Up Early,

we were off to 5 different coral islands,

 on a speed boat for the day, our pick up arrived,

 and took us to the boat dock, the cost of the trip was 1,500 baht each including a midday lunch, 

 a party that had arrived before us waits to board one of the boats,

 I hope this one is not ours!,

 the boats range in size from small craft like this one for party's of 8 or so,

to much larger ones,

 like this one that has just been slipped,

 low tide at the docks today,

 one of the tail boats tide up on the jetty,

 you may think that Sandio and Diana are eating a piece of watermelon, but it is in fact a ice lolly,

 Diana took this picture of Dioshane looking out to sea,

at one of the islands,

although it does not look so nice at low water,

 the advantage is that it will attract wading birds,

 like these herons,

 this one settled on the jetty where the boat had just been launched,

 he will soon be back looking for fish and crabs, I had always thought that herons primarily lived by freshwater lakes and rivers, I wonder how they cope with the salt that they must take in when eating creatures from the sea?

 Diana and Dioshane,

 Diana decided to plait Dioshane's hair for the trip,

 then our boat came in,

 there were quiet a few of us on the boat,

 it was all great fun at first, but I must admit it did become a little bit bouncy as we went out to sea,

 the first island, I have to admit I have forgotten it's name,

 but it is on here, 

 into the water, 

 for the first swim of the day,

 as soon as we took a few slices of bread from the package,

 we were mobbed by fish,

 there was a slight current,

 so we held on to the anchor line,

 fish everywhere you looked,

 mainly these Sergeant Major Damselfish, (Abudefduf saxatilis), were the most abundant,

 but occasionally some what I think are pelagic fish would show up,

 we upped anchor and made way to our next stop,

 there were at first only these striped streamline fish,

 so fast they were in and out,

 in no time,

 one,

 then two of the pelagic fish came to have a bite to eat as well,

 on to island number three,

 and a new loaf of bread,

so under we went,

 like the first island we were swamped with fish,

 also a number of parrot wrasse came looking for food,

 Sandio like all of us was having a great time,

 also there was little current,

 so that made things a lot easier,

 there was such a variety of fish,

 of all shapes,

 sizes,

 and colours,

 on to our next stop,

 I managed to take a better picture of this one,

 I then chanced upon a garden of sea anemones,

 there were so many of them,

 all with their family of clown fish,

 with a few damsel fish in attendance,

 all of the anemones I had pictured so far are open, but here is one that has closed up,

 the tentacles are now on the inside of it's adhesive foot, called a basal disc,

 there were just so many in this one area,

 it was just a pity they were not inhabited by the clown fish Nemo made famous in the film,

 as they are so much more attractive than the ones here, but still fascinating to watch,

I am not sure if this will work, but here is a video of the anemone garden,

 swim over, I was the last one out, I lose all track of time when I am watching fish,

then we were on our way to the next island.