What a day!
Just gorgeous weather today. Even late to the office enjoying the scenery….
This is why we live here!!!
First is picture from the viewpoint – that’s Khao Lak. On the left, the Andaman Sea, on the right Khao Lak Lamrun National Park. In the middle, us.
A quick one from our shop below….
Have a good day!
One of the most common sharks here in the Similans, the Whitetip Reef Shark is timid. We find these at several of our sites, but they seem to be most frequent visitors at the deep drop offs of Christmas Point and North Point.
The Whitetip Reef Shark (Triaenodon obesus) is generally unaggressive toward humans who invade its environment. Although it often rests in caves during daylight hours, this species is probably the most commonly-encountered shark of the tropical Pacific.
Here in the The Similans, we find the Blacktip Reef shark to be more commonly encountered in the shallows, and the Whitetip to be found in the deeper sites. Because they tend to be in the caves during the day, we can only assume that they are more common at night.
Despite its formal species name, obesus, the Whitetip Reef Shark is rather slender and delicately built. This body form grants it the ability to slither, eel-like into crevices in the reef, where this species is an absolute master at extracting prey. Quiescent during the day, Whitetip Reef Sharks become active and determined hunters at night. Moving over the reef face in loosely organized packs, these sharks systematically poke their blunt heads into each crack and crevice in the reef face in search of prey.
Known prey of the Whitetip Reef Shark includes sleeping diurnal teleosts or hiding nocturnal creatures such as octopuses, soldierfishes, wrasses, and trumpetfishes, which are grasped with its small, tricuspid teeth. Using its ampullae of Lorenzini and uniquely tube-flapped nares, the Whitetip Reef detects its prey primarily by bioelectrical cues and scent. When a hunting Whitetip Reef locates a prey animal within a hole in the reef face, it violently twists and turns to push itself deep into the crevice. Some sharks actually squirm into a hole in one side of a coral head and exit through an opening on the other. During these zealous foraging bouts, Whitetip Reef Sharks have been observed breaking off pieces of coral — sometimes tearing their skin and fins. Although they are primarily nocturnal, Whitetip Reef Sharks can and do feed opportunistically by day.
In addition to electrical and olfactory cues, the Whitetip Reef Shark is also highly responsive to sounds and vibrations. In experiments conducted at the Marshall Islands and French Polynesia, Whitetip Reefs consistently responded to recorded sounds of struggling fish, feeding sharks, and even vocalizations of teleosts. At Eniwetok Atoll, Marshall Islands, artificially generated sounds were found to be most attractive to Whitetip Reef Sharks when they combined low frequency (25-100 Hertz) with varied intermittent pulses every 7.5 to 15 seconds. These sound characteristics correspond well to the irregular sounds and vibrations generated by a fish struggling on the end of a spear or on hook and line. In South Pacific areas where spearfishing is common, Whitetip Reef Sharks respond very rapidly to the sound of a speargun discharge, typically appearing within seconds. Although normally quite placid, this inquisitive species can become persistent and bold when faced with a diver playing or carrying a speared fish — sometimes dashing in to tear an impaled fish from the spear tip.
Due to the abundance of Whitetip Reef Sharks in coastal areas of the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans, day-to-day life of this species is better known than that of most sharks. Whitetip Reefs are most often encountered during daylight hours while they rest quietly in underwater caves throughout much of the tropical Indo-Pacific or in lava tubes of Hawaiian reefs. But in some locations — such as at Cocos Island and near-shore waters off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica — this species is often seen lying stretched out on the sandy bottom, completely exposed in broad daylight. Sometimes, several of these gregarious sharks are seen lying side-by-side or even stacked on top of one another, like cord-wood. The significance of these diurnal al fresco gatherings is not known, but may have something to do with these sharks being cleaned by small wrasses and at least one species of goby.
Aspects of the private lives of consenting adult Whitetip Reef Sharks have been observed. On several occasions at Rangiroa Atoll, Marshall Islands, two to five mature male Whitetip Reefs were observed following a mature female, possibly attracted by a pheromone ‘perfume’ released by the female to announce her readiness to mate. Actual copulation in a pair of Whitetip Reef Sharks has been photographed in June 1982 at Molokini Crater, 2.5 miles (4 kilometres) southwest of the island of Maui, Hawaii. Mating took place on the bottom at a depth of 23 feet (7 metres). Both partners’ heads were pressed into the substrate of volcanic rubble and their bodies were aligned parallel to one another, extending upward into the water column at an angle of about 45 degrees. The female Whitetip Reef had fresh cuts above her gill slits and behind her first dorsal fin, presumably from her suitor’s precopulatory ‘love nips’. The smaller male shark had a tight grasp on the female’s left pectoral fin as his left clasper was flexed 90 degrees across his belly and inserted into her vent. The male Whitetip Reef had a swollen and distended left siphon sac — a subcutaneous organ in male sharks that stores the seawater used to flush sperm through the clasper groove and into the reproductive tract of females. After documenting this intimate moment, the underwater photographer and his diving companions opted to leave the mating sharks in peace.
Tagging and telemetry studies have revealed much about the home range and general ecology of the Reef Whitetip Shark. At Mahuta Reef in the Avatoru Lagoon area of Rangiroa Atoll, 75 Whitetip Reefs were tagged, of which 64 (85%) were resighted. Of these 64 individuals, only 8 (13%) were ever resighted beyond Mahuta Reef and of these 8 only 2 (25%) were sighted at other reefs. A year after tagging was completed, about 75% of Whitetip Reefs at Mahuta still bore tags or tagging scars. Even after 3.3 years, some 40% of the sharks had remained in the immediate. This strongly suggests that Whitetip Reef Shark populations are highly stable, with only a trickle of immigration and emigration each year. Telemetry studies of this species at Mahuta have demonstrated that typical day-time range is only 0.02 square miles (0.05 square kilometres) — about the area of Vatican City or about 10 American football fields. At night, however, the same sharks ranged over an area of about 0.4 square miles (1 square kilometre) — an area 20 times as large, or about 100 times the area of a union rugby field. These data suggest that the Whitetip Reef Shark is a definite ‘home-body’, rarely venturing far from a relatively small area.
The Reef Whitetip is one of the three most common sharks on Indo-Pacific coral reefs, the other two being the Blacktip Reef Shark (Carcharhinus melanopterus) and the Grey Reef Shark (Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos). Although these three sharks are widely distributed over the vast expanse of the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans, their relative distribution over the reef profile is remarkably uniform from place to place. Blacktip Reef Sharks, especially juveniles, are typically found closest to shore, inhabiting the turbid lagoon shallows over sandy plains at depth from 0 to 50 feet (0 to 15 metres). Juvenile Grey Reef Sharks are found in the clearer, deeper waters of the back reef, while adults of this species typically patrol the reef crest and fore reef from the depth of about 65 feet (20 metres) down to a depth of about 330 feet (100 metres). Both species are most active at dawn and dusk, accomplishing most of their feeding during these twilight hours when schooling diurnal fishes are most vulnerable.
Neatly nestled between the crepuscular Blacktip Reef and Grey Reef sharks, Whitetip Reefs typically haunt the reef flats and shallower parts of the fore-reef at depths of 35 to 100 feet (10 to 30 metres). Although it can extend its range from the intertidal to at least 130 feet (40 metres), the Whitetip Reef manages to coexist with the Blacktip Reef and Grey Reef Shark by feeding primarily at night and specializing in extracting prey from cracks and crevices in the reef face that are all but inaccessible to these other sharks. By inhabiting different depths and ecological niches, the slender Whitetip Reef Shark reduces competition for food resources with other sharks sharing its habitat.
Much of this was written by R. Aidan Martin for the ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research. Lots of great information for the shark Freak in all of us.
Wikipedia is a great source of information with some really nice links as well for follow up research. We Used them, Elasmo-divers and several books, but primarily “Sharks and Rays of the World” by Debelius.The Blacktip Reef Shark is one of the more common sharks we see on our dives. While they have the outline of the typical sharks, they are often quite small – less than 1.5m. While many of the Sharks we have tend towards the deeper sites, this is one that can be seen be snorkelers. So this is a shark actually best seen from our Day Trips, rather than the Liveaboards.
Carcharhinus melanopterus
Blacktip Reef Shark
Carcharhinus melanopterus
Blacktip Reef Shark
Here is a lot more information about Manta Rays. These guys are really cool. More than that, they are majestic – no other word for it. They move so smoothly and such grace.
| Recognition | A gigantic devilray with gracefully sculpted, falcate pectoral ‘wings’, paddle-like cephalic lobes projecting forward from the front of the head (actually extensions of the pectoral fins, supported by radial cartilages), and a very broad, rectangular mouth at the end of the head (a mouth type known as ‘terminal’), pebble-like teeth in the lower jaw but not the upper. They don’t have teeth in the traditional sense. |
| Color | Variable, ranging from black, greyish blue, to greenish or reddish brown above (black color morph sometimes with whitish, triangular shoulder patches), and nearly black, white with various degrees of greyish blotching (the precise pattern of blotching has been used to identify individuals), to almost pure white below; one albino specimen has been reported. |
| Size | Disc width at birth about 4 feet (1.2 metres); maximum disc width 22 feet (6.7 metres), possibly larger (reported to widths of up to 30 feet or 9.1 metres), maximum recorded weight 3 100 pounds (1 400 kilograms). Click here for amazing birth video… |
| Distribution | Circumtropical (around the globe, generally between 35 degrees north and south latitude), including: off southeastern South Africa, Madagascar, Mozambique, Tanzania, Kenya, and Somalia; in the Gulf of Aden, Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and the Bay of Bengal, off Burma (Myanmar), Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, northern Australia, New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Philippines, Kampuchia, Viet Nam, China, Korea, and southern Japan; off Guam, Palau, Yap, New Caledonia, Fiji, and Hawaii; off southern California to northern Peru, North Carolina to southern Brazil, the Azores, Senegal to Liberia. |
| Habitat | Occurs most often in nearshore waters (mainly over continental and insular shelves, but occasionally over deep water), near coral and rocky reefs; swim by flapping their large pectoral fins and are usually encountered near the surface or mid-waters of lagoons or seaward reefs, particularly near surge channels; in Australian waters, Mantas sometimes migrate into temperate waters; they are capable of rapid speed and juveniles sometimes leap well clear of the water, landing with a loud slap (adults drive their bodies only partway out of the water and then fall back into the sea, sometimes performing 2 or 3 of these jumps in succession); often host to one or more discfishes (especially the White Remora, Remorina albescens) and sometimes observed in association with dolphins, seabirds, sharks, and other rays (notably the Spotted Eagle Ray, Aetobatus narinari); these rays actively seek the services of cleaner wrasses (Labroides spp.), often hanging over or swimming near “cleaning stations”, sometimes several lining up to wait their turn. |
| Feeding | A gigantic filter-feeder, preying on planktonic crustaceans and small schooling bony fishes; filtering mechanism consists of transverse plates of pinkish-brown spongy tissue that bridge the gaps between successive gill bars (cartilaginous skeletal elements that support the gills); when feeding, the cephalic lobes are unfurled and spread (directing and sometimes apparently scooping plankton-bearing water into the mouth), the animal often swimming in slow somersaults (vertical loops) that are repeated over and over (this behavior may keep the rays within a patch of particularly rich feeding, and may also concentrate planktonic prey to facilitate feeding); most often encountered as solitary individuals, but members of this species often aggregate in regions offering predictably rich feeding (off Yap, in the western Caroline Islands) — with up to 50 individuals clustered in the same general area, but not forming true schools. The geology of Koh Bon ridge is particularly conducive to these habits. Sadly we only groups of 5 or 6 |
| Reproduction | Ovoviviparous, with each of the pups wrapped in a thin-shell that hatches inside the mother, later to be born alive; one specimen harpooned off North Carolina expelled a pup (with one pectoral fin wrapped above its body, and the other wrapped below) in mid-trajectory when it leaped, a behavior which may represent spontaneous abortion (ejected prematurely due to capture stress) or be part of normal birthing (If so, what a dramatic way to enter the world!); litter size 1 to 2 (usually 2) pups, with birthing apparently occur in relatively shallow water, where the young remain for several years before expanding their range farther offshore; mating behavior in this species has recently (July 1997) been filmed off the Ogasawara Islands, Japan, and featured one or more males rapidly chasing a female for 20—30 minutes, after which one male nips the tip of either of the female’s pectoral fins (which severely impairs her swimming), moves to her ventral surface, and inserts one of his claspers (paired intromittant organs, developed along the inner margins of the pelvic fins) into her cloaca (vent), thereby mating belly-to-belly; the male may hold onto the (much larger) female’s pectoral fin for several minutes after removing his clasper, eventually letting her go free. |
| Age & Growth | Growth of newborns is apparently very rapid, virtually doubling the disc width at birth during the first year of life; males may mature at a disc width of about 13—15 feet (4.0—4.5 metres), females at a disc width of about 16—18 feet (5.0—5.5 metres), but this needs confirmation; no data on age at maturity for either sex. |
| Danger to Humans | Minimal unless attacked (especially harpooned) or otherwise startled, but the enormous size and power of this ray should invite respect. Not only is there a danger from any contact (don’t try to touch 1 tonne animals in the wild) but actually trying to ride one brings huge consequences in many ways. DON’T Touch them |
| Utilization | Formerly hunted commercially by harpoon from small boats off eastern Australia and in the Sea of Cortez (Gulf of California), this species is now rarely hunted; places where these rays can be reliably encountered have spawned substantial dive-tourism industries; seemingly inquisitive, individual Mantas sometimes approach and even solicit attention from divers, apparently enjoying the tactile stimulation provided by the bubbles from scuba exhaust; in areas frequented by divers, however, Mantas often become very wary of divers and cease to approach them. When approached rapidly, some individuals roll onto their backs (perhaps to keep the offending diver in sight?), sound (dive), and swim away rapidly, righting themselves only when some distance away; another behavioral response to approach by a diver from the side is curving one pectoral fin toward its back and the other toward its belly — forming an S-shape in cross-section — tilting its dorsal (top) surface toward the diver (possibly a defensive response?); in areas where divers touch Mantas, the rays often develop pinkish skin lesions that may persist for months (apparently these lesions occur where human touch has removed the protective mucus that coats the rays’ skin). When diving or snorkeling with these magnificent, supremely graceful rays, resist the temptation to touch them and avoid obstructing their looping glide path while they feed. Not only bearing in mind the currents that they usually associate themselves with, it’s also a great idea to neither pursue nor intrude on thier path. They frequently return to the same spot. Patience is the key to encounters with these magnificent creatures |
| Remarks | The Manta Ray is one of the very largest and least-known elasmobranchs; although stingless, Manta Rays are actually very closely related to stingrays (family Dasyatidae), the Manta Ray, together with 9 species of devil rays (genus Mobula) comprising a subfamily (Myliobatinae) within that group; until recently, a number of Manta species were considered valid (Manta alfredi, M. ehrenbergi, M. hamiltoni), but all are now tentatively regarded as a single, world-wide species; this matter is currently under investigation by comparison of genetic samples from several populations, which should (hopefully) settle the matter once and for all. |
Similan Islands and Manta Rays
One of the most amazing, and to me the most fascinating creatures we have here are the Manta Rays that call this area home. I had never seen them before and even now, after several years of diving with them – they are enthralling to see. Their movements are reserved and majestic. I still find them to be one of the most alien of our creatures.
While doing research for this I learned a lot more than I had expected. They are even more fascinating now. Read how they reproduce – wow! Similar to How eagles do, but drifting across the oceans – weightless. Ahem…
I was really amazed at how little was known about them. Something so large, so beautiful and something that we see so frequently – it was baffling how little there was about them. The first birth ever recorded only happened this year!
Below is a great FAQ written by R. Aidan Martin for the ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research. Because there seems to be regional variations and new information, I will include comments in italics.
Where are Manta Rays found?
Mantas are found world-wide in tropical to warm temperate seas. On the Similans they are most frequently found at Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and randomly at other sites.
Does the Manta Ray have any teeth?
Yes, Mantas have about 300 rows of tiny, peg-like teeth, each about the size of the head of a pin. The crown of each tooth has a blunt surface with three weak ridges. These teeth are often indistinguishable from the denticles (scales) inside the mouth and are not used for feeding. They may play a role in Manta courtship and mating (see below).
How do Manta Rays reproduce?
Like sharks and other rays, Mantas are fertilized internally. Male Mantas have a pair of penis-like organs — called claspers — developed along the inner part of their pelvic fins. Each clasper has a groove through which sperm is transferred to a female Manta’s body, where fertilization takes place. During courtship, one or more male Mantas chase a female for prolonged periods. Eventually a successful male grasps the tip of one of her pectoral wings between his teeth and presses his belly against hers. Then, the male flexes one of his claspers and inserts it into her vent. Copulation lasts about 90 seconds. The fertilized eggs develop inside a mother Manta’s body for a lengthy but unknown period that may be 9 to 12 months or more. One to two pups are born per litter, but no one knows where or when Mantas give birth. There is one report from North Carolina of a baby Manta being born as its mother was in mid-leap after being harpooned, but this may not be typical. Mother Mantas may take a year off between pregnancies to re-build her energy stores.
How big is a newborn Manta Ray and where have they been found?
Based on the smallest free-swimming members of this species, newborn Mantas are about four feet (1.2 metres) across. Very few newborn Mantas have been reported and we know almost nothing about where they are born. While there is still little known about where they prefer to give birth, there was recently a live birth at an aquarium in Japan
What is the size of the largest Manta Ray ever found?
Records of giant Mantas are notoriously difficult to verify. The largest reported in the scientific literature measured 22 feet (6.7 metres) across and there is one report of an individual 30 feet (9.1 metres) across. But most Mantas encountered by people are about 12 feet (4 metres) across.
How long do Manta Rays live?
No one knows how long Mantas live. Based on known lifespans of closely related (but much smaller) warm-water rays, Mantas may live up to 25 years or so.
Why do Manta Rays have different color patterns?
Mantas vary enormously in color pattern on the shoulders and, especially, the undersurface of the body. It is not known what functions — if any — these differences hold for Mantas, but they are very useful for researchers in distinguishing one individual from another. The shape and extent of the shoulder patches, the precise pattern of spots and blotches on the undersurface, and the lifetime pattern of scars form a pattern of markings as unique as a human fingerprint. Manta markings can be photographed and filed in an organized way to allow cataloguing all individual Mantas in a given area. There are also intriguing regional differences in Manta color patterns. For example, specimens from the eastern Pacific often feature dusky to mostly black undersurfaces, while those from the western Pacific are typically snow white underneath.
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Have Manta Rays ever killed anyone?
There are numerous reports, mostly anecdotal, of harpooned Mantas leaping on small vessels and smashing them or their occupants. Some of these cases may have resulted in the death of one or more people due to crushing or drowning, but it must be borne in mind that the animal was simply trying to defend itself. Divers have sometimes been injured accidentally while trying to ride or photograph Mantas from too close. But there is no record of an unprovoked Manta attacking or injuring a person. A similar question – has anyone ever killed a Manta? An animal with no teeth, no defense mechanism that eats plankton.
What preys on Manta Rays?
Only large warm-water sharks, such as the Tiger Shark (Galeocerdo cuvier), are known to prey upon Mantas. The head marine Biologist from the Phuket aquarium claims that they are predated upon by killer whales! Yes we do have a pod of killer whales that migrates through the area!
Is it ok to ride Manta Rays?
No wild animal is benefited by being ridden., and Mantas are no exception. Riding a Manta increases its swimming effort — using up calories that might have been better used growing, reproducing, escaping predators, or healing wounds — and may stress the animal unduly. While riding Mantas, people have scraped their skin, gone too deep, risen too fast, or fallen off and been injured accidentally. Simply touching a Manta may remove some of the mucus coating that protects the animal from marine infections. Last, but not least, some Mantas clearly do not like being touched and may speed away, ending the encounter by sheer distance. For all these reasons, touching or riding Mantas is to be avoided. We also see it as extremely vain to think that one of the most majestic animals on earth should be ridden. Not only is it a clear and public display of ones ignorance, but should be reported to marine park rangers. The operator that allows this activity should also be reported, and as things don’t always get accomplished through the courts, please post the name and details of the operator on forums like lonely planet and scuba forum.
We feel VERY STRONGLY that interference of any kind with the marine environment is shameful and to be avoided.
Why are Manta Rays bodies flattened?
Mantas bodies are flattened from top-to-bottom because their ancestors were, too. Mantas are derived from stingrays, which are flattened bottom-dwellers that swim by undulating their expanded pectoral fins. This flattened body form is advantageous for hiding in the bottom sediment, making it difficult for predators to see partially buried stingrays. During the course of their evolution, Mantas lost the stinging barb and their pectoral fins developed into graceful, flapping wings, but their flattened body shape remained.
Do Manta Rays migrate?
Given the scattered nature of their planktonic food, it is very likely that Mantas migrate. But little is known about where they travel and when. Each autumn (March-April) at Ningaloo Reef, of the coast of Western Australia, Mantas appear in large numbers, apparently to take advantage of the rich feeding afforded by the mass spawning or corals and other reef creatures that takes place at this time. Where the Mantas go when they leave Ningaloo is not known. Manta movement patterns are presently being studied by tagging and sonic telemetry at numerous locations, including Ningaloo Reef, the Ogasawara (Bonin) Islands, Hawaii, and the Sea of Cortez.
Do Manta Rays sleep?
No one knows. In vertebrates (backboned animals), sleep is characterized by a profound change in brainwaves. This has never been demonstrated experimentally in Mantas or any other elasmobranch (shark or ray). Actively swimming sharks and rays, such as the Manta, are believed to swim constantly, never stopping from birth to death. Although it is feasible that some parts of the brain shut-down while the parts of the brain responsible for coordinating swimming movements stays awake, this has not been demonstrated experimentally.
Are Manta Rays social?
Apart from courtship and mating (which is quite elaborate, see above), Mantas do not appear to be particularly social. Mantas frequently aggregate at rich feeding sites and cleaning stations, but there is little evidence of social interaction among them. Actively predaceous animals — such as lions, wolves, sharks, and dolphins — often establish social hierarchies (structures) and signals. Outside breeding season, most passively grazing animals — such as cows, deer, antelopes, and apparently Mantas — show little awareness in one another other than avoiding collisions.
Are Manta Rays more active by day or by night?
Mantas are most commonly seen during daylight hours because that’s when most observers are most active. We have virtually no idea what Mantas do at night or how active they are. Manta courtship (see above) seems to feature prolonged chasing, which would be best accomplished in clear, open water during the day. Mantas may feed most actively at night, when many planktonic creatures rise surfaceward, providing a rich bounty on which Mantas may feed. Beginning about an hour after dark at a certain seaside hotel on the Kona Coast of Hawaii, groups of Mantas are often observed feeding on krill and other planktonic organisms concentrated in the hotel’s underwater lights. Unfortunately, this spectacle has largely ceased, possibly due to too much interaction from the throngs of excited divers and snorkellers who converged on the feeding Mantas.
How deep do Manta Rays swim?
Divers have observed Mantas as deep as 100 feet (30 metres), but no one knows how deep they can swim.
What is the difference between mantas and mobulas?
Mantas and mobulas (also known as “devil rays”, of which there are 9 species) are similar in form, sharing paddle-shaped cephalic lobes and gracefully curved pectoral wings. Mantas grow much larger than mobulas. Mantas reach widths of at least 22 feet (6.7 metres), while most mobulas are 3 to 10 feet (1 to 3 metres) across. Mantas and mobulas are most readily distinguished by the position of the mouth: in Mantas, the mouth is terminal (located at the front of the head), while in mobulas the mouth is subterminal (located underneath the head, as in many sharks).
What are cephalic lobes and what is their function?
The forward-pointing, paddle-like organs at each corner of a Manta’s mouth are termed “cephalic lobes”. They are basically forward extensions of the pectoral wings, complete with supporting radial cartilages. Mantas have been observed using their cephalic lobes like scoops to help push plankton-bearing water into their mouths. When Mantas are not actively feeding, the cephalic lobes are often furled like a flag ready for storage or held with their tips touching like the swinging doors of an Old West saloon. Either of these cephalic lobe positions may reduce drag during long-distance swimming.
Why do Manta Rays sometimes jump out of the water?
Mantas may leap completely out of the water for a variety of reasons. They may do it to escape a potential predator or to rid themselves of skin parasites. Or they may leap to communicate to others of their own species — the great, crashing splash of their re-entries can often be heard from miles (kilometres) away. It’s anyone’s guess what they may be trying to communicate. Leaping male Mantas may be demonstrating their fitness as part of a courtship display. Since these leaps are highly energetic and often repeated several times in succession, they may simply represent a form of play.
Have Manta Rays ever been exhibited in an aquarium?
Very few aquariums have the enormous tanks and filtering capacity needed to display a full-grown Manta. Although there have been many valiant attempts to display Mantas in aquaria, most specimens refuse to feed and die within a few hours or days of being deposited in a tank. The Expo Aquarium, in Okinawa, Japan, has successfully maintained Mantas for as long as 36 days. Despite the failures of the past, several large aquaria continue to refine and test capture and transport methods toward the goal of maintaining a healthy Manta in captivity indefinitely. It seems that this is no longer true. Again, the trapping and caging of such creatures is a real shame.
Are Manta Rays hunted anywhere in the world?
In the 1990’s, targeted harpoon fisheries in the Philippines and off the Pacific coast of Mexico decimated resident populations. Due to the scarcity of catches, Mantas are rarely targeted in these locations today. Mantas are sometimes ensnared in drift or set nets, particularly in tropical parts of the western Pacific and Indian oceans. These catches are rarely reported, so it is difficult to assess the threat posed to manta populations by these “incidental” captures.
Do Manta Rays have any monetary value?
Mantas are valued commercially for their tasty meat, sandpapery hide, and oil-rich liver. A Manta in captivity is worth a small fortune to any public aquarium with the facilities to display it, a reality that drives a small but recurrent harvest in Japan and possibly other areas. The monetary value to the diving and snorkeling industry is enormous. By observing one manta, we will generate thousands of Euros into the local economy. Additionally this will be recurring income, rather than a one time catch. Please don’t purchase any products from Mantas or other species while in Thailand.
Are Manta Rays in danger of extinction?
We don’t know. Mantas seem to be fairly abundant in some areas, rare or absent in others. Until we understand the extent and dynamics of Manta stocks, there is no way to assess their conservation status. Based on their low birth rate, Mantas are probably highly vulnerable to sustained fishing pressure and habitat degradation. This likelihood would seem to favor a cautionary approach to Manta exploitation and management until such time as we have the sound scientific data to make a more informed assessment of this species’ risk of extinction.
Why are Manta Rays important?
So little is known about the basic biology and life history of Mantas, little can be said about their importance from a scientific or ecological standpoint. It can be argued that Mantas are important because they add to the beauty, diversity, and mystery of our world. Without Mantas, our planet would seem a significantly poorer place.
Mantas are most frequently seen in February and March with plenty of sightings outside that time. We offer daytrips and liveaboards that offer great chances of seeing them.
Happy Lagoon Bungalows…
A lot of our guests stay here, because it’s convenient and easy. While we do have several other resorts this one has the most character.
This is one of the more interesting resorts in Khao Lak.
Near to the beach, but not close enough to charge too much money for the rooms. They offer ordinary service, but the location is really convenient and the rooms are a reasonable deal for the price
The Restaurant is middle of the road, nothing too interesting or odd, just ordinary (mind you it’s Thailand, so when here is ordinary, it’s pretty good – But when the food is good…It’s the BEST)
What makes this resort so odd is the designer. Someone got a little bit weird after the Tsunami (they are on high ground and lost no staff or customers), and first they built a 10 meter mock of James Bond Island (in Phang Nga bay). They built it in the middle of little bond.
But when the bulk order of Cement came in they went nuts.
Little ponds,
fake grottoes,
and a bar that would have made the Flintstones feel right at home.
Built entirely out of cement, but with an American Indian theme, it is one of the strangest things in town.
The Totem pole, the peculiar caves/tables. Well it’s best experienced in person.
The Happy Lagoon does not have a website (though some very eager Germans have set one up claiming to be them), they can be contacted by phone or email Contact us for more information.
The rates are reasonable, starting at 400 Baht for the cheap rooms up to 1500 for the bungalows. They may change prices for the 2007-2008 season.
Khao Lak Diving
Similan Liveaboards
Dive Safely
Wicked Diving, Khao Lak brings you more of our Similan Marine Life articles with this one on the Grey Reef Shark.
While they are around, we don’t see them as frequently as some of our other sharks – Leopards and Black tips. this is more to do with the geology than anything else. They tend to be a bit more open and in sites we don’t dive as often or that we spend as much time in. Such as Deep off Christmas point and off Koh Tachai
They are also pretty timid when it comes to humans.
GREY REEF SHARK
Order: Carcharhiniformes
The grey reef shark was originally described as Carcharias amblyrhynchos by Bleeker in 1856. He later changed this name to the currently valid name of Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos. The genus name Carcharhinus is derived from the Greek “karcharos” meaning sharpen and “rhinos” meaning nose. Synonyms used in previous scientific literature that refer to the grey reef shark include Carcharias nesiotes Snyder 1904, Carcharhinus menisorrah Whitley 1944, Galeolamna fowleri Whitely 1944, Galeolamna turfiensis Whitely 1949, Galeolamna coongoola Whitely 1964, and Carcharhinus wheeleri Garrick 1982.
English language common names include grey reef shark, blacktail reef shark, black-vee whaler, bronze whaler, gray reef shark, gray shark, gray whaler shark, longnose blacktail shark, shark, and whaler shark. Other common names from across the world include ‘anga (Tongan), bagea totoho (Gela), grijze rifhaai (Dutch), grys rifhaai (Afrikaans), ikan yu (Malay), jarjur (Arabic), kortneus-swartsterthaai (Afrikaans), mago (Niuean), malie-aloalo (Samoan), marracho enlutado (Portuguese), nga-man-nee (Burmese), pako mej (Marshallese), pating (Tagalog), qio dravu (Fijian), raira (Tahitian), requin à queue noire (French), requin bar (French), requin blanc (French), requin dagsit (French), requin gris (French), te alava (Tuvaluan), te bakoanimarawa (Kiribati), tiburón coralero rabinegro (Spanish), and tiburón de arrecifes (Spanish).
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The grey reef shark may be taken by longline shark fisheries and are valued for their fins that are used in shark fin soup. It is also utilized for human consumption and fishmeal. However, this species often occurs out of the range of most commercial shark fisheries.
Conservation
The gray reef shark, Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos, is listed as Lower Risk (LR/nt) on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species:
LOWER RISK (LR) – A taxon is Lower Risk when it has been evaluated, does not satisfy the criteria for any of the categories Critically Endangered, Endangered or Vulnerable. Taxa included in the Lower Risk category can be separated into three subcategories:
1. Conservation Dependent (cd). Taxa which are the focus of a continuing taxon-specific or habitat-specific conservation program targeted towards the taxon in question, the cessation of which would result in the taxon qualifying for one of the threatened categories above within a period of five years.
2. Near Threatened (nt). Taxa which do not qualify for Conservation Dependent, but which are close to qualifying for Vulnerable.
3. Least Concern (lc). Taxa which do not qualify for Conservation Dependent or Near Threatened.
The grey reef shark is vulnerable to overfishing due to its restricted habitat, small litter size, and relatively late age of maturity. These factors, along with an increase in unmanaged fishing pressure, make this shark vulnerable to threats. However, at this time there is not enough data on the grey reef shark to analyze the status of populations.
The grey reef shark is currently listed by the World Conservation Union (IUCN) as “Near Threatened”. More fisheries data is required for future assessment. The IUCN is a global union of states, governmental agencies, and non-governmental organizations in a partnership that assesses the conservation status of species.
Danger to Humans
Although it is one of the most aggressive sharks, the grey reef shark will usually only attack a person when it is threatened. Even so, it has been responsible for 7 unprovoked attacks resulting in no fatalities according to the International Shark Attack File. If cornered or threatened is some way, the grey reef shark will display threat behavior explicitly. It will raise its snout, depress the pectoral fins, and arch its back while swimming with an exaggerated sway. If the threat continues, the shark will move with lightening speed, delivering quite bites prior to retreating. Although the bites are often serious, they are rarely fatal. This species of shark is also more likely to attack while solitary rather than schooling perhaps due to an increased feeling of vulnerability.
Much of this information is from the Australian Museum, as there is little information on this rare shark….
While they are not common, they are found on the outer edges of Richelieu Rock and sporadically at other deeper sites. As they are more benthic we see them only at the bottom of the reefs.
We see they infrequently, and if you read the link above about their numbers, you’ll see why.
The Shark Ray is a very distinctive, deep-bodied fish which is found widely in the Indo-Pacific.
The upper surface of this species is a blue-grey color with white spots. There is a large blue-edged, black blotch above each pectoral fin and dark bands between the eyes. Unfortunately the specimen in the images has faded and these markings are not visible. This colouration is often not as distinct in large individuals which may only have faint markings.
Some of the most obvious features of this species are the wide, blunt snout, the large thorns on the bony ridges on the head and the large spiracles (the holes in the head behind the eyes). The tail of this species is much longer than the disc. The Shark Ray belongs in the family Rhinchobatidae (the guitarfishes). Two of the characters that separate the guitarfishes from other fishes are the well developed lower caudal fin lobe and the distinct demarcation between the head and pectoral fins. Both of these characters are clearly visible in the top image.
The Shark Ray is a very distinctive, deep-bodied fish which is found widely in the Indo-Pacific.
The upper surface of this species is a blue-grey colour with white spots. There is a large blue-edged, black blotch above each pectoral fin and dark bands between the eyes. Unfortunately the specimen in the images has faded and these markings are not visible. This coloration is often not as distinct in large individuals which may only have faint markings.
Some of the most obvious features of this species are the wide, blunt snout, the large thorns on the bony ridges on the head and the large spiracles (the holes in the head behind the eyes). The tail of this species is much longer than the disc. The Shark Ray belongs in the family Rhinchobatidae (the guitarfishes). Two of the characters that separate the guitarfishes from other fishes are the well developed lower caudal fin lobe and the distinct demarcation between the head and pectoral fins. Both of these characters are clearly visible in the top image.
The Shark Ray is not dangerous to humans. It uses its flattened pavement-like teeth to feed on crabs and shellfish.
Some more nice pictures of the Gran Palace in Bangkok in July, 2007.
It is a very chaotic place, the layout is not so easy to understand and while the area is huge, many of the buildings feel cramped.
Rather than the overall majesty, it is in the details that I find the most interesting things.
The little statues throughout, the ornamentation.
And, as you can see, visiting on a sunny day! That’s not too common in this huge city. So lots of shiny pictures .
Trying to add some substance to all this talking! Here is a nice map showing Khao Lak in relation to the Surin Islands. As the Crow flies, it’s about 80 Km, but currently we aren’t leaving directly.
With the best snorkeling and jungle around, this is always a staff favorite. Really scenic. The k is good, but not as exciting as the Similans. So we usually only go there for snorkeling and camping
You will also see that Koh Tachai and Koh Bon are very convenient From Khao Lak. Richelieu Rock is little bit far, so we often depart from Kuraburi and that’s a straight shot out and back.
Just above the Surin Islands is the border with Myanmar/Burma. It’s always strange to realize how close we are.
It always sounded so exotic and far away – Burma. Yet it’s just a couple of hours away…
Here are a couple of scenery pictures to tide you over until next season. I know I can’t wait.
The first picture is the channel between the two largest islands. You can see the water is clear and it is even better than that, Average temperature of 27c (about 150 Farenheit – like bathwater!)
Here is a longtail parked outside the national park headquarters.
Hmm…not many other National Park offices look like that.
Khao Lak Diving
Similan Liveaboards
Dive Safely
Khao Lak life – a few things we find in the house!
It’s been a while since we added to the collection of bug pictures…
Here are a few new ones to add.
The first one is a beetle that is fairly common. Very nice, as the shell is a green metallic color. They are the bug that usually lands on people who’ve never been here before and you here the screams from 200 meters away. They are pretty big, but totally harmless.
The other Feller we have here is one of the many versions of grasshopper that we have. these actually look like leaf and as you can see are pretty big.
They even have the veins down their backside, just like a leaf.
Khao Lak Weather – July
It has been a wet month. Lots of rain, but that’s what July is famous for. With a couple of different weather patterns roll through it made the diving non-existent for the last three weeks. The past couple of days have really cleared up and we reckon that it goes on further like this – we will have some reasonably flat seas soon.
But when the clouds clear it is amazing….here’s sunset last night…
Khao Lak Diving
The Nicobar Pigeon…
This is one one of the more interesting species we find on the Similan Islands. They are not listed as endangered, but their habitats are rapidly dwindling and there are only a few places they can be so easily seen with humans around.
Details…
The Nicobar Pigeon also known as the “hackled pigeon,” “white-tailed pigeon” or vulturine pigeon” is one of the most beautiful of the pigeon/dove species.
It is the only living member of the genus Caloenas
This is a large, heavy pigeon at 40cm in length. It is mainly metallic green with green and copper hackles on the neck. The head and upper neck, flight feathers and breast are dark grey. The tail is very short and pure white. There is a black knob on the base of the bill, and the strong legs are dark red. This is not a very vocal species, but the call is a coo-coo-coo (often heard on Island #4).
The Nicobar Pigeon is nomadic commuting from island to island during the day to find food (hard seeds, fruits, insects, and corn). They feed off of the ground, toss leaves aside and dig with their bill. These pigeons roost together at night on islands that are not inhabited. The Nicobar does not sip when drinking, instead they are like other pigeons and doves, they immerse their bill sucking up the water.
The Nicobar pigeon is its very thick walled muscular gizzard, which is lined with plates. This muscular gizzard enables them to grind large hard nuts that a human could only open with a hammer. They make a sound like pigs grunting when threatening others. They fly close to ground level.
The breeding season for these pigeons seemed to be prolonged, but these birds are monogamous and tend to mate for a life time. It seems as if the male bows to the female and coos loudly, this action can go on for days. This is followed by the building of the nest. The male provides the nesting site which is normally in thick brushy areas, also they gather 3-4 twigs, roots and other material needed to build the nest. The female arranges the twigs so that the egg would be stable and not roll. Their nest can be as low as 2m above the ground in undisturbed colonies, or just below the canopy top to 12m in disturbed sites. In each clutch, there is 1 egg (there can usually be 2 eggs) elliptical in shape and white, with a faint bluish tinge. Both the male and the female share the incubating duties which last 30 days (two and a half weeks for each parent). The birds are hatched nearly naked, with shiny black skin. When born, the birds are helpless, and require attentive parental care and feeding. They are first fed “crop milk” which is a rich fluid regurgitated by the female parent. Gradually the birds switch to a solid diet of fruit and seed. The parents try to keep their young as warm as possible, until their feathers begin to grow (about 10 days). Within less than a month the young pigeons can fend for themselves even though they remain in their nest.
These are pretty interesting I didn’t know about the mating for life, but am fascinated. While doing our nature walks on Island #4 we very frequently hear them, and frequently see them on the jungle floor. They say they travel in large numbers, but it not any of our experience.
The “cooing” sound is also quite relaxing and adds a very nice element to the jungle sounds.
Khao Lak Diving
Similan Liveaboards
Diver Safety
A picture of part of the temple complex that makes up part of the Grand Palace. Notice the total mash-up of styles. The Temple in the background, the one in the foreground, the statue and of course the tourists.
This is part of what makes Thailand what it is. A huge melting pot. They really do have a fairly open attitude about people, and sort of pick and chose from all the influences. It certainly doesn’t make things easy to understand.
Often you’ll find Alters with Ganesh, laid out according to Feng Shui standards with fruit from Australia being prayed at by Thais, with Europeans taking pictures.
Trees and rocks are also venerated ways that harken back to their animistic roots.
Diving is great, and we are all real geeks for it here. But there are special procedures and standards that need to be followed to make sure things are safe and enjoyable. When these guidelines aren’t followed there can be accidents. I am sure you have all heard it before.
But – What to do if something does happen?
Our partner is training is Diver Safety. Based here in Khao Lak they also offer training throughout the region, evacuations from the Similan and Surin Islands and the only Dive Medic Technician course in SE Asia that meets the stringent American standards.
We are proud to have all our Safety courses (DAN Oxygen provider, First Aid, Etc…) and our Rescue courses done by those that know it best – the professionals. All our staff has had the complete training program – making our staff the most highly trained divers in Thailand.
Staffed by the only Dive Medics in the region, they bring experience and concern to these classes and it shows.
So take a look at their website and rest assured that you will be in good hands.
Diver Safety
Khao Lak Diving
Similan Liveaboards
We are very fortunate to have some very sites for viewing turtles here in the Similans. We have four main varieties that nest in the area – Leatherback, Green Sea, Hawksbill and Ridley’s. But only two species that we see frequently while diving or snorkeling – the Green Sea Turtle and Hawksbill.
Sadly they are in a pretty sad state due to fishing techniques, pollution (plastic bags and cigarette butts), loss of habitat and egg poaching. Almost all nesting grounds in the Gulf of Thailand are gone and even “Turtle Island” hasn’t had a nesting turtle in more than a decade.
This region is still quite rich in turtle nesting beaches and is home to two of the most active hatcheries in Thailand – Similan Island #1 is a preserve and hatchery, and the Royal Navy has a hatchery and marine conservation center based at the local Port. This is quite good as the whole project is under the guidance and support of Princess Chulaborn. So it is well supported and thought of quite highly by the everyone inside and outside of the conservation community. HEre is much more about her program from the Tourist Authority of Thailand Website
THE PRINCESS CHULABHORN 36 MARINE PARK PROJECT &
CHULABHORN MARINE PARK CONSERVATORY CENTER
The Princess Chulabhorn 36 Marine Park Project aims to protect coral and marine vegetation in the Andaman Sea, protect forests on Similan, Surin, Bon and Tachai islands, and create public awareness and appreciation of nature.
The Project was initiated by the Chulabhorn Research Institute, the Royal Thai Navy and government and private sector agencies including the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plants, the Department of Fisheries, Phang-nga Province, and the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Siam Commercial Bank, to honour the Princess on the occasion of Her Royal Highness’s 36th birthday.
Marine patrols by Navy staff serve to discourage unsustainable fishing practices and prevent the capture of marine fish for the pet trade.
The naval unit also provides assistance to tourists such as in the case of medical emergencies arising in the course of their travels in the Andaman Sea.
Intensive 6-week dive training courses are provided to state officials with direct responsibilities for marine conservation. Each year a 14-day “Scuba Divers for Marine Resources Conservation” is offered to volunteers. Eight classes have been conducted since 1997. Graduates are involved in the deployment of mooring buoys and coral reef markers, and diving buoys to safeguard against damage to coral reefs.
With the coordination of international dive operators, almost 300 mooring buoys were set in 2002-3 with more planned for reefs in the provinces of Krabi, Trang and Satun. Maps featuring coral outcrops and locations of buoys and markers are drawn up.
The project also encourages officials in communities that benefit economically from marine resources to participate in ecotourism and conservation initiatives, so the resources are sustainable.
Finally, a sea turtle hatchery is managed by the Royal Thai Navy. An important nesting beach for Green turtles lies on Yu Yong Island (Similan Island No. 1). Eggs are harvested from the island, and hatched in controlled conditions, for later release at other degraded sites.
Established in 1993, the Project is based at the Third Naval Unit at Thai Muang, Phang-nga Province.
THE PRINCESS CHULABHORN 36 MARINE PARK PROJECT
(PHANG-NGA) &
CHULABHORN MARINE PARK CONSERVATORY CENTRE
Moo 5 Ban Taplamu, Amphoe Thai Muang, Phang-nga Province 82210, Thailand
Tel: Tel: 66-(0)-7659-5169 to 70
THE ROYAL THAI NAVY TURTLE CONSERVATION CENTRE (HATCHERY)
Third Naval Unit, the Naval Operations Unit, of the Royal Thai Navy
Phang-nga Naval Base
Tel: Tel: 66-(0)-7659-5169 to 70
Here is a Story in the “Thai News” Website about Khao Lak’s recovery efforts. Many part so f the story are true and interesting, but please be aware that the Hotel they are referring to (Best Western) did rebuild very quickly and did a great job. They just rebuilt in an area that no one else rebuilt in. There are no restaurants, no other hotels, no travel agents – nothing at all – withing several kilometers of their hotel. Only now, are people starting to rebuild in the area. So they chose a really really bad location to open so quickly. Resorts located here in town were running close to 100% from Mid-December to Late-January this year, and looking to be just as full for next season….
But it’s strange that they are just noticing the recovery. Most everyone who lives here thinks its over.
“Two and a half years after the phenomenon, today the local businesses are busy with preparations for the coming high season including training staff for efficient services, decorating the premises, marketing campaign plus the government full scale Tsunami warning and evacuation drills on July 25th 2007 to assure that the region is well prepared in any case of emergencies..
Boosting tourism in Khao Lak will not be an easy task. An increase in local and international advertising, marketing, and media attention are some of the things it will take. Also a cooperation with travel agents and networks of tourism partners need to be actively carried out.
Take this hotel, The Best Western Palm Galleria Resort, for example. The owners spent about 150 million baht, in which 70% of the property, then under construction was damaged by the tsunami. After the Tsunami the operators received funding support form the Office of Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion and others including Tsunami Fund Recovery program to reconstruct and that it was re-opened one year later. Located in a 17 rai plot of land, the The Best Western Palm Galleria Resort houses 74 guest rooms with 200 seated capacity meeting room.
The hotel Deputy Managing Director Krivuthichai Treekrytapan told Andaman News that since it reopened near the end of 2005, the return rate of tourists is still at low levels. Things then started to look up at the beginning of this year with the clear increase in the number of tourists, giving a boost of confidence to business owners that work within the tourism industry of Khao Lak. The occupancy rate still stands at 50 – 55 % compared to before Tsunami period.
The former President of Phang Nga Tourist Association , who also runs Royal Bangsak Beach Resort, Khun Prasert Chanpolngam, agreed with Krivuthichai saying:
Tracing the roots of the Na Ranong family and its legacy
One of the wettest places in Thailand, Ranong nestles between Chumphon and Phangnga and borders Burma to its west. The province has changed little over the years and life there is slow and quiet.
“To the locals it is a place of ‘Fon Paed Daed Si’ seasons, meaning eight months of rain and four months of sunshine,” said a resident in Ranong town.
My initial impression of the town was that it is verdantly green everywhere, wet and refreshing, too, although on my recent trip surprisingly there was no rain.
It is in this town that the Na Ranong family name has its roots that go back to Khaw Soo Cheang, the province’s first governor, whose portrait graces a wall of a shrine that also has a tablet tracing the family tree.
At the shrine the sign on top of the doorway reads thao yang in Hokkien Chinese, meaning the lofty sun. Next to the shrine are dilapidated pillars of the building which was once the residence of third-generation Na Ranongs. The shrine was subsequently built on a part of their former residence.
From the shrine a short walk leads to the crumbling old walls, once the seat of Ranong administration. The land is damp thick with vegetation where a towering rubber tree stood for generations, just like the bo tree that stands there today.
“Those openings,” said Kosol na Ranong pointing to holes in the walls. “were created for placing guns to fight off enemies or intruders when Khaw Soo Cheang was governor.”
Kosol is a fifth-generation descendant of the Na Ranong clan that has over 2,000 bearers of the family name today. We walked through a wild undergrowth, the damp air infested with mosquitoes, to what appeared like crumbled ruins with a roof cover.
“Here stood the reception building which hosted King Rama V on his visit to Ranong,” Kosol said.
In April 1890 the king and crown prince Vajiravudh (later King Rama VI) visited Ranong and were received by Khaw Sim Kong, who had succeeded his father as governor. Kosol said the Fine Arts Department had a roof cover built to protect the ruins from further deterioration.
Unfortunately, there is no photographic evidence showing the complete structure, just a mention by King Rama V of his trip that it was a two-storey building. Nearby are remains of bricks and stones left uncovered. From what remains we can tell it must have been a substantial building with many rooms.
There were also remains of a stone grill and Kosol pointed out that this was where Khaw Soo Cheang lived during his time.
In a book authored by Varinthorn Hemrueng-ngoen who initiated the Khaw Soo Cheang Monument Project in 1999, she wrote that the man was born in Changzhou, not far from Xiamen, China, in 1797.
At the age of 25, along with his elder brother, Soo Foo, he left China like thousands of others before him to escape poverty and headed for Nanyang, south of Penang in Malaysia, in search of a better life.
Penang then used to be part of Siam. Khaw Soo Cheang began as a labourer but when things didn’t get better he obtained lease of eight acres of land in Sungei Tiram – site of Bayan Lepas Airport today – and started growing fruits and vegetables.
Every week he walked 18 miles to sell his produce in Penang. Six years later life still hadn’t improved and he moved to Takua Pa and began trading in clothes, guns, tin, areca nuts, bird’s nest and pepper. This time it clicked: trade flourished and for a change, with the help of an influential lady, Thao Thep Sunthorn, he made money. Later, he moved to Phangnga and finding it full of promise opened a store called Koe Guan. He bought a ship and started trading along the coastal Penang-Ranong-Kra Buri route.
Ranong then was a small settlement of just 17 houses, but it was rich in tin ores. In 1844, during the reign of King Rama III, Khaw Soo Cheang received a concession to mine tin in exchange for a certain amount of royalty payable twice a year, which he subsequently surpassed as business became prosperous. For his loyalty, integrity, and in the face of looming threat from the British who then ruled Burma, Khaw Soo Cheang was appointed governor of Ranong and later one of his sons, Khaw Sim Kong, was named to the royal court in Bangkok as an aide to the monarch.
Ranong at the time was so distant that tax collectors were far from willing to travel there. Khaw Soo Cheang, apart from being an able trader, also proved a shrewd administrator and obtained the right to collect taxes on behalf of the state.
He went about the work diligently and as his tin-mining business prospered he was able to bring in more workers which he sourced from his native China. In just three years there were thousands of Chinese working in tin mines, and as their numbers soared so did Ranong’s contribution to state coffers. Khaw Soo Cheang had complete say when it came to collecting tax levied on tin mining and export, opium, liquor and gambling, which he pursued with due diligence and in an evenhanded manner.
As his reputation grew, so did his tin business to Lang Suan, Phangnga, Takua Thung, Phuket and Takua Pa, and in due course everyone of them were reporting to Bangkok, completely by-passing the tax collectors, and with tin prices reaching new highs the state revenue also peaked.
It was around this time that Khaw Soo Cheang, by now old and feeling his age, took absence of leave to visit his hometown in China. While he was away a revolt of sorts broke out among Chinese workers and there was rioting in Ranong which he helped clamp down on return.
For his services, he was bestowed the title “Phraya Damrong Sujarit Mahisorn Phakdi Jangwang” by King Rama V, while his eldest son was appointed chief administrator of Ranong.
Khaw Soo Cheang died at the age of 86 in May, 1882. He was survived by six sons. His final resting place is a plot of land donated by King Rama V.
Other attractions in Ranong town include the Wat Suwanna Khiri temple or Wat Na Muang that has a pagoda built by Burmese migrants seeking refuge from political turmoil in their country.
Buddhists too, they built the pagoda to show their gratitude for Ranong people. It features a tiled floor with geometric patterns reminiscent of King Rama V’s days, and a multi-purpose sala or pavilion, a landmark that every boat heading to Ranong town passed in the old days.
This is a press release from the FBI regarding training standards and cautions for the industry to be wary of.
Just as a side note – it is in fact mandatory to do Navigation and Deep Diving as part of the Advanced Course. It is also very common to offer DPV’s, Night Diving and even rebreathers as part of a liveaboard trip. “Muck Diving” is a huge industry in Indonesia (and soon here!) where you go to low-visibility areas and look for little stuff that you see nowhere else.
And we certainly enjoy people paying cash.
Washington, D.C. (Jun 22, 2007 16:51 EST) The purpose of this advisory is to provide situational awareness to the scuba industry regarding behavior that may indicate an individual(s) is involved in nefarious activity.
The following threat indicators, taken in isolation, generally reflect legitimate recreational and commercial activities. In combination with other information, they can indicate possible links to criminal behavior. Please note, the below indicators are not an all inclusive list, these indicators represent a baseline that could possibly indicate suspicious behavior.
Training Indicators
Requests for specialty training, including odd inquiries that are inconsistent with recreational diving. These may include:
Requests to dive in murky water or sewer pipes.
Inquires about procedures such as diver towing.
Requests to learn advanced skills associated with combat swimming, including:
Use of re-breathers and diver propulsion vehicles (DPVs).
Deep diving.
Conducting kick counts.Receiving extra navigation training.Requests for advanced diver training by applicants from countries where diving is not a common recreational activity. Similarly, training sponsored by groups or agencies such as religious organizations, cults, associations, or charitable agencies not normally associated with diving.
Potentially Suspicious Equipment Purchases or Rentals
Volume purchasing inquires related to Swimmer Delivery Vehicles (SDVs) and Diver Propulsion Vehicles (DPVs). SDVs are very expensive vehicles normally used for specialized military purposes, and usually are not available to recreational divers. Efforts to purchase DPVs, the more commonly available civilian counterpart to SDVs, could be associated with extending the range or payload capacity or a combat swimmer team.
Other Indicators:
Paying cash for diving instruction.
Refusal or reluctance to provide personal information.Recipients are requested to report suspicious or criminal activity to their local FBI Office.
This is an incredibly fascinating article about Manta Rays life cycle. It is really interesting about how they behave and especially how they give birth – something that had never been explained in any of the books we’ve read.
Washington Post – July 2nd
So you’re a pregnant manta ray, and you’re about to give birth to a baby with, oh, a six-foot wingspan. How on Earth will you manage that?
Now, for the first time, scientists can answer that question: You gently flap your glorious, 13-foot-wide wings to swim to the bottom. You rub your swollen belly on the ground for a while. Then you gain a little altitude and, with a forceful push, you eject your precious bundle as a rolled-up, burrito-like tube, which promptly unfurls to begin its new life as one of the strangest and least-understood marine animals on the planet.
Those are a few details that have come to light from the first birth of a manta ray in captivity, on June 16 at the Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium in Japan.While America was tracking Paris Hilton’s jail routine, Japan was enthralled with video coverage of the birth, which was broadcast nationwide on NHK television.
Unfortunately, the baby ray died five days later — in part from injuries inflicted by its father for unknown reasons before it was moved to a separate tank. But short as its life was, the newborn added some data points to the largely blank page of what is known about this largest species of ray.
Until now, for example, no one knew how long the gestation period is for mantas. In the Okinawa aquarium’s huge tank, where the mother was observed mating on June 8 last year, it was 374 days, or one year and nine days.
That long developmental period strengthens scientists’ fears that a combination of slow maturation to adulthood, infrequent pregnancies and long gestation means manta ray populations can only slowly replenish themselves. Although the creatures are found worldwide in tropical and temperate waters, can live for decades and are not considered endangered overall, populations have failed to recover in some areas that have been overfished or degraded environmentally.
That’s a warning sign, scientists said, that these close relatives of sharks could benefit from some of the attention and respect that their cousins routinely attract.
“Everybody always loves the big, toothy things, but there are more species of rays than sharks, and they are often overlooked,” said David A. Ebert, who studies rays and related species at the Pacific Shark Research Center at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories in California. “You look on television, it’s always ‘Shark Week.’ It’s never ‘Ray Week.’ “
Of the many species of rays — including the infamous stingray that last fall killed television naturalist Steve Irwin– mantas, which differ from other rays because their mouth is at the front of their body rather than on their underside, are especially unstudied. With enormous wingspans that can exceed 20 feet, they require more space than most aquariums offer.
Yet in recent years, researchers have begun to unveil some of the manta’s secrets.
Rachel Graham, of the Wildlife Conservation Society, has attached small sound-emitting “pingers” to several manta rays in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary off the Gulf Coast of Texas. Three underwater receivers, each 12 to 40 miles apart, have allowed her and others to get a sense of how widely mantas travel.
Some, it turns out, are homebodies, spending virtually all of their time in a few local spots. But at least one manta left the area for two years, then came back to hang around again, said sanctuary superintendent G.P. Schmahl, who hopes to find funding to attach more receivers on some of the many oil rigs in the Gulf.
The fact that at least some individuals apparently migrate widely — perhaps to favorite mating or feeding grounds — may help explain another recent finding about rays: Despite their huge geographic range and their great diversity of skin color (some have white underbellies, others black, and many have mottled patterns that make them individually identifiable), genetic tests indicate that all manta rays belong to the same species.
n between feeding forays, which amount to cruising with their mouths open to catch tiny plankton, mantas like to hang out at “cleaning stations” — reefs where small parasite-eating fish congregate and offer their services.
“They’ll pull up and kind of hover there, and the little fish will come up and poke around on their skin . . . giving them a once-over,” Schmahl said. Once their cloaks have been cleaned (“manta” shares linguistic roots with the Spanish word for “cloak”), they are off again, their frontal fins pointed characteristically ahead of them, helping to direct plankton-rich water into their gaping maws.
For the most part, mantas are friendly giants, known to brush up against divers like snuggling cats. In fact, a manta’s brain is about the size of a cat’s, and most of it appears to be devoted to sensory perception, said Alan Henningsen, a research specialist at the Baltimore Aquarium.
They have an excellent sense of smell, Henningsen said, mediated by two nostrils, or “nares,” which detect amino acids, hormones and other chemicals in water. They have great night vision, too, and can even detect electromagnetic fields — a sixth sense that may aid in food detection or navigation.
Friendly though they usually are, these 1,000-plus pounds of pure muscle can wreak havoc. Not long ago, a manta got tangled in the surface-based hose that was supplying air to a Gulf of Mexico diver.
“It swam to the surface, pulling the diver up too quickly,” Schmahl said. “It gave him a severe case of decompression sickness,” known as the “bends.”
Back in Okinawa, there are hopes for another pregnancy and birth so more can be learned about the reproductive biology of mantas. In some rays, the mother’s uterus secretes a milk-like substance for the developing baby, while in others, the fetuses have structures resembling placentas and umbilical cords. Those systems are more reminiscent of mammals than fish, although details — especially for mantas — remain obscure.
Once the newborn is waterborne, mom doesn’t look back. From there, it must depend on its own wits — and on the good will and good sense of humans. In some areas, such as around Indonesia, fishermen have wiped out populations to feed the growing trade in dried manta ray “horns,” or brachial elements, which are a prized component in traditional Asian medicine.
Those horns have earned mantas the nickname “devil rays.” Time will tell who the real devils are.
Chinese Wreck AKA Tuna boat
A few years ago, the Thai government intentionally sank this fiberglass hulled fishing boat to create a new dive site.
While a great site, it still has a few more years to go. The fiberglass of the boat hull isn’t great for growing corals, but you will find several really interesting species in and around the wreck.
The rest of the site is very typical of the middle Similan dive sites, with the sloping reef and shallow plateau.
Look for Batfish, Kuhl’s Rays around the bottom and Leopard Sharks.
As the site is quite deep (the top of the wreck lies at 30m) watch your Deco time. The nearby reef is a typical sloping reef of the region and offers many of the exciting features – Eels, Ghost Pipefish, Hard Corals and lots more.
This is really a separate site from Anita’s reef, due to the depth. At the end of the dive, though, you will be atop the same plateau as those that are doing the safety stop from Anita’s.
As there can be significant boat traffic in the area, it’s best to make sure you have a SMB and use at the end of this dive. (you should always do that, but especially here)
This site is not acceptable for Open Water divers or snorkeling, though the nearby reefs are perfect for both and are only 200 Meters away.
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Anita’s reef, also called Barracuda Point and Eel Garden is large enough to be called all these names and more.
As there is almost always a current, this site is a great drift dive that does encompass the three sites and almost completely circles Island 5.
If you enter on the north side of Islands 5, there are several really nice coral heads with lots of sand in between.
Great place to look for the little treasures, like Ghost Pipefish, juvenile Rock Mover Wrasse and nudibranchs.
Ah….after a few cloudy days I am longing for a view like this….
Viewpoint above Honeymoon Bay on Similan #4. In the background is Island #6 with the Chinese Wreck under that ship that is dead center.
At the Right end of the Island and wrapping around to the top of the island is Anita’s reef.
With conditions like this most days, you can understand why we dive here everyday!
There are bungalows and tents on the island and a couple of nice trails.
As you can see the snorkeling is quite nice too.
Oh yeah…wear your sunscreen!
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Nang Thong Bay Resort
This is one of our favorite resorts in the area, and we give them a lot of credit. They don’t have a website (though some people have created some fake ones!!!) they do take reservations, but their phone number is wrong in most books and their email isn’t well publicized. How’s that for marketing…
They also don’t work with any booking agents. So they don’t give commissions to any of the random people who claim to know the area or have a website that books for the area, but have never even been here. So we give them a lot of respect for sticking to their guns.
They are owned by one of the main families in the area (Nang Thong Supermarket). They were one of the first to rebuild and have a very nice layout to the resort and a great feel.
They are right at the intersection between the beach road and the bypass to the main road. Yet once inside the resort it feels like a remote location. The beachfront is great and there is the little creek that goes through. Because of the location you can walk anywhere in town, and also makes for easy access to all the other possibilities of Khao Lak (trekking, diving, tours)
There are bechfront bungalows, then a row 10 meters further back, and then one more row. All are air conditioned and have a nice little balcony with shades for privacy.
The restaurant is not known for it’s top notch service, but the food is fine and the views are great. A very good place for sunset snacks.
The swimming pool isn’t huge, but it has a kiddy section and a bar. It is very scenic and is nicely laid out like most of the resort.
The beach does have some boulders, but easy to avoid while swimming. To the North are a couple of larger resorts that have the apartment style rooms, but they don’t really encroach on the beach, so it still makes for nice walking.
To the South are smaller bungalow style resorts and the beaches are very nice for walking and very uncrowded.
Overall a cozy place with a great atmosphere and nice bungalows. Perfect location.
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