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How a Tsunami affects Scuba Diving
The date was the 26th of December 2004 and Thailand's worst natural disaster would scar the lives and livelihoods of so many people.
Important: My personal account of the tragedy is based on events that took place on the Andaman coastline. But, I fully appreciate that other countries and continents were also badly affected by the Boxing Day tsunami - and the aftermath that followed.
Facts: The 2004 Indian Ocean Earthquake
The Indian Ocean tsunami was triggered by an undersea earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra.
A 9.0-magnitude quake created massive waves of tumbling water that struck the Andaman shorelines. Phuket, Khao Lak dive sites, and most of the surrounding regions suffered raw nature at its worst.
In Thailand, more than 8,000 people died in the disaster, or they have never been reunited with their families.
This included over 2,000 foreign tourists, most of which were taking a holiday of a lifetime in Phuket.
In fact, Phuket divers (who were actually scuba diving in the water at the time) recall a surge of water that pushed and pulled with all its might.
A gigantic rush of water smashed small dive boats to smithereens. It dragged snorkelers along the beaches. And it completely overwhelmed sunbathers as it crashed overhead.
Note: As you may expect, the diving tourism market in this region suffered tremendously, and it has taken many years to fully recover.
How Did the Tsunami affect Thailand?
People travelled to other popular destinations for scuba diving for about five years. In fact, scuba diving in Pattaya saw a positive increase in the number of divers making a trip to scuba dive in the Gulf of Thailand.
The Pattaya diving communities are united in their efforts to attract more tourists and also to satisfy its expanding number of residing expats.
For example, the islands close to Pattaya offer divers and snorkelers a mixture of shallow calm bays - sheltered from strong water currents.
You can also make deep dives around World War II US Landing Crafts - intentionally sunk by the Thai Navy to create man-made coral reefs.
Most of the Pattaya dive sites can be reached by a dive boat within two hours. PADI® dive centers offer:
- Scuba courses for beginners
- Fun diving day trips for certified divers
- Snorkeling tours around coral islands
Scuba Diving around Pattaya Islands
Most of the sites have year-round access with a good variety of diverse locations. You can make shallow water drift dives and swim around deep sunken shipwrecks.
The nearest islands are Koh Sak, Koh Larn, and Koh Khrok. Whereas, Koh Rin, Koh Man Wichai, and Koh Phai are a little further away.
A boat trip to reach the Far Islands takes about 90 minutes. But, clearer visibility and vibrant marine life make it worth the trip.
HTMS Khram Shipwreck
Early in 2003, the Thai Navy sank a decommissioned U.S. Warship between the islands of Koh Phai and Koh Larn - approximately 15 kilometres from Pattaya beach.
This ship lies in 30 metres of water in the Gulf of Thailand. It was intentionally sunk to provide a breeding ground for fish and to create an exciting wreck dive for local scuba divers.
The Thai Navy prepared HTMS Khram as "safe for diving" after freeing it free from arms, oil, and most of the other underwater entanglement hazards for scuba divers.
There are large holes in many areas that allow penetration dives through the ship's passages. This sunken ruin is a gift for fish lovers. You should expect to see:
HTMS Kood Shipwreck
It's fair to say that almost all Thailand dive sites are exciting. Even so, wreck diving in Pattaya is "nautical" miles ahead! In September 2006, the Royal Thai Navy sank the HTMS Kut a short 45 minute boat trip from the marina.
Hardeep Shipwreck
Originally an Indonesian-registered freighter, the Hardeep sank in 1943. More than sixty years of growth has seen the soft coral formations and tube sponge gardens firmly establish themselves. The wreck provides a safe home for older and larger fish families.
Bremen Wreck
The Bremen wreck is an 88-metre long Thai cargo ship that sank in the 1930's following an engine room explosion. It rests on the sandy bottom in twenty two (22) metres between Sattahip and Koh Khram in Chonburi province on the eastern seaboard.
Scuba Diving after the Tsunami: 20 Years Later
Because it is situated in the north east of the Gulf of Thailand, Pattaya was not affected by the 2004 tsunami. Even so, if you're searching for some of the best places for diving in the world, it cannot compete.
Yet, the aim for the future is to become a famous wreck diving region and attract more scuba divers. Thus, sinking new wrecks near the coastline are helping to improve the marine environment and conserve delicate ecosystems.
Furthermore...
The natural underwater beauty and pristine coral reefs situated off the coasts of Phuket, Khao Lak, and the Similan Islands are by far more enticing for scuba aficionados.
Artificial reefs provide homes for new coral formations and aquatic life. An additional bonus is being "off limits" to commercial fisheries, which tends to encourage larger fish into the area.
Tourists are still flocking to Southeast Asia in search of palm fringed golden sand beaches, luxurious beach-side accommodation, countless water-sports, and family activities. Quite simply it provides value for money that few visitors to Asia can resist.
Here's the thing:
Thailand continues to recover from the tragedy twenty years on. There is little physical evidence of one of history's worst and deadliest natural disasters.
Visitors might see an occasional tsunami "Hazard Zone" sign. Nonetheless, Phuket and the nearby islands retain their ranking as premier holiday resorts.
Nowadays, if tourism is decreasing in any of the well-known holiday hot-spots, few people are blaming the 2004 Thailand tsunami!
Article First Published in 2009 by Scuba Steve