Scuba diving holidays to Thailand will never be the same from the end of 2008, that’s the dream anyway. The Thai Dive Association (TDA) is ready to start phase 2 in what has been called project ‘Coral Reef Squadron’  after a bit of a hiccup with phase 1. The company that transported the 10 decommissioned military aircraft, that the TDA had purchased in 2007, has finally received payment and released the aircraft after a 4 month battle. When the aircraft were delivered to Phuket from Lopburi on April 2008 the weather delayed the project but it would seem that the weather was only one part of the delay.

The four Douglas C-47 Dakota Skytrain’s and six Sikorsky S-58T helicopters are to be sunk 1km from Bang Tao bay on the north west shore of Phuket island. The aircraft will be secured to the sandy bottom by large concrete blocks and the aim will be to arrange the aircraft in a circular pattern. At a depth of around 20meters and not far off the shore these artificial coral reefs will be an ideal training ground and a new attraction for the visiting divers. It is hoped that the new dive area will help reduce the number of divers visiting the natural coral reefs in the area and help the natural environment recover from years of diver traffic.

The creation of artificial coral reefs to help protect the natural environment in over dived areas is not a new one. In 2006-2007 an artificial reef was built in Egypt after scientists at the Ben Gurion University, Eilat, reported some 50% reduction in the natural coral reef, caused mainly by diver traffic. Although the damage to natural coral reefs in Thailand are not that sever these new dive sites will most definitely help those that are under some pressure.

The work to get the aircraft in place is due to start on 12 November and be completed early December, just in time for the peak holiday season in Thailand. Obviously divers to the wrecks will not see much coral life, but with open swim-through and crystal clear waters at  20 meters you should get a visually stunning and extremely fun dive anyway. Unfortunately I can’t take anymore holidays to Thailand this year so looks like I won’t be diving these aircraft until early 2009. I just hope they last that long or at least longer than the King Cruiser Wreck. This passanger ferry  sunk only 10 years ago, about 2 hours boat ride from Krabi, but already has deteriorated and collapsed in many places making swim through dangerous.

If anyone gets a chance to dive this ‘Coral Reef Squadron’ could you please contact me with your experiences or leave a comment below about your dives, thanks.