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Snorkelling trip
Me and Leon after being circled by sharks at Shark Bay. Dont worry it was very safe. Koh Tao is a wonderful little island of the Western Coast of Thailand.
We arrived after an overnight boat. We slept like sardines with 40 others in the birth of the boat. It was quite an experience. The strangest thing was all the Thais got shunted on one side and all the whities on the other. (picture attached)
Once on the island we refused to pay $2 ransom for a taxi so we decided to walk. Apparently I took the long way according to Leon, something I guess I will never be able to disprove. We found the cheapest dive of a place but it was really close to the action. In fact, out side our door was a pool table, bar and beach (in that order).
Over a thai curry breakfast we met a couple of Danish girls who were taking a boat trip around the island. It sounded well worth a look so we tagged along for a great day out and a snorkelling extravaganza.
We visited Shark Bay, which for the first time in Thailand lived up to its name. (Monkey Island... what the?)
It was not long before I was chasing a majestic
Overnighter
Us crammed in like sardines for the overnight trip... for the record it was much better than standing up! 2m shark through crystal clear 3m deep water. At one point 3 crossed below me which was quite special. Shark Bay was spectaculaaaarrr.
We stopped off at a few more token spots - just the usual sort of coral and colourful fish. I almost got left behind which was more exciting for Leon than me. I was still just snorkelling around.
All in all the day went great. The fried rice made the fish go crazy and you the little beggers came from miles to put on a show right in front of your very own mask. So special.
That night we hang around the hostel and all of a sudden there was an NZ vs Denmark drink off. This included our Danish friends, 2 bottles of whiskey, a great sunset and some more cheap Thai food.
Somehow I ended up half way down the beach with 2 paramedics from Spain. Fancy that. Apparently the others all resigned to bed, so I guess that made the drinking champ! It was a special night on the fine sand beach of Koh Tao.
The following day we decided to snorkel over to the island we visited. I found out
Snorkelling Shark Bay
Along side a traditional Longtail boat. later that Leon had not really realised it was the same island he had snorkelled the day previously. It was a dash long way and we swam hugging the coast line until we got to the channel between the two islands. It took us around 25mins to swim across. Quickly the water became too deep to see any fish, so it felt more like doing laps at the Teps than snorkelling.
About half the way across I was pleasantly suprised to see a fish. The fish was in clear view. It was greenish and around 40cm long. Very majestic and perhaps the largest fish I had seen in Thailand!
My perception of the big fish changed as it held and charged at me. It was now the big ANGRY fish.
Like a kamikaze, the fish plowed into my left foot (no flippers) as I turned over and kicked at it. It looped around and came back for several more goes at me. I followed it trying to keep visual contact. I managed to smash it in the side as it veered away and once more with true intent just below its head. As I lay into the fish it
Can I get a witness
First sunset in front of our hostel felt solid as it easily absorbed the impact.
My heart was pounding and by this stage Leon had heard my snorkel muffled cries and swam back to view the comotion. He too was attacked briefly before it set back on me. All this time I was scrambling to swim clear of the fish. It took one last effort at me, swimming 20metres in a collision path for me. Inches from me, it darted to miss me as if to say '...and dont come back!' That was the last I saw of the angry fish.
I swam for another 15minutes, heart pounding and exhausted from already covering a good 2kms until I was at the island and dragged myself on to the shore. It was then that I discovered upon battling my foe, I had recieved multiple cuts to my hands from where I had punched it and tagged its sharp fin.
You little bastard!
Later, I researched the fish. It is called Titan Triggerfish and protects a zone around the bottom, where it is nesting. Apparently it was breeding season!
What I could dig up discussed how divers had lost chunks of ears from swimming into a Triggerfish
Night out at the hostel
... with our friends from Denmark - thats next to Norway I think. territory. Also they are 30 to 75cm long. So I was relatively lucky I did not run in to a massive mo fo.
These links below are great to see what they are like. The second is a video of an attack on a diver.
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