Missing Nemo

It has been five months now since I shared an ocean with some truly tropical treats.

I really miss the peacefulness of floating in clear blue crystal waters without a care in the world.

Before Thailand 2011 I hadn’t really done any snorkelling, neither had rhmgroo.  With our Christmas money we bought some really decent snorkelling masks and tubes. 

I’ve used borrowed snorkels in the past or bought cheap ones off the seafront but these are really the bollocks.  They really made a difference; not only are they ours which feels a hell of a lot nicer when you’ve got to put your mouth round it but they were fitted properly and we were told how to clean and use them.

Our first snorkel was in Karon in Phuket.  I was a little scared at first as we decided to get in the water near the rocks and I was being a mard arse not wanting to cut myself; rhmgroo just went off with his head in the water but I felt it was too shallow and worried I might scrape my belly on the way past the rocks.   When we finally got to a comfortable spot it was just amazing.  It wasn’t exceptionally clear but enough to see a few interesting fishes around the rocks and get used to the masks.  You would not believe in Thailand in December it got cold and we had to come out of the water.

Next was Koi Island which was a boat trip we went on from Patong.  We also got to dive off the boat and snorkel way out in the ocean where it’s really thick green and pretty scary actually to be in all that open space. 

I say dive but of course I didn’t dive, however I was fourth to jump off the back of the boat and (not use the steps) rhmgroo was the first (very proud of manly behaviour). 

We did snorkel in Au Nang, Krabi but the water was full of plankton and you couldn’t see shit. 

Next up, one of our favourite places in the world; which we had vowed to keep secret from anyone because we don’t want it to become spoiled by ‘people’.  But I know rhmgroo has shared it since and to be fair if it wasn’t for our friend sharing it with us we may have never gone. 

Snorkelling was quite fun here, we saw a few fishes hiding around the coral.  But the best was yet to come. 

Next stop, Phi Phi island, famous for its diving and its mind blowing picturesque waters.

Phi Phi is definitely the best place to snorkel; there are organised trips, clear waters and tropical fish aplenty.  After a heavy party night, we hired a longtail boat to take us out for half a day.  It was £20 and I have to say, it is so much better going on your own so you can avoid other people and the day is more for you rather than sharing the experience with strangers.  (Misery guts?) We went to Phi Phi Lay which is just around the bay and oh my god it is shocking.  The sheer limestone cliffs that decorate the beautiful blue water was breathtaking.  Sorry to bring up alcohol but imagine blue Wicked’s billions and billions of them; the blue was so intense it was stunning.  This is where I saw my first exciting tropical fish.  It was what I called ‘the rainbow fish’ it was all different colours and the colours were illuminious; I loved it.  There was one angry white fish which every time I stuck my head in the water, it came viciously swimming toward my face (didn’t like that). 

The next bay we came to, the driver threw in biscuits for the fish (Oreo’s to be exact) fish love Oreo’s, who knew; they all came swimming around the boat eating the biscuit.  Me being a soft arse again didn’t want to emerge myself in FISH so I waited till they had got fed up and they parted a little, leaving some room for my mardy entry.  There were all kinds of gorgeous fish here, all colours, all shapes, all sizes; I found my rainbow fish again too.  

We went to the famous Maya Bay where ‘The Beach’ was filmed; hangover kicking in a little by this point.  The jelly fish didn’t take too kindly to me either.  All in all this is one of the most fantastic places to snorkel, to see, to swim and to visit.

There was much more snorkelling that took place on our trip but I won’t bore you with every single time we did it. 

I must lastly mention Koh Samet; another fav and with it being the last island we went to, it seems to have stuck with me thoroughly.  I didn’t snorkel all that much in Koh Samet, rhmgroo did loads, I had a giant rubber ring to amuse myself with. 

The last morning we spent in Koh Samet we got up really early, as we did most days but this day we snorkelled together and it was really unfortunate that we had discovered just how wonderful it was to do it hand in hand.  What a lovely memory of being carefully swayed by the hand where we could both appreciate the same sightings and point things out to each other.  It was a romantic and enchanting time under the waters of Koh Samet. 

I won’t cry too much though because, masks at the ready, were off to Spain in 4 weeks and although the sea there is rough and certainly not tropical, we do know a little place we can visit called Tabarka.  This is where we bought the cheap mask from.  I am also going to try and find out if there are any other places we can go or just hope for some calm seas on the med that week.

If you’re not sure about diving, definitely get your snorkel on.     

Nemo is waiting for you.