king cruiser wreck - dive site map
> maps of the andaman sea:
> around koh phiphi:
> southern sites:
> southern sites:
this map is taken from pocket divesite's guide book:
similans including koh bon, koh tachai, richelieu rock.
info at
pocketdivesite@gmail.com
and
www.pocketdivesite.com
> get connected:
the king cruiser wreck:
the king cruiser sank on the 4th of may 1997 apparently miles off course after striking the popular phuket dive site anemone reef on it's way to koh phiphi from phuket. so far was the vessel off course, and so in need of a decent wreck diving site was phuket, that local diver joked that the captain took a massive bribe to slam the vessel into the reef. As seen by the picture above, no one got hurt during the sinking apart from the insurers.
this recent wreck lies upright on the sandy bottom at 32 m depth and comes up to within 10 m of the surface.
although the wreck was almost completely intact after being released from the salvers, it is of low cost construction and deteriorating quickly. the main-deck level above the car deck has now partially collapsed, making penetration through this area more risky. the big open passage ways, car deck, and bridge area are relatively safe penetration for all but the most muppety divers, but strong currents and rough seas due to it's exposed location, generally make this site more suitable for experienced recreational divers.
barracudas, rainbow runners and big trevallies are often seen patrolling the wreck, dense schools of fusiliers and snappers hang around in a decorative way - the walls are full of nudybranchs, huge lion fishes cruise up and down and take care: scorpion fishes sit almost invisible and almost everywhere.
visibility: 5 - 25 m.
depths: 15 - 32 m
currents: moderate to strong
level: experienced
only