Richelieu Rock
Richelieu Rock (called Hin Plo Naam in Thai) is a dive site in Thailand in the Andaman Sea about from the mainland. It is part of the Mu Ko Surin National Park although being about east of Ko Surin Tai. There are no islands in the immediate vicinity of the reef. The limestone pinnacle rises from the sea floor of about above the surface at low tide. The horseshoe-shaped reef 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 and manta ray. Discovery and name It was named after Admiral Richelieu, a commander in the Royal Thai Navy, supported by the existence of official Navy maps mentioning Richelieu Rock from the early 1900s. Richelieu was the first person to complete a hydrographic survey of the Andaman Sea including the area in question. Some – falsely – state – that Richelieu Rock was discovered as a recreational diving site by diving pioneer, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, with the help of local fishermen and was named by him after the red colour of Cardinal Richelieu's robe due to the red to purple colours of the soft corals on