From February 6 to 8, Wicked Diving carried out another of our unique Special Educational Trips!
13 guests joined us on the M\V Parinee for the opportunity to deepen their knowledge about Manta Rays and Whale Sharks.
Two presentations were held in the evenings by Karina, our resident marine biologist. Manta Rays as well Sharks are Elasmobranchii animals that posses a cartilaginous skeleton, which is flexible and has about half the density of bone.
Sharks, which have been around even before dinousaurs, have highly specialized senses, which include electroreception, allowing them to detect electromagnetic fields to help find their prey.
The whale shark received special attention, this mysterious fish visits the Andaman coast around this time of year. Little is known about them so we at wicked diving support the research work carried on by ECOCEAN – www.whaleshark.org.
We do this by taking a photograph of the spot patterning above the left pectoral fin will provide data used in a software program that recognizes algorithms to catalog and identify this animal. Thousands of images use its unique "bodyprint" as an identifier. This data is compiled to document sightings and migratory patterns of these magnificent creatures.
Similan islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai and Richelieu Rock were explored on the trip trying to track down and document these mighty creatures - the largest of all the rays and the largest of all the Sharks (and of all the fish!)
Harlequin shrimps, seahorses and ghost pipe fish were spotted by our knowledgeable dive guide - never missing the opportunity to point all the small creatures we see in this region.
Everyone on the trip had the opportunity to encounter the magnificent leopard shark. Fortunate guests also beheld the magical manta ray!
While never able to truly predict the timing and frequency of Whale Shark visits, we did not encounter one. There was plenty of knowledge and great experiences for everyone on the trip - including the SSI Shark Diver certification!
Wow what a trip!
As we document and follow the travels and sightings of these creatures we will be using that data for our upcoming Whale Shark & Manta Ray Trip on March 26th.
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