Uncle Pug goes to Fiji ~ discussion thread open for posting

[Mako Mark]

All you need to know is that there are two types of food in Fiji, Kana Dina (real food), and Kana Doi (other food),.

As far as diving, imagine you are diving in some naff quarry with Mike F, but on acid...

(oh the colours... the colours..... Mike, you look sooooooooo faaaaaaar away....)



.

 

[sea nmf]

No need to "cope". I did the majority of my diving (first 10 years) in your area. You will just adapt to diving warm. It will feel like diving nekkid. You have experience with deep, currents, rough seas, etc. in your area so you will only need to adjust your weight belt.

If you don't have a wet suit, buy a skin. If you don't get cold in your dry suit on those hour-long dives in the PNW, you won't get cold in Fiji in a skin. But you should have some sort of exposure protection.

Have a wonderful time and please post a trip report when you return. Fiji is on my 2005 trip schedule.

 

[humanFish]

Sheesh.... I need real advice here folks.... how am I going to cope with warm water when all my experience is with cold water low viz!

I'm kinda partial to #441.

5 mil suit, no hood...whatever flambouyant color you choose. Minimal weighting/proper weighting is essential for your safety. Fiji currents can be wild and ripping, so pay attention to the DM's advice and take it easy in current situations. Bring a safety sausage and other of surface signalling devices such as a horn, light, or mirror....being that currents are swift you don't want to be left drifting.....

expect to see some great soft corals and plenty of whitetip sharks.....

learn to say "Bula" = hello, good morning, night, afternoon etc
learn to say "vinaka" = thank you

drink fiji bitter and plenty of Kava

As for coping with warm water and excellent vis....I have no sympathies for you.

do you know where you'll be diving? Bligh water, somosoma strait, yellow wall, etc..????

 

[MikeFerrara]

(oh the colours... the colours..... Mike, you look sooooooooo faaaaaaar away....)



.

LOL. I wonder if you have any idea just how far.

 

[Spectre]

Assuming the water is 80ish? I'd wear a 3 mil, stailess backplate and my diverite fins (cuz they fit my feet and they're pretty good).

I'd still bring a dry suit though because I get tired of being wet, get cold in the shower and with very light clothes on underneath I find it comfortable even in warm water.

I'm with you 100%. I only get a couple wet dives in before I remember I hate diving wet. I'm cooler in a trilam w/ no underwear than a 3mm anyway. And then there is the whole 'new tricks' issue... In another thread just today I commented that I see it a lot like driving an automatic rental car when you usually drive a standard. Sure it's technically easier, but you still freak out when you can't find the clutch

And of course the jetfins fit a hell of a lot better on my drysuit.

Pug. A few things to remember. Those big fish are still a long swim away. Going until you can't see the surface could definately get you further than 10 feet. When someone says the vis is bad you'll be psyched.

And finally... no; it just feels like you peed in your suit.

 

[pennypue]

I'm kinda partial to #441.

A lovely choice. I'm sure you will be stunning as a 'Tahiti Sweetie'.

Now just remember, you're not nar'd just because the fish are pretty, only when they are talking to you.
:fish: :goldfish: :fish:

 

[GDI]

Sheesh.... I need real advice here folks.... how am I going to cope with warm water when all my experience is with cold water low viz!

I'm kinda partial to #441.

3mm suit is all you will need. Take your normal instrumentation and reg set up That way you can go single or dual cylinder. Have fun, think of us send pics

Bon Voyage Mon ami

 

[Paul Evans]

UP, You can't tell us, after so long and so much experince, you hav'nt dived WARM

I NEVER THOUGHT THIS WOULD HAPPEN

So, My advice

1. 3 mil shorty

2. Mares Poodle Jacket

3. Mares Regs, with a standard hose

Look, who gives a dam, ENJOY.


The Colours will blow you'r mind

 

[Doc Intrepid]

Sheesh.... I need real advice here folks.... how am I going to cope with warm water when all my experience is with cold water low viz!

Do a "Search", dammit!!

<Sorry, couldn't resist...>

Never been there, but been to Palau... don't take many clothes, 'cause they don't much matter. Use those you do take to pad your lights and camera stuff. I'd carry on your reg, (and your light if you can, but leave some serious time to explain to the security dudes what it is). (If you put it in checked luggage one tip I thought was good was to take a page from a catalog that shows your light, wrap it around the battery cannister with a rubber band, so when they're wondering what the heck it is they've got pictures there to assist...)

Oh, and your turtles won't fit there without your Rock Boots! Better get a set of pink splits or something (We want pictures...)

 

[Michael Schlink]

Come on folks he needs help
UP-Mike may be right you could take your drysuit assuming it's a trilam, if it's neoprene that might be a bit too much. I just came back from Indo. and the water was cold so I wish i had taken my dry. With that said you should be fine in a 3 mil 1 pc. I typically dive in a 1 mil with a 2 mil vest and I'm very comfortable. You BP/W will serve you well but I usually dive a DR tranII with a 30lb wing. You know how to weight yourself so we don't need to go into that.
Travelling in the current state of affairs involves a fair bit of waiting sometimes. Take a couple fun paperbacks and leave them in Fiji when you're done with them. Pack as light as you can. I always wear a pair of khaki "zippy pants' (shorts with zip on legs) some comfortable "hawaiian' style shirts 100% cotton of course. Airplane food= little snicker bars, twizzlers licorice, hard candies-A lady brought a 5 lb tub of twizzlers and was the hero of the boat, I was on a liitle island east of Alor and started handing out candy to the kids and you would of thought I was Santa. Most recently I was on Sumbawa and went into a store and bought up all the ice cream cups, i started walking around handing the ice cream out to the kids. My wife had a blast and some kids got a treat that they rarely if ever see.
Dive lights for night diving- the waters viz is really spectacular so a little light should be plenty-please don't bother with a canister light. I use a Prin. Tec Surge, works great. I have bigger lights but they're overkill. You don't need gloves, I do wear a "beenie" to keep my bald head warm, and if it's hot out I wear a hat or a bandana to keep from frying my brain.
Small knife or cutting tool, won't get used
I think I read a post of yours about a magnifying glass?? take that, very cool for macro critters!
Try to pack your bags to weigh no more than 50lbs if you can- Be sure everything has wheels. Carry-on your regs, mask, computer, meds, a change of clothes, and a book to read. I throw in a couple more(books) in my dive bag
Digital camera, if you can, film is a pain in the a@*
Those little blow up neck pillows for the plane ride
My wife and I have the Bose noise cancelling head phones-very cool-for the plane
I always carry a small(gap) spool and 6' sausage so I can send it up early. A buddy and I got seriously blown off a reef last month, hard and fast in a current that wasn't going to be swam against. I pulled out my trusty smb/spool popped it up and went with it for a while. the boat tenders saw where we were headed so we made a bit of a blue water dive before surfacing plus the boat tender always knew where we were so we took our time coming up. It works just the same like shooting a bag on a tech dive but you have to let them know beforehand 'cause they're not always up to speed on some of the things we do these days.
Ohyea-Insurance- the airline intl. travel baggage ins. won't cover much, check with your homeowners ins.- I've seen some grown men crying over this one.
I hope this helps-Please feel free to PM- Glad to help