Truk Lagoon (Bucket List)

[Doubler]

I bought my first computer just before I went to Socorro, it died on the first dive. Buy a backup second hand as it could save your vacation. I missed a whole day of diving and dove tables the rest of the trip. How is your use of tables for doing deco diving, just sayin. There is a used Oceanic Pro plus 2 for sale on the board. They are great for older divers as they have large digits.

The San Francisco Maru is the last dive of the trip. It is known as the million dollar wreck as it has tanks, trucks, torpedoes and 18 inch shells. The deck is at 165 feet. Average depth on this dive is 175 to 180.

 

[Handy99]

I don't really intend to do any intentional deco dives unless accompanied by at DM which I understand are willingly to be there to help. But being where there are so many things to see in deeper waters I have no fear or feel uncomfortable doing so, just never did get into any such dives as there wasn't any need around here in these waters. I see your location is basically the same water conditions as mine, cold and dark. I understand the San Francisco Maru dive is basically at the end of the trip, so if I have to even hold (not serious)the DM hand to have this experience I'll swallow my pride to fulfill and check off another thing on my bucket list. As I said before I'll probably take a nitrox course here or even one onboard which would help a little with should increase the no deco times. Being on a budget is going to hamper a secondary computer coming along so if the first one craps out....yup, it going to be the tables. What thickness of a wetsuit did you take,3mm or 5mm?Thanks for the help and letting me pick your brain for info.Did you photo's or video?

 

[RJP]

I don't really intend to do any intentional deco dives unless accompanied by at DM which I understand are willingly to be there to help. But being where there are so many things to see in deeper waters I have no fear or feel uncomfortable doing so, just never did get into any such dives as there wasn't any need around here in these waters. I see your location is basically the same water conditions as mine, cold and dark. I understand the San Francisco Maru dive is basically at the end of the trip, so if I have to even hold (not serious)the DM hand to have this experience I'll swallow my pride to fulfill and check off another thing on my bucket list. As I said before I'll probably take a nitrox course here or even one onboard which would help a little with should increase the no deco times. Being on a budget is going to hamper a secondary computer coming along so if the first one craps out....yup, it going to be the tables. What thickness of a wetsuit did you take,3mm or 5mm?Thanks for the help and letting me pick your brain for info.Did you photo's or video?

Head over to the "Pacific Island" sub-forum and look for the thread by the guy who also wanted to check the SF Maru off his bucket list without proper training. He also got to check "getting bent" and "re-compression chamber ride" off his bucket list as well. There's plenty of other wrecks in the Lagoon to see that are just as good as the SF Maru, to be quite honest. And on those wrecks you can spend a good long time checking them out... as opposed to doing a "touch and go" to 175fsw.

Odyssey has computers for rent, so that's an option for a backup.

Not sure what good you think holding the guide's hand is going to do you. (Note - they are "guides" not DM's. I love those guys and have done many dives with them, but I'd be surprised if any of them are actually certified to be quite honest.)

 

[Handy99]

As I said, holding the DM's hand was a figure of speech. Not my first rodeo. I imagine those Odyssey guys have done more dives safely on those wrecks than anyone on this forum with a out being certified as you surprisingly think. Thanks for the Odyssey computer rental info, that would be another way to go instead investing in another computer.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Having been to Chuuk 6 times, I would recommend diving with Blue Lagoon. Spend the same amount of money as on the liveaboard, but you can stay a lot longer and do a similar number of dives. Advantage? You are not pushing the envelope, only doing two dives a day. You can also see many more different wrecks. For the money that it will cost for one week on a boat, you can get about 2.5 weeks on land.

My two cents worth.

 

[Handy99]

Thanks for your suggestion. Ya, if I had the time I probably would do the couple week trip but not having it sounds like the Odyssey is the most convenient way for me to go. I see that you being from Sydney must make it a fairly close destination, is that so? Thanks again, I appreciate it.

 

[DebtheDiver]

The odyssey is fantastic. We went 2 years ago. My son did the San Francisco - 176' - on a single tank. I think he had 10 minutes or so on the wreck. He's young, strong, very healthy and doesn't use a lot of air. Everyone else had doubles. Most of us, though, did an alternate dive -- they give you so many choices to dive, that by the time the San Francisco dive comes along, you won't feel badly if you opt out. I went on the trip thinking I'd try the San Francisco, and didn't hesitate a minute to go on the other dive instead.

You MUST have a backup computer. You must. Rent one from your local dive shop for the week. I don't recall the Odyssey having any extra computers on board. But you can't just switch from a computer to tables or another computer - they'll make you wait 24 hours (those were our captain's rules, and he was firm about this). So you have to be diving 2 computers the whole time in order to have a backup. If you're forced to wait 24 hours, that's quite an expense to endure for not bringing a second computer. We each owned our own computer and then each rented one for the 10 days we were gone. Since we booked through our local dive shop, they were very willing to rent us computers to take as backups. My son's did crap out, so he did end up having to go to his backup. And you do not want to dive tables - much to conservative for this experience.

I know the Blue Lagoon is cheaper, but we really really loved being on the Odyssey.

We spent 3 days in Hawaii on the way out (I highly recommend this, and you can make this happen fairly cheaply) and then the way back was straight through.


btw, I'm a single mom and funds are always tight. We saved (for my son - think paper routes and cutting lawns; for me - counting every penny and lots of mac & cheese) for 4 years, and I still had to use a credit card that I just finished paying off. Totally worth it. I feel that if we could find a way to get there, anybody can.

---------- Post added May 3rd, 2013 at 10:27 PM ----------

Odyssey temps - we started the week using dive skins and ended the week diving in swim suits. You won't need 3 mm or 5 mm.

 

[Handy99]

Thanks Deb for the reply. I'll definitely rent or borrow another computer. I just found out another buddy of mine is going on the Odyssey in June so I'll be able to interrogate him when he gets back. Ya the price for the trip is pretty substantial but has you did, I'll be saving every nickel and dime. Plan on going end of 2014 or beginning 2015. Do you actually have to dive with two computer with you or just have the backup ready in case the first bites the dust. If one does break down and you go to your back up what do you do then? Now you don't have another backup if that one goes down? After your last day on the Odyssey, was there any no fly time involved? Once again thanks

 

[Doubler]

You must dive with both computers so that they have the same information, depth, time, deco, sit etc. Leaving one in the bag and diving it when the other one dies is an invitation for a chamber ride. I also recommend staying over a day in Hawaii and Guam.

On the last day you will get dropped off at the Blue Lagoon Resort about 1000 and stay there until about 2200. Rent a day room. As I recall the flight for Guam leaves at 200. Be prepared the airport is very third world.

 

[Handy99]

Thanks Doubler, are you saying an overnighter at the Blue Lagoon Resort? What is the reason for the one day stay over in Hawaii and Guam ? Just to chill or some other reason? Thanks again