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Mv Trident

📍 Koh Tao, Thailand

Shoulderspot Wrasse (Leptojulis cyanopleura) — recorded at Mv Trident

Mv Trident is a dive site in Koh Tao, Thailand. Currents typically run at 0.6 km/h and reach 1.2 km/h on the strongest days. Water temperatures range from 28°C in January to 31°C in May. The typical daily tidal range is about 1.3 m. Species recorded in the area include Wire Coral Crab, Shoulderspot Wrasse, Moon Wrasse, Mourning Dorid and Unidentia aliciae.

Dive Conditions

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Current
0.6 km/h (1.2)
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Water Temp
28–31 °C

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Typical Current 0.6 km/h (up to 1.2)
Water Temperature 28–31 °C
Tidal Range 1.3 m (typical daily)
GPS 10.0598°, 99.8454°

Data sources: currents and water temperature from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values 2024. Tidal range is the median daily range of modelled sea level from Open-Meteo Marine, hourly values 2024. Species observations from iNaturalist, checked against the World Register of Marine Species.

Conditions at Mv Trident through the year

Sea surface temperature at the site coordinates, averaged per month from hourly model values for 2024. The water is warmest in May at about 31 °C and coolest in January at about 28 °C, a spread of 3.2 degrees across the year.

Monthly sea surface temperature at Mv Trident (°C)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
28.1 28.7 29.3 30.9 31.3 30.4 30.0 30.0 29.7 29.9 29.5 28.5

Ocean current at the site runs at a typical 0.6 km/h. In the strongest tenth of the hours modelled for 2024 it reaches 1.2 km/h, which is when entries are normally timed to slack water at the turn of the tide.

The tide moves the water level by a median 1.3 m over a day, and by up to 1.7 m on the largest days of the month. That range drives how much water is exchanged over the reef and when the current turns.

In the open sea off Mv Trident, the highest wave of the day exceeded 1.5 m on 3.2 % of days between 2015 and 2024. The roughest month was December (13 % of days), the calmest March (0 %). Land within 10 km blocks some of the directions these waves come from (open to about 54 % of them), so conditions at the site are likely calmer than these open-sea values.

Share of days with waves above 1.5 m, open sea near Mv Trident (%, 2015–2024)
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
8201012231513

Satellite habitat mapping places Mv Trident on an outer reef slope, over a seabed mapped as coral and algae.

How Mv Trident compares

These comparisons use only the measured values above, set against the 376 dive sites published on findadive.com. A percentage shows the share of other sites with a lower (or higher) value, so it reads the same way wherever the site is.

Mv Trident compared with all listed sites and with Koh Tao
MeasureThis siteCompared with all sitesMedian in Koh Tao
Mean water temperature29.7 °Cwarmer than 71 % of the other 375 sites29.7 °C (34 sites)
Water temperature in the coolest month28.1 °Ccooler than 54 % of the other 375 sites28.1 °C (34 sites)
Typical current0.6 km/hweaker than 88 % of the other 375 sites0.6 km/h (34 sites)
Current in the strongest 10 % of hours1.2 km/hweaker than 86 % of the other 375 sites1.2 km/h (34 sites)
Median daily tidal range1.3 msmaller than 69 % of the other 375 sites1.3 m (34 sites)

Water temperature, current and tide from Open-Meteo Marine (CC BY 4.0), hourly model values for 2024 at 10.0598°, 99.8454°. Wave statistics from ERA5-Ocean via Open-Meteo Marine (contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2015–2024), daily maximum wave height on a 0.5° grid; land shelter tested against Natural Earth coastlines. Reef structure and seabed cover from the Allen Coral Atlas © 2018–2023 Allen Coral Atlas Partnership and Arizona State University (CC BY 4.0).

Marine life recorded at this site

Research-grade observations from iNaturalist within about 12 km of these coordinates.

Wire Coral Crab (Xenocarcinus tuberculatus)
Wire Coral Crab Xenocarcinus tuberculatus A small, decorator crab that attaches bits of wire coral and other debris to its body for camouflage, making it look like a moving piece of coral.to 2 cm carapace · 10-40 m · day and nighton wire corals and gorgoniansLook for movement on wire coral branches; the crab's legs and body are often completely obscured by its camouflage. (c) portioid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Shoulderspot Wrasse (Leptojulis cyanopleura)
Shoulderspot Wrasse Leptojulis cyanopleura A slender wrasse with a pale body and a distinctive dark blue or black spot on the upper side just behind the gill cover.to 13 cm · 2-25 m · by daysandy areas near coral or rubble patchesWatch for it hovering just above the sand, darting down to feed; it often returns to the same spot. (c) portioid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Moon Wrasse (Thalassoma lunare)
Moon Wrasse Thalassoma lunare A colourful wrasse with a bright yellow crescent on the tail base, often seen swimming actively above the reef.to 45 cm · 1-20 m · by daycoral-rich areas of lagoons and seaward reefsWatch for its constant movement; it often darts into the water column to feed on plankton. (c) portioid, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Mourning Dorid (Jorunna funebris)
Mourning Dorid Jorunna funebris A nudibranch with a black body covered in small white or yellow spots, and a ring of black-tipped gills on its back.to 5 cm · 5-25 m · day and nightsponges on coral reefs and rocky slopesLook for its distinctive black and white pattern on sponges, its primary food source. (c) Tine Kinn Kvamme, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Unidentia aliciae (Unidentia aliciae)
Unidentia aliciae Unidentia aliciae A tiny, translucent sea slug with a white body and scattered orange-yellow spots, often seen crawling on algae or hydroids.to 1.5 cm · 5-20 m · day and nightalgae and hydroids on reef walls and slopesLook for its minute, bright spots on low-growing algae, especially in areas with mild current. (c) Tine Kinn Kvamme, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Indian Caloria (Caloria indica)
Indian Caloria Caloria indica A small nudibranch with a translucent white body covered in orange-tipped cerata, often seen crawling on hydroids.to 2 cm · 5-25 m · day and nighthydroid colonies on reef walls and overhangsLook closely on hydroid-covered surfaces; its colouration provides camouflage against its food source. (c) Tine Kinn Kvamme, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Tryon's Hypselodoris (Hypselodoris tryoni)
Tryon's Hypselodoris Hypselodoris tryoni A nudibranch with a white body and a network of purple lines, edged in yellow. The gills and rhinophores are orange.to 6 cm · 5-30 m · day and nightsponges on coral reefs and rubble slopesLook for its distinctive colour pattern on sponges, which are its food source; it moves slowly. (c) Tine Kinn Kvamme, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation
Varicose Wart Slug (Phyllidia varicosa)
Varicose Wart Slug Phyllidia varicosa A nudibranch with a black body covered in bright yellow or orange tubercles, often forming ridges. It has a distinctive pattern of yellow spots on its rhinophores and gills.to 12 cm · 5-40 m · day and nightcoral and rocky reefs, often on spongesLook for its bright warning colours on reef slopes and overhangs, often moving slowly across the substrate. (c) Tine Kinn Kvamme, some rights reserved (CC BY) · observation