Racha Yai – Marla’s Mystery Marla’s Mystery – Great little story behind this wreck dive. A legend of the Phuket dive industry Mike Stark, about ten years ago decided that he would sink an old boat for a wreck dive.
So he went around the old breakers yard just outside of Phuket Town looking for the perfect vessel to use.
Racha Yai is also fantastic for doing the PADI Open Water and Advanced Courses including Wreck diving here too… Continue Reading…
A little bit about Mike is that he was the original dive instructor working out of Racha Yai. He ran his own business from there, back then there was hardly any infrastructure on the island at all and get this, he would use a water buffalo to transport the tanks from the boat to the compressor room in order for them to be filled. Now that’s dedication for you.
Anyhow, while walking around the breakers yard, he stumbled upon an old and rusting hull, which had been lying there for almost 15 years, if not more. This old tub was once used as a smuggling vessel and after being confiscated from its original owner was left to rot in the yard.
Mike saw an opportunity and took a chance, he paid the shipyard fees, had the old boat patched up for it and then had it towed out to Racha Yai where it was sunk and Marla’s Mystery was born and the rest as they say, is between the Devil and the deep blue sea.
Now over 10 years later Marla’s is turning into a fantastic artificial reef, it is attracting all sorts of marine life including large schools of fish, which in turn use it as a hatchery for their young, which then means, as harsh as it sounds, FOOD for the bigger fish in the area. Such is life on the reef.
The wreck has an open hull, so it is a great venue to do the wreck specialty course, and also as part of the adventure diver course too.
When you dive here you may notice some debris scattered around on the bottom, that debris will be the old bath tubs that were used as part of Marla’s first year anniversary celebration of its sinking, the tubs were used as part of a surface to the bottom race. Marla’s Mystery sure has a history why not come along and meet her.
Dive Tips
- Max depth: 35 metres
- Level of difficulty: Advanced
- Visibility: 10 – 30m / 33 – 100ft.
- Current: Weak to moderate
- Special features: Amazing fish life
Quick tip: Perfect for wreck courses
Racha YaiDive Sites:
- Homerun
- Lucy’s Reef
- Marla’s Mystery
- Siam Bay
- Bungalow Bay
