Andaman Islands

Liveaboard trip 16 Mar – 6 Apr 2010

Andaman Islands Safari

Mermaid I

So, back in India and Andaman Islands! Beeing so close to both Thailand and Burma, it’s amazing how different everything is here. On land, obviously, since this is India and Hindu culture, but also the diving. Vertical walls, some of them down to several hundred meters of depth, gin clear water and a completely different setup of corals, sponges and invertebrates.

Leaving the buzz of the capital Port Blair, we headed south to spend a day at Passage Island, with the famous Fish Rock beeing one of its divesites. The name really makes sense – the place is absolutely packed with fish! Big schools of Chevron Barracudas, massive Napoleons, 40-50 Oriental Sweetlips lining up for the cameras, Whitetip and Blacktip Reef Sharks patrolling the currents, Longfin Bannerfish, big Bumphead Parrotfish and Manta Rays circling above.

The following day we left the main Andamans and cruised to Invisible Bank, in the middle of nowhere. The site is huge (roughly the size of Phuket), but most of the action is concentrated around the not-so-invisible big flat rock in the middle. Big Nursesharks, Whitetip Reef Sharks, Turtles, Eagle Rays and Bumpheads kept us busy here.

Next stop Barren Island, and active volcano 60 nautical miles east of Middle Andaman Island. Even if wasn’t as active as last year (when we had to leave due to volcanic ash), it still spurted black clouds every now and then. Visibility here was stunning; easily 40 meters on any dive! Bazillions of colourful little Anthias all over the place, big Napoleons, and schools of Bumpheads. In the black lava sand, we found loads of Purple and Red Fire Dart Gobies, nice Nudibranchs, a Black Ribbon Eel and even a pair of Pom-pom Crabs! But the stars of the show here were the Mantas, of course. It’s great to see and photograph these animals in crystal clear water!

Cruising north-east to Narcondam Island, another volcano, we had more Mantas, but also good shark action. At a sandy plateau off the Lighthouse, we spent quality time (45 minutes!) with three Silvertip Sharks, bolting in and out of a vortex of Barracudas. At other divesites, we encountered Grey Reef Sharks, Blacktip and Whitetip Reef Sharks. We also had one of the biggest schools of Jackfish I ever seen, at HQ Pinnacle.

Having had all this big action, we were supposed to enjoy the smaller marine life at Campbell Shoal. Which we did. Eventually. But not until we got tired of the 10 Mobula Rays that were hanging out just outside the main reef… Moving up over the shoal itself, we saw schools of Butterflyfish, Batfish, Barracudas and more Anthias. In the afternoon, several big Napoleons and a couple of Green Turtles showed up. Oh, and there was another Manta there as well!

Last day of this safari in the Andaman Islands, was at South Button. Again, we expected small stuff, buit were greeted by both Manta Rays and Mobula Rays. Snapping away in between at the very special Indian Ocean Spinecheek Anemonefish, Crinoid Shrimps in every colour there is and a good selection of corals and reef fish, it was time for us to steer back to Port Blair.

PJ Widestrand

Video-Pro
Mermaid I

Liveaboard diving Thailand, Myanmar, Bali - Komodo and the Andaman Islands.