written and photographed by Marc Bernardi
Nov 1998, Vol. 3 No. 2
What a BANG !!! As the engines of the boat ROARED to life, a rat-tat-tat of explosions loudly erupted from the direction of the bow, accompanied by a multitude of bright flashes of light. The odor of burning gunpowder fills the air. Were we under attack?
No, we were just experiencing the Thai tradition of launching a boat journey with a bang; the explosion of a string of several hundred firecrackers. When the smoke from the firecracker cleared, good-luck offerings were delivered to the deities, and the beginning of our scuba diving adventure was off with a blast.