While J continues with her TEFL course, I took the opportunity to go back to Koh Tao for a few days to dive . The diving at Nang Yuan was largely focused on the sites around that island, in the north, so I hoped to get to some of the further sites, particularly South West Pinnacle.

The journey was largely uneventful apart from a late start, which the taxi driver explained to me by showing me a mangled chunk of burnt out electrical switchgear from his car. It’s quite strange coming back to places you‘ve been to before, the real sense of familiarity and the confidence you get from knowing what is likely to happen. Unfortunately this familiarity also has its drawbacks; I knew where I was going on arrival at Mae Nam so wasn’t diverted into the arrival area where the taxi drivers were, hence took a bit of finding to locate the guy from Scuba Junction who was meeting me, but got there in the end.

The folk at SJ were very approachable and keen to make sure I got the dives that I wanted (within reason, they are not diving at Sail Rock as it is too far) . However, they obviously don’t have too many people with their own gear and my request for Nitrox left them a bit puzzled (despite their offer of free Nitrox with six or more dives). They were also surprised that I intended diving that afternoon. Although the diving was mostly pleasant and relaxed, I had a bit of excitement when a weight pocket fell out while I was manoeuvring myself out of a tight opening at about 16m. I was able to stop myself ascending and recovered the weights and replaced them. It was enough of a fright for me to feel a bit wary of my kit so no underwater photos this time; carrying a camera and replacing weights underwater don’t go together easily. The good news is that after testing it all out, there seems nothing wrong with the system, it was obviously a user error!

Our return to shore was by long tailed boat from the dive boat. Long tailed boats are narrow wooden boats whoe name derives from the very long drive shaft to the propeller that hangs out behind . The owners have mastered the art of levers and balances and the weight of the shaft is offset by the weight of the motor on the other side of the pivot. The engines themselves vary enormously from little motors cannibalised from old generators up to 6 cylinder lorry engines. By balancing the whole thing, the owners can effortlessly lift the screw to the surface of the water when travelling in very shallow water. However, even they cannot get right to the shore, so returning by long tail always means a further jump into the sea and a wade through the sand with your kit.
 
After diving, I made my way to Choppers Bar (I think you can guess what it was like) where the Ashes was showing on several TV screens and most of us delighted in the Aussies’ demise (though they had obviously made a determined showing while I was underwater). I ate dinner at an open air place on low seating by the outside wall with the waves crashing on the shore just a couple of metres away. All along the beach the lights of the different places were twinkling and the walkway on the inland side was decorated with Chinese lanterns etc . With the different music coming from every place, and the delicious smells of cooking, it was a bit like wandering amongst the food stalls at Womad (but a bit warmer). The other difference is that the walkway is frequently used by scooters, motorbike and sidecar stalls and even occasionally by jeeps, causing pedestrians to have to scatter in all directions.

The next day’s diving started wet as it was raining while we took the open taxi to the pier and it was raining on the long boat trip into the wind to the dive site. The wind was making the journey a bit lumpy with lots of spray so the only dry places on the boat for belongings were now soaking wet. After a couple of great dives we returned to shore but everything that I was wearing was now completely sodden and it was threatening more rain. My other shirt, that I had washed last night, was also still wet. I realised that I needed a dry shirt and perhaps a small dry bag to put it in. (Layla and Simon bought me a large one a while ago but I didn’t have room for it in my luggage) .

A quiet walk around the area to do the shopping showed that there is the same relentless trend upmarket that we had noted on Samui, with larger and more elaborate resorts being established in every corner. Further up the hill there are signs of local life but these are still intermingled with tourist places. It’s clear that the developments will go further back from the shore and many of the shore side places are being redeveloped. The days of the beach shack are over and the beach chalets are now increasingly substantial places with aircon and price tickets to match. (Meanwhile, I’m staying in one of the older style of bungalow about 10m back from the beach; I don’t have aircon but it is only £5 a night).

However, the island’s infrastructure remains extremely poor and this must surely restrict developments. All the roads are full of potholes and cracks that make 4WD almost a requirement. The area around the main pier is unfinished mud with huge lumps and bumps (heaven knows what it is like during the monsoon season, presumably nobody even attempts to get there). There are not enough spaces for boats to dock at the pier and they therefore lay alongside each other, meaning that the guests have to carry all the tanks and equipment over as many as six boats to get to your own one. On one occasion we were the last boat in and had to dock at the head of the pier, what I thought would be a great docking point. However the low tide meant that everything had to be sent up about 3 metres onto the pier itself. When we went to get off the boat it was apparent that there was no ladder; we had to use the various old lorry tyres being used as bumpers as a kind of wet and slimy assault course, very exciting!