R4 post covid

[scubajunky17]

Just had a beautiful dive at Lau Lau which has restored some faith in R4.

 

[paolobl65]

Just had a beautiful dive at Lau Lau which has restored some faith in R4.

hello ,
are you in resort or live aboard ?
how is the visibility ?
water temperature ?
many thanks
( I'm coming next week .. ! )

 

[scubajunky17]

Just had another epic dive in R4, looks like I spoke too soon, hitting the dives right, two stunning dives today.

 

[scubajunky17]

hello ,
are you in resort or live aboard ?
how is the visibility ?
water temperature ?
many thanks
( I'm coming next week .. ! )

Land based,
30c/ 29c
Viz pretty decent
Two epic dives today.

 

[JustinJRL]

How was the rest of your trip? August is considered low season (no mantas yet, rougher crossings?) But I understand that visibility and overall diving has little to do with the time of year and more just the ebbs and flows of plankton etc.

 

[scubajunky17]

I'm still here, you can still have some mind-blowing dives if you get the timing right.
Blue Magic has been effected by a fishing net and Cape Cri is not what it was but I have still had some epic dives on other sites.
The big school of bumperhead parrot fish 50+ has been fished during covid.
I've still had an amazing time.

 

[scubajunky17]

So I have finished my trip and after a slow start I have to say I have had some of the best dives of my life in the last month, two of them being in my top dives I have ever done with 480 dives and trips to French Polynesia, Galapagos, Palau, Komodo, that is saying something.​

I couldn't speak after one dive for about ten minutes as I was emotionally overwhelmed.​

My third time in Raja and not my last, diving with the locals who know the reefs and named the sites, can't wait to come back.​

 

[JustinJRL]

Any tips for those of us planning to return in the next year or so? Where were your best dives? I was hoping to do fully land based on kri next time around, also going early in the season like you have.

 

[scubajunky17]

Happy to provide tips after my third time there. Don't want to be accused of advertising though so pm me for details.

But in general diving was better around the new moon and slack water.
Liveaboard not necessary, most dive sites are 15 mins from Kri island which is paradise itself.
Some sites are not worth diving in the afternoon, saw some jokers from Waisai who did a second dive at hour house reef on a two tank trip and paid 90 Euro for that dive which is tragic because there are so many places one can dive.
Sunset slack dives can be mind-blowing.