rain was over. We were snorkeling Ao Leuk, and that's what we did. Immediately after we were in the water we saw a stingray. In addition, many colorful fish were still out there. It was really worth it take scuba mask and snorkel. Since it was getting dark we made our way slowly on the way home and let the evening relax with a cocktail.

22. May 2013: Fun-diving and nightlife

Actually we wanted to go even further towards Krabi. But we had the dive fever somehow packed. Thus, we decided to stay another night and we make another 2 Fun Dives. Our dive master was at this time Phillip (called Dr. Phil). The two dives at “Japanese Garden” and “Noname” were again right to enjoy.

In the evening we went out for dinner and then a few cocktails on the beach. Nicole and I stumbled against 1am then along the beach to our accommodation. Of the previous night we had to recover first morning on nights again and did nothing further. Half past eight in the evening for a taxi was ordered, that brought us to the pier. From there we took the overnight ferry to our next destination on the west coast of Thailand, Railay Beach.

 

Thanks again to Stefan, Meike, Eva, Already, Phillip, Michelle, Nico, Gabor and Pooh!