manitou0304
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NOVEMBER 18-30 2007 INDONESIA Sorong--> Ambon
experience - >250 dives, 5+ liveaboards
In contra distinction I would give the Kararu Raja Ampah trip a good to v good review. Perhaps it is the perspective from which we enjoy our vacations ??
What has been previously written has truth. It is an old boat and there are leaks... but only when it rains, and torrentially rains ! And we are not talking buckets and significant discomfort. The able and efficient crew was on top of all items which need to be addressed while on the trip. (I may add that the other day there was a bucket to catch rain water from a leaky roof in the hospital where I work...) NO ONE experienced any discomfort...
As previously described, the boat is large and can accommodate many divers. What makes the trip is the diving experience and the fellowship which forms. The crew, professional photographer, and guides added greatly in making this trip well worth any mild inconveniences. There is a lot of spirit on board and we all had a wonderful time.
Individual items:
-rooms were comfortable and a bit dark. Bathrooms were old and needed work. (All bathrooms were re-done early 2008 - good improvement. Hopefully we will all learn to conserve water also...) Chocolate on your pillow at bedtime - nice perk. AC worked the whole trip !
-meals - different accent/culture each night. all good to v good. lots of carbohydrates... Suggest a last evening feast - a cut above foods.
-water temp 84-85 all the time.
-travel arrangements done by Kararu and done extremely well, even when flights needed to be changed...
-good library
-diving visibility v good 50-80 feet in places. the BEST and most beautiful hard and soft coral i have seen. vibrant for sure.
-observed: clown triggerfish protecting eggs, translucent shrimp, fimbrated clam, giant clams, brown eel plus the regulars, 2 species of sea snakes- sleep in caves on shore (!), boxtail squid-tiny blue, octipus - 8", unicorn fish, batfish-juvenile and adults, calico grouper, bannerfish, rainbow runners, fusiliers, soldier fish, snapper, frogfish-pigmy and giant, leaf fish, spiny balloon fish, rhinopius, flamboyant cuttlefish, porcupine fish, puffer, boxfish, mandarin, spotted sweetlipe -spotted black/white, lionfish, scorpion fish, pigmy seahorse, seahorses, pipefish (2-3), ghost pipefish, lobster crab
To summarize:
-well worth the trip and I would travel with this group again. Dive crew makes the trip, on all levels of service. The emphasis is on the quality of the diving, camaraderie, fellowship, cruising, accommodations-beds were comfortable. Yes the boat is old and fumes can be smelled, few roof leaks, and it creaks, etc. But to critique this boat as a bad trip is a disservice to those who want the adventure of exploring the Indonesian islands...
experience - >250 dives, 5+ liveaboards
In contra distinction I would give the Kararu Raja Ampah trip a good to v good review. Perhaps it is the perspective from which we enjoy our vacations ??
What has been previously written has truth. It is an old boat and there are leaks... but only when it rains, and torrentially rains ! And we are not talking buckets and significant discomfort. The able and efficient crew was on top of all items which need to be addressed while on the trip. (I may add that the other day there was a bucket to catch rain water from a leaky roof in the hospital where I work...) NO ONE experienced any discomfort...
As previously described, the boat is large and can accommodate many divers. What makes the trip is the diving experience and the fellowship which forms. The crew, professional photographer, and guides added greatly in making this trip well worth any mild inconveniences. There is a lot of spirit on board and we all had a wonderful time.
Individual items:
-rooms were comfortable and a bit dark. Bathrooms were old and needed work. (All bathrooms were re-done early 2008 - good improvement. Hopefully we will all learn to conserve water also...) Chocolate on your pillow at bedtime - nice perk. AC worked the whole trip !
-meals - different accent/culture each night. all good to v good. lots of carbohydrates... Suggest a last evening feast - a cut above foods.
-water temp 84-85 all the time.
-travel arrangements done by Kararu and done extremely well, even when flights needed to be changed...
-good library
-diving visibility v good 50-80 feet in places. the BEST and most beautiful hard and soft coral i have seen. vibrant for sure.
-observed: clown triggerfish protecting eggs, translucent shrimp, fimbrated clam, giant clams, brown eel plus the regulars, 2 species of sea snakes- sleep in caves on shore (!), boxtail squid-tiny blue, octipus - 8", unicorn fish, batfish-juvenile and adults, calico grouper, bannerfish, rainbow runners, fusiliers, soldier fish, snapper, frogfish-pigmy and giant, leaf fish, spiny balloon fish, rhinopius, flamboyant cuttlefish, porcupine fish, puffer, boxfish, mandarin, spotted sweetlipe -spotted black/white, lionfish, scorpion fish, pigmy seahorse, seahorses, pipefish (2-3), ghost pipefish, lobster crab
To summarize:
-well worth the trip and I would travel with this group again. Dive crew makes the trip, on all levels of service. The emphasis is on the quality of the diving, camaraderie, fellowship, cruising, accommodations-beds were comfortable. Yes the boat is old and fumes can be smelled, few roof leaks, and it creaks, etc. But to critique this boat as a bad trip is a disservice to those who want the adventure of exploring the Indonesian islands...
