Felip Vandevyvere

By Connie Levett
January 2, 2005
Felip Vandevyvere

Felip Vandevyvere
Photo: Supplied

Felip Vandevyvere, a Belgian dive master, had worked on Similan Island dive sites, near Phuket, for more than two years.

He knew something was up when he arrived at the first Similan dive site on Boxing Day.

"It was 10.45. The sea was calm but I could see a rock out of the water which was normally 12 metres below the surface. What was very strange was the ocean was its normal deep blue but there were three or four circles of greeny-yellow water, about 30 metres across, that were bubbling.

"As we watched, the water slowly rose back over the rock. It was gradual, there was no surge. We didn't dive because the circles made visibility too poor.

"Only about 15 minutes later did we start getting reports about the wave. But we didn't feel it.

"We spent the night on the water because the navy had blocked the harbour. It was calm. No one was scared."