Wreck Reef
This site features an initial sandy reef flat at 8m followed by a steeply dipping hard coral reef to 30m, and lies 100m offshore. It runs parallel to the eastern coast (southern section), and is named after the navigation beacon that overlooks it. The reef is not as scenic as at other sites, but there is a good range of colorful fish. Reef fish include several varities of wrasse, hawkfish, damselfish, pufferfish, butterflyfish and parrotfish. Also look out for large groupers and snappers, moray eels, and several crustaceans. This is a relatively novice site with generally easy conditions, and is often used as an introductory dive to the Similans.
Depths from 6 - 32m. Visibility 18 - 24m. Night/dawn dives are popular
However it has recently become a local favourite due the sinking of Atlantis X, a local Similan liveaboard dive boat, in August 2002. The Similan Islands have always lacked wrecks to dive, so when the captain of Atlantis X noticed the boat was taking on excessive amounts of water and decided to try to ram the boat onto the safety of the beach, divers found they had a new option to choose for the PADI Advanced Open Water Course - wreck diving in Thailand! The boat breached on the hard coral, and gradually sank backwards so that the bow lies in 16m of water, and the stern in 30m, perpendicular to the shore.
The wreck has now had a little time for some coral growth, the hull is still in good shape and now it is possible to see the engines and propellers. Batfish have made the wreck their home and many of them cruise around divers during the exploration. Lionfish, nudibranchs, hundreds of juvenile fishes, and a black-blotched stingray can also be found here.
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