M6 Diving Cruise on sy GAEA

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This is Burma, and it will be quite unlike any
land you know about - Rudyard Kipling Letters
from the Far East 1898
Tourism Authority of Thailand International
License 31/0099
M6 Diving Cruise on s/y GAEA
The setting tropical islands of the exquisite
Mergui archipelago, Burma (Myanmar)
SEAL (South East Asia Liveaboards) is the true
pioneer of diving in the Mergui Archipelago.
Comprising over eight hundred islands and
covering an area of ten thousand square miles,
these pristine islands had, until January 1997,
been closed to all foreigners for well over fifty
years. This area is totally untouched by modern
development, with a rich history of maritime
trade, mysticism and piracy. The modern-day
Mergui Archipelago is as it was in days gone by,
bar the piracy! Due to the archipelagos
virtual isolation, the islands are uninhabited,
except for a few sea gypsies. The plankton rich
waters are alive with an amazing diversity of
wildlife, flora and fauna. We have discovered
huge Gorgonian sea-fans in various shades of
orange, hard and soft corals in vivid colours,
living gardens of sea anemones and very
impressive expanses of plate corals. The larger
creatures include various species of shark such
as Bull, Silvertip, White and Black Tip, Grey
reef, Nurse, Leopard , Tiger and Hammerhead
sharks. Manta-rays thrive in the archipelago
during the 2001-2002 season particularly, we
experienced what was known as Manta madness on
many occasions. Scores of Manta rays converging
around the divers! Apart from the sharks, Manta
rays, Giant groupers, Moray eels, powder blue
Surgeon fish, Parrot fish, Lion fish and Black
banded sea snakes, to name but a few species
found in the Mergui archipelago, the dive sites
of the region also have an amazing array of small
but exquisite highlights that divers dream of
seeing, such as Sea Horses, Ornate Ghost Pipe
fish, colourful Nudibranchs, Snails, Cowries,
many types of Moray Eels and Rock Bleny. For
true diving connoisseurs, this is a trip not to
be missed. This is your opportunity to dive on e
of the worlds last frontiers which is only now
unfolding its hidden treasures.
S/y GAEA
Red Fan Coral
2 m. Silver Tip Shark
Squid dance!
Manta-ray
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Topside and under water shots in the wild and
beautiful
Mergui Archipelago, Myanmar.
Extracts from S/y GAEAs Divemasters Report
2002
Again, diving this week was excellent. A total
of ten dives where we saw many Manta rays,
besides which we also saw a lot of very unusual
things several Sea Horses, Stone fish, a school
of one hundred Mobula rays and three Frog Fish
  The wave effect the glass fish made while
dodging invading tuna was a amazing.  On our
second dive at Devil rock, named after the Devil
rays, we encountered a school in which I
personally counted one hundred Mobulas  Here
(Western Rocky), as always the visibility was
great, allowing us to see four White Tip Reef
sharks and many passing Dog Tooth Tuna.   The
next morning we dived first Little Torres where a
rather strong current but 30 metre visibility
awaited us. Immediately we spotted a Gray Reef
shark swimming just above the hard coral bottom
in about 21 m. of water. Then back to Black Rock
where once again the Mantas were waiting. We saw
them above and below, with Cobia, without Cobia,
some white, some black and some had scars from
shark fights. To this point we though we were
lucky enough and had got our Manta quota. We
were wrong!.   We went back through the main
swim through and again saw the ten Gray Reef
sharks. We also had a chance to briefly look in
the cave where there was a Nurse Shark and a
Marbled Ray   Immediately we jumped in (Black
Rock) we saw three White Tip Reefs swimming
together and a Leopard shark very close with the
good vis you could see always around 35 m. When
we stopped two more Leopard sharks were in the
sand several divers knelt down beside them,
paying no attention to the two Manta rays just
overhead, each around 3 to 4 m. Later we saw
them again on two more occasions. With the
leopard sharks alone this would have been a
fantastic dive but the Mantas well Mantas just
made it one of those dives youll never
forget!   At Twin Cheeks we saw four Leopard
sharks and heaps of schooling Tuna, again chasing
the Glassfish but the highlight of this dive was
the 3 m. Nurse shark sleeping under one of the
many house size boulders.   About twelve minutes
into the dive a 4 ½ m. Manta was spotted barely
moving about 1 m. off the bottom. When we
approached he wasnt shy it seemed just as
curious about ourselves as we were of him! Again
in the shallows other Mantas were around when
huge splashes were seen from breaching Manta rays
all about the reef. Jesse Huey - Divemaster
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The Moken People, otherwise known as sea
gypsies, are a shy and mystical nomadic race
who wander throughout the Mergui Archipelago.
They are the only inhabitants living here, apart
from a few Burmese fishermen. During the monsoon
season they seek shelter at what is known as the
sea gypsy village on one of the islands, where
the children can attend the little school,
overseen by the resident monk.
Burmese fishermen
Moken lady in dug-out canoe
Twins
Live-aboard s/y GAEA home for six days/six
nights - A comfortable wooden ketch-rigged
trimaran, length 51 ft x beam 26 ft. She is
professionally built and maintained. Spacious
well laid-out decks with awnings and deck
cushions. Onboard, our professional crew will
guide you to the secret dive sites of the region,
helping to make your cruise a long to be
remembered an experience . From the Captain to
the Deckhand, all of the SEAL crew take pride
in seeing to your needs. What better way to
spend a week than diving and sailing through this
long lost archipelago! Accommodation 8
passengers in 3 double and 2 single cabins, big
main saloon and well equipped galley, shower and
toilet plus deck shower. Relaxation facilities
A large sun deck, with canopies area. Equipped
with stereo system, TV and video. Sit-on-top
kayaks included Diving Direct from yacht with
easy access to water, or from a 3.5 metre
inflatable dinghy with a 25 hp
outboard. Equipment with 2 petrol driven
compressors, dive tanks, weights and lights, GPS
navigation system, depth sounder, VHF and SSB
radios, auto pilot, CD System, TV and Video. 12V,
100V 22V charging facilities. Linen and towels
provided. Specification Length 51 ft Beam
26 ft Main engine 110 hp diesel.
Crew Captain, Divemaster/Instructor, Cook and
Deckhand, plus a Burmese guide.
South East Asia Liveaboards225 Ratuthit 200 Year
RoadPatong Beach, PhuketThailand 83150Tel
66 (0)76 340406Fax [phone]
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