Richelieu Rock
Encyclopedia
Richelieu Rock is a dive site in Thailand
situated in the Andaman Sea
about 200 km north-west of Phuket. It is part of the Mu Koh Surin marine park although being about 18 km east of Surin island.
The horseshoe shaped reef that has been discovered by Jacques-Yves Cousteau
is known for its purple corals as well as diverse marine life ranging from small fish and harlequin shrimp to large pelagics
like whale shark, manta ray, barracuda and grouper.
, a commander in the Royal Thai Navy.
in Thailand's Ralong province and about 18 km east of Surin island. There are no islands in the immediate vicinity of the reef.
Several sources also report sightings of filter feeders like manta ray
s, scavengers such as barracuda
s or larger predators like whale shark
s though fishing is said to have made their appearance less frequent.
. It is usually accessed by diving boats during several day cruises, as it is too far off the coast to be reached by usual dive boats. There are speedboats that can go to Richelieu Rock as a daytrip.
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
situated in the Andaman Sea
Andaman Sea
The Andaman Sea or Burma Sea is a body of water to the southeast of the Bay of Bengal, south of Burma, west of Thailand and east of the Andaman Islands, India; it is part of the Indian Ocean....
about 200 km north-west of Phuket. It is part of the Mu Koh Surin marine park although being about 18 km east of Surin island.
The horseshoe shaped reef that has been discovered by Jacques-Yves Cousteau
Jacques-Yves Cousteau
Jacques-Yves Cousteau was a French naval officer, explorer, ecologist, filmmaker, innovator, scientist, photographer, author and researcher who studied the sea and all forms of life in water...
is known for its purple corals as well as diverse marine life ranging from small fish and harlequin shrimp to large pelagics
Pelagic fish
Pelagic fish live near the surface or in the water column of coastal, ocean and lake waters, but not on the bottom of the sea or the lake. They can be contrasted with demersal fish, which do live on or near the bottom, and reef fish which are associated with coral reefs.The marine pelagic...
like whale shark, manta ray, barracuda and grouper.
Discovery and Name
Richelieu Rock has been discovered by diving pioneer Jacques-Yves Cousteau with the help of local fishermen. The origin of the name is disputed. Some say it has been named by Cousteau after the red colour of Cardinal Richelieu's dress because of the red to purple colour of the soft corals on the reef. Others claim it was named after General RichelieuAndreas du Plessis de Richelieu
Andreas du Plessis de Richelieu was a Danish naval officer and businessman who became a Siamese admiral and minister of the navy...
, a commander in the Royal Thai Navy.
Location
The reef lies in the Andaman Sea, about 70 km west of Khao LakKhao Lak
Khao Lak ) is a seaside resort located in the Takua Pa district in the Phang Nga province, Thailand and popular as a departure point for liveaboard scuba diving trips to the Similan Islands....
in Thailand's Ralong province and about 18 km east of Surin island. There are no islands in the immediate vicinity of the reef.
Marine life
Partly due to its unique geology as a solitary pinnacle standing out from around 50 m depth to almost 30 m it is said to attract a variety of different pelagics of all different sizes. Reports claim regular appearance of snappers, bannerfish, lionfish, triggerfish and shovelnose rays.Several sources also report sightings of filter feeders like manta ray
Manta ray
The manta ray is the largest species of the rays. The largest known specimen was more than across, with a weight of about . It ranges throughout waters of the world, typically around coral reefs...
s, scavengers such as barracuda
Barracuda
The barracuda is a ray-finned fish known for its large size and fearsome appearance. Its body is long, fairly compressed, and covered with small, smooth scales. Some species could reach up to 1.8m in length and 30 cm in width...
s or larger predators like whale shark
Whale shark
The whale shark, Rhincodon typus, is a slow-moving filter feeding shark, the largest extant fish species. The largest confirmed individual had a length of and a weight of more than , but unconfirmed claims report considerably larger whale sharks...
s though fishing is said to have made their appearance less frequent.
Dive site
Richelieu Rock is considered by many to be one of Thailand's most iconic dive sitesDiving in Thailand
Scuba diving in Thailand is very popular. Thailand has some reefs and a number of shipwrecks. The number of divers coming to Thailand continues to increase year after year ....
. It is usually accessed by diving boats during several day cruises, as it is too far off the coast to be reached by usual dive boats. There are speedboats that can go to Richelieu Rock as a daytrip.