Dive Review of Mermaid Liveaboards/Mermaid 2 in
Thailand/Similans, Richelieu Rock

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Mermaid Liveaboards/Mermaid 2, Mar, 2011, by Randall S Preissig, TX, US ( Top Contributor 38 reports with 15 Helpful votes). Report 6001.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	There were 14 staff on the boat--5 divemasters and the rest Thai helpers, captain, cook, etc. All were extraordinarily anxious to help/please the 16 guests. I had read Undercurrent comments from prior reports on the level of service on Thai dive boats, but it has to be experienced to be believed. Every dive, including night dives were guided, and guided well with groups of 2 to 5 per divemaster. This wasn't babysitting from afar--it was active "show and tell", which allowed me to do my own thing while staying close enough to see each of the finds by the divemasters. This very significantly expanded the number of critters sited by everyone. The Thai helpers even put our flippers on our feet after we entered the skiff. Most dives were from the two skiffs unless the boat could be anchored at a good access point. The rooms were a little on the small side and the AC in our room was barely adequate when supplemented by a fan, but others seemed to have good AC. Food was plentiful, offered often, varied with a lot of local food and very good. Pre- and post trip arrangements at their hotel were excellent(free wireless, pool access, etc.). Dive briefings were clear, well illustrated and helpful from a safety as well as "what to see and where" aspect. Altogether the best service I've ever had on a liveaboard, and I've been on over 20. The staff videographer JPepe was excellent and anxious to help all in sightings, their own photography, etc. I bought the video, which is rare for me to do. The water was very warm and a 3mm shorty was all anyone needed for the maximum of 4 dives a day. There was some unseasonable rain and wind, but not much. Probably a La Nina effect(think Australian floods). Now for the "what I saw" part. There are many liveaboards that service the Similans, and you can expect most dive sites to be crowded. Out crew minimized this by diving at somewhat different times, but sites like Richelieu will always have other divers in the water. There were Mantas Shrimp, Harlequin shrimp,nudibranchs galore, spinndle cowrie,pipefish, ribbon eels, crabs, flasher wrasse, juvenile rock mover wrasse, tiger tailed seahorses, etc. There were large schools of barracudda at Koh Bon and Koh Tachai pinnacle and a huge grouper at Koh Tachai. However, there was a shocking absence of sharks! I did not see one shark in 49 dives in Burma and Thailand(see my other current reports)! Fishermen can make a month's profits by selling one shark for its fins--guess where all the sharks went? Divemasters report seeing fewer that 10 sharks in an entire season! Although I did see one manta at Koh Bon on another trip and one whale shark(the first sighting of the entire season) was sighted(not by me) on another trip, the days of routinely seeing these pelagics in Thailand is long past. This was my only disappointment of the trip, as many web sites report routine sightings. This has changed in the last 5 years, and divers should be aware of this when they decide on where to spend their dive time/dollars. Overfishing is obvious, with fishing boats even seen in the marine park. Reportedly, the Mermaid 2 is moving to Indonesia due to the superior diving. Apparently, other boats are also moving. The diving was very good but not the extraordinary experience that we hope for when we travel 12 time zones. The extraordinary service on the Mermaid 2 definitely made the trip worth doing and I plan on following them to Indonesia.
Websites	Mermaid Liveaboards Mermaid 2
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Cayman, Cozumel, Bonaire, Virgin Islands, Red Sea, Sipadan, PNG, Truk, Ponape, Palau, Hawaii, Tahiti, Australia, Cocos, Galapagos, other
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	dry	Seas	surge
Water Temp	82-84°F / 28-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	40-80 Ft/ 12-24 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	no
Enforced diving restrictions	Maximum depth 100 ft. No decompression diving. Maximum time 60 minutes including 5 minute safety stop. Buddy diver assigned.
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	None	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	None	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Rinse tank, compressed air blower and (very) small table supplied. Equipment handled very well, but no segregation of dive table from drinks, drips, towels, food, etc.

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Dive Review of Mermaid Liveaboards/Mermaid 2 in Thailand/Similans, Richelieu Rock

Mermaid Liveaboards/Mermaid 2, Mar, 2011,

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Dive Review of Mermaid Liveaboards/Mermaid 2 in
Thailand/Similans, Richelieu Rock