Aussie Divers Phuket – Most Wanted List
Every scuba diver has a bucket list of underwater wonders they dream of encountering. From majestic marine giants, and undiscovered wrecks, to vibrant coral reefs, the allure of the ocean’s hidden treasures is irresistible. Here, the experienced team at Aussie Divers Phuket shares their “Most Wanted” underwater encounters, revealing the marine life and dive sites that top their wish lists. Join us as we explore the breathtaking spectacles that inspire divers around the world.
The sea creatures and one dive site we have yet to see
With tens of thousands of different marine creatures spread out across the vast waterways of the world, divers can’t see everything in one lifetime.
Even experienced divers with thousands of dives find it difficult to fulfil their dreams. Here our experienced team of Aussie Divers Phuket instructors give a quick insight into what creatures that they are yet to see.
Darren Gaspari – Humpback Whale
Not something that is found here in Phuket. When talking to divers who have seen them and other big whales, they speak of their gracefulness and sheer presence in the water. I once asked a friend, a renowned international underwater photographer and most travelled diver that I know, Yuping Chen what her favourite creature she had seen was, and she answered in less than a second. When speaking to anyone about big whales, they speak in awe more than pleasure. I think seeing a majestic creature would be humbling.
Alix Berry – School of Hammerhead Sharks
The moment I decided I was going to learn to dive was when I was snorkelling and I could just make out two Hammerheads below me, very bad vis, and could only just see their shape. I wanted to see them properly, so as they are the marine creatures that enticed me to learn to do my PADI Open Water Course, they are top for me to see now that I’ve become a diver.
Ash Walker – Pikachu Nudibranch
My choice may have to be the Pikachu Nudibranch (Thecacera Pacifica), I have ticked off a lot of the bigger creatures including many different species of sharks, whales & turtles. The smaller stuff is what I find interesting these days, nudibranch are an abundantly diverse family, having over 3,000 different variations. Having checked off numerous nudibranchs the Pikachu ‘nudi’ is one that I have yet to see, growing up watching Pokémon on TV and playing the games on Nintendo there is just something about Nudibranch & wanting to ‘catch em all’…..
Andre Engstrom – Weedy Sea Dragon
I think they are an amazing creature. Two of my favourite creatures here in Phuket are the seahorse and pipefish. The Weedy Sea Dragon looks like a combination of the two. Unfortunately, they are only located in the cold water of the southern part of Australia.
Simon Creed – Orca Whale
Sadly my first experience seeing Orcas was at Sea World Florida as a young child. They fascinated me then and since that age wanted to see them in their natural habitat. My good friend Ben Walzinger was also very lucky in around 2008 to dive with two of them off the southern end of Banana Bay, Racha Noi Island. The video he took was incredible and the experience just looked amazing. I have always wondered what the experience would be like diving with Orcas.
Tom Domville – Mola Mola
My choice would be the Mola Mola aka a Sunfish. I think it’s awesome that the Mola Mola has such a fascinating and weird shape. They grow up to 1000kg but can move so elegantly in the water. I get envious every time I hear stories from divers who have seen them and they are definitely on my to-do list in the near future.
Martin Ruhoff – The Wrecks in Truuk Lagoon
It’s a hard question. For me, I think a small critter like the Bargibanti Pygmy Seahorse and the Weedy Scorpionfish. But I have seen them. It took time, and a lot of trips to find them. And that’s part of the fantastic thing about travelling. You have a dream of what you want to find. Maybe it doesn’t happen, the first time, but if you keep travelling, then it might happen. The thing I want to see, and it’s not an animal sorry, the wrecks in Truuk Lagoon. When the Americans retaliated against the Japanese, for Pearl Harbor. That place, with so many wrecks, must be fantastic. That’s one of the main reasons I learned to dive on a rebreather.
Lara Weyhausen – Wunderpus
Good question. Recently I found out there is an octopus called the Wunderpus very similar to the mimic octopus that can be found at Kata Beach but not the same. The mimic can change color losing its stripes whereas the Wunderpus can change color but will always keep its stripes. I haven’t seen either of them but the Wunderpus seems to interest me more. Possibly because it has a cooler name and it’s from the German word under.
