Kevster
Contributor
Chuuk & Palau Trip Report
Chuuk 13-20th Apr 08 Odyssey Liveaboard.
My 1st Live aboard and I was very impressed. Dive operation was very well organised. 4 dives a day as I did not do any of the night dives (22 dives total).
Done approx 13 different wrecks during the week.
Food & accom were great. I had a single room with large bathroom.
Highlight was the shark dive on the outer reef, betty bomber, Fujikawa Maru.
Liveaboard is the best way to do Chuuk, although the main hotel on Chuuk is nice there is very little else to do & see. Most wrecks are very close to Weno, but it was great diving off the liveaboard, so easy. Vessel moored at each wreck and then just jump in. Viss was not great. Only done 2 penetrations with the guide. Generally 1 or 2 guides were available for each dive however they were mainly there to guide the penetration dives. The major downside to travelling alone was I was not buddied up with any other diver. Generally they were happy to let people dive solo. I always tried to stay close by other divers however there were times during the week I was a considerable distance from the nearest diver. I found this a little uncomfortable at first. Was not sure if this is the normal for a liveaboard operation as all other divers were very experienced.
Was expensive but well worth it.
Palau 22-30th Apr Eco Explorer (Flexi Liveaboard 4 nights) & Sams
Eco Explorer definitely not as luxurious as the Odyssey but I enjoyed the Eco Explorer more. I had a room on the C deck. Bathroom was very small. Was a bit noisy However food & dive guides were great. Only 14 onboard so there was lots of room. I think the boat can accom up to 32. Diving was done from 1 tender so it was a bit crammed getting to the dive sites but generally it only took 5-10 mins to get to the sites. Dive gear stayed on the tendor. Only gripe was the lack of safe camera area on the dive tenders. There was a floor space near the driver for cameras but was not really safe. Seeing sharks on practically every dive was incredible.
Unfortunately I joined the liveaboard 2 dives after the group saw a whale shark at Blue corner. Also not much current on any of the dives. No real need to hook in.
5 dives a day, sea conditions very calm. Blue corner, blue holes, Ulong channel & Chandeller caves were my favourites. Unfortunately Peleliu was a bit of a no show as there was no current.
Ulong channel was the best dive as the guides timed it to perfection. Diving at approx 17.00 when the current was into the basin. Stayed at mouth watching the sharks for 10-15 mins then enjoyed the ride into the basin with the incoming tide. Great fun dive.
Sams
2 Dive days. 1st day was ok. Ulong channel was no way as good diving at 11.00 , bad viss diving at slack tide. This is one advantage of the liveaboards. 2nd day done Virgin Blue hole, blue hole with Blue Corner & new drop off. Great day diving. The guides and crew were great fun. However then did not tell us where we were diving until 10 mins before each dive.
1 day rock Island/snorkelling tour was great. Saw Nautilus!!!, 50 black tip reef sharks while snorkelling at beach during lunch stop(sharks were feed the leftovers) and then jellyfish lake which was amazing. Also saw a 10ft tiger shark in German channel. Amazing day. Best day of my trip.
Overall- Best diving I have done. Palau was amazing & I am already planning to return in Nov/Dec. The variety of diving in Palau was great; drift, walls, reef, caves, wrecks. Definitely recommend Palau & the Eco Explorer. Doing the flexi liveaboard & then land based was great.
Chuuk 13-20th Apr 08 Odyssey Liveaboard.
My 1st Live aboard and I was very impressed. Dive operation was very well organised. 4 dives a day as I did not do any of the night dives (22 dives total).
Done approx 13 different wrecks during the week.
Food & accom were great. I had a single room with large bathroom.
Highlight was the shark dive on the outer reef, betty bomber, Fujikawa Maru.
Liveaboard is the best way to do Chuuk, although the main hotel on Chuuk is nice there is very little else to do & see. Most wrecks are very close to Weno, but it was great diving off the liveaboard, so easy. Vessel moored at each wreck and then just jump in. Viss was not great. Only done 2 penetrations with the guide. Generally 1 or 2 guides were available for each dive however they were mainly there to guide the penetration dives. The major downside to travelling alone was I was not buddied up with any other diver. Generally they were happy to let people dive solo. I always tried to stay close by other divers however there were times during the week I was a considerable distance from the nearest diver. I found this a little uncomfortable at first. Was not sure if this is the normal for a liveaboard operation as all other divers were very experienced.
Was expensive but well worth it.
Palau 22-30th Apr Eco Explorer (Flexi Liveaboard 4 nights) & Sams
Eco Explorer definitely not as luxurious as the Odyssey but I enjoyed the Eco Explorer more. I had a room on the C deck. Bathroom was very small. Was a bit noisy However food & dive guides were great. Only 14 onboard so there was lots of room. I think the boat can accom up to 32. Diving was done from 1 tender so it was a bit crammed getting to the dive sites but generally it only took 5-10 mins to get to the sites. Dive gear stayed on the tendor. Only gripe was the lack of safe camera area on the dive tenders. There was a floor space near the driver for cameras but was not really safe. Seeing sharks on practically every dive was incredible.
Unfortunately I joined the liveaboard 2 dives after the group saw a whale shark at Blue corner. Also not much current on any of the dives. No real need to hook in.
5 dives a day, sea conditions very calm. Blue corner, blue holes, Ulong channel & Chandeller caves were my favourites. Unfortunately Peleliu was a bit of a no show as there was no current.
Ulong channel was the best dive as the guides timed it to perfection. Diving at approx 17.00 when the current was into the basin. Stayed at mouth watching the sharks for 10-15 mins then enjoyed the ride into the basin with the incoming tide. Great fun dive.
Sams
2 Dive days. 1st day was ok. Ulong channel was no way as good diving at 11.00 , bad viss diving at slack tide. This is one advantage of the liveaboards. 2nd day done Virgin Blue hole, blue hole with Blue Corner & new drop off. Great day diving. The guides and crew were great fun. However then did not tell us where we were diving until 10 mins before each dive.
1 day rock Island/snorkelling tour was great. Saw Nautilus!!!, 50 black tip reef sharks while snorkelling at beach during lunch stop(sharks were feed the leftovers) and then jellyfish lake which was amazing. Also saw a 10ft tiger shark in German channel. Amazing day. Best day of my trip.
Overall- Best diving I have done. Palau was amazing & I am already planning to return in Nov/Dec. The variety of diving in Palau was great; drift, walls, reef, caves, wrecks. Definitely recommend Palau & the Eco Explorer. Doing the flexi liveaboard & then land based was great.
