Why can’t I go inside the wreck?
The first question we often get asked when talking about wreck diving is ‘can we go inside’. Scuba divers have always held a fascination by what the wrecks hide and hold within their bodies this is what makes the Wreck diver speciality course so popular. By taking this training and holding this license is the only way that wreck penetration is allowed.
Wrecks are manmade structure that have either been deliberately sunk or have had some event where they have sunk without intention. Over the time they become a new reef and attract marine life to it and become an artificial reef in their own right, offering a habitat for a variety of creatures.
The wrecks offer a new challenge for many divers, who are interested in the different terrain underwater, the history, or heritage that goes with the site.
There are many types of wrecks, most often they are ships, but can include, submarines, tanks, airplanes, or automobiles.
In the Phuket region we have many wreck dives on offer.
The King Cruiser, our largest wreck which was a car ferry that crashed in Anemone Reef on one of it’s journeys to Phi Phi.
Marla’s Mystery, deliberately sunk by Scuba Cat as an artificial reef at Racha Yai Island.
The Haruby and Andaman Eagle, also at Racha Yai Island, deliberately sank to give new dive sites.
Speedboat wreck again on Racha Yai that has been visited many times by divers over the years it has been underwater.
The Tuna Fish Wreck in Similans, again deliberately sank for a new dive site.
The Atlantis X again in the Similans, a dive liveaboard that ventured there in the closed season and suffered damage due to the weather, she sank on Island number 8.
With all these wrecks available to recreational scuba divers it is not surprising that the Wreck diver course is so popular at Scuba Cat.
Wreck diving offers great rewards but in return it can also carry greater risks, especially if penetration is involved, so to be able to do this the Wreck Speciality course is essential.
Most wrecks can be enjoyed simply by following the outline, but some require more complex navigation techniques, which are taught on the course.
The main concern with wrecks can be the need to monitor air and depth more closely, being aware on entanglement problems, so particular vigilance with streamlining, and sharp objects.
The Wreck diver course emphasizes the need to carry a knife, and use of gloves, along with good buoyancy control.
The course consists of 4 dives each building on the skills learnt in the previous dive, leading to the diver being able to penetrate a wreck safely.
The use of anti silting dive techniques, navigation, lines, and safety cylinders is covered within the course.
Tags: Andaman Eagle, Anemone Reef, Artifical Reefs, Atlantis X, Dive Sites, Haruby, Kig Cruiser, Marlas Mystery, PADI Wreck Speciality, Phi Phi, Phuket, Racha Yai, recreational diver, Scuba Cat Diving, Scuba Divers, Similan Islands, Speedboat wreck, Thailand, Tuna Wreck, Wreck diving, Wreck Penetration
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