the truk Odyssey boat not for newbies??

Ok my LDS is offering a liveaboard on the Oddessy to Truk? Jan1-10th now the cost is around $4,900 pp airfare inclu...and someone on this board said the Oddessy boat is mostly wreak diving deep and not for new divers..and air hogs...so is this a crazy trip for a newbie? and how does the LDS owner get to go to all these trips?? how does he afford this? does he get a profit from these trips? I mean the LDS does not look that busy? But anyway...I've never even been in saltwater, just local spring lakes so this sounded fun! but the price is not that fun! do you think trips to cozumel and a hotel would be a better way to go?

Ladyvalea:

Ok my LDS is offering a liveaboard on the Oddessy to Truk? Jan1-10th now the cost is around $4,900 pp airfare inclu...and someone on this board said the Oddessy boat is mostly wreak diving deep and not for new divers..and air hogs...so is this a crazy trip for a newbie? and how does the LDS owner get to go to all these trips?? how does he afford this? does he get a profit from these trips? I mean the LDS does not look that busy? But anyway...I've never even been in saltwater, just local spring lakes so this sounded fun! but the price is not that fun! do you think trips to cozumel and a hotel would be a better way to go?

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Hmm....this is a difficult question to answer. Why? Because I just went to Truk aboard the Odyssey this summer and I loved it and thought it was great fun but I'm not sure if it's for everybody.

First, it was an amazing trip. But most of the people in our group were very experienced wreck/cave divers used to doing longer and deeper deco dives. But we also had a few people who also liked to just look at the pretty fishies, too.

Our party booked 13 out of 16 spots on the boat so we had a decent group discount. Even with the discount, my fiancee and I both ended up paying ~$5,000-$5,500 each -- this included the cost of the trip, round trip airfare, tip, and other odds and ends (I needed new luggage and a passport, we got shirts from the Odyssey, we did a tour on the island, payment for a hotel room on the island for a night, etc). With that being said, I'm betting that if your LDS owner is making any money, it isn't much.


It is fairly easy diving -- you're in a relatively sheltered/protected lagoon, although don't be fooled by the word "lagoon" (I was!) I was expecting something where I could see the sides of the lagoon. Nope, it's probably ~50 miles wide. The water is warm (a solid 85F at all depths we dove) and the vis was usually excellent.

However, every dive my fiancee and I did (except for two) were in the 80-110ft range. On most of those we could have easily gone to 130-140. One dive was slightly shallower, in the 55-60ft range, and one was much deeper with a max for us just beyond 160ft, while some went to ~180ft. Obviously those deeper dives are not appropriate for someone of your experience level.



I usually never recommend this, but if you feel uncomfortable you can get a guide to go with you. They are very knowledgeable about each wreck and can show you around. They might want you to go on some overhead penetration dives to the engine rooms of the wrecks but again, I wouldn't recommend any of that for you right now. There is an amazing ABUNDANCE of life on the outside of each wreck -- enough to keep you occupied forever without even considering going inside.



Pros:

• $4,900 isn't a bad price if airfare is included.
• Amazing wrecks and marine life
• GREAT crew, great lodging, and nice food aboard the Odyssey. Even the briefings were good.

Cons:

• You might be a bit too new to diving to really appreciate the trip. Chances are you're still getting comfortable in the water, so yours dives might be shorter than usual due to higher air consumption. Then again, air/nitrox is "all you can eat" included in the price of the trip so use as much as you want.
• The Odyssey is booked solid through 2011.
• You WILL end up spending way more than $4,900 if you include all the incidental costs.

Good luck with your decision...

Ladyvalea:

Ok my LDS is offering a liveaboard on the Oddessy to Truk? Jan1-10th now the cost is around $4,900 pp airfare inclu...and someone on this board said the Oddessy boat is mostly wreak diving deep and not for new divers..and air hogs...so is this a crazy trip for a newbie? and how does the LDS owner get to go to all these trips?? how does he afford this? does he get a profit from these trips? I mean the LDS does not look that busy? But anyway...I've never even been in saltwater, just local spring lakes so this sounded fun! but the price is not that fun! do you think trips to cozumel and a hotel would be a better way to go?

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yes, it is ALL wreck diving, ALL deep diving, and probably not the best trip for a new diver. You should look at the Coz trip instead.

Just my 2 cents.

robin

The best dives at Chuuk are the penetrations - and there's plenty of easy ones with lots of light throughout. Almost all dives will have them - and if you don't have the basic skills to enjoy that, and just want to sit on the outside of the wreak looking at the pretty fish, then I dont really see the point of going to Chuuk.

As Robin and Sparticle point out the diving gets better the deeper you go, and theres not a lot above 60 ft except a few small boats and planes (which are done as the second or third dive of the day).

Also - Chuuk is one of the best dive sites in the world, and the Oddessy is a fantastic liveaboard: diving there first will spoil you and make further dive holidays seem tame.

I would dive locally and cozumel first.

Cheers,
Rohan.

Ladyvalea:

and how does the LDS owner get to go to all these trips?? how does he afford this? does he get a profit from these trips? I mean the LDS does not look that busy?

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The dive resort or liveaboard is almost certainly comping your LDS owner for the cost of his diving and lodging (but probably not the airfare), as payment for the other x number of divers he is sending them. Its a common practice. You get an organized trip through the LDS, and he gets a freebie.

Tassie_Rohan:

The best dives at Chuuk are the penetrations - and there's plenty of easy ones with lots of light throughout. Almost all dives will have them - and if you don't have the basic skills to enjoy that, and just want to sit on the outside of the wreak looking at the pretty fish, then I dont really see the point of going to Chuuk.

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I'm not 100% sure I agree. We did some penetration diving and saw an engine room or two, but really -- the outsides of the ships are beautiful. I was perfectly happy staying outside most of the time.

There were only really a few times that I enjoyed the overheads, and that was when we were in the HUGE cavernous cargo areas of the ships that are on their sides. Amazing to be in there, turn back, and see the light. Also, the one wreck with the torpedo hole that leads to the cargo hold -- amazing.


While plenty of people go specifically for the penetration aspect of these wrecks I don't believe it is necessary to enjoy the trip.

Thanks...My LDS certified me and my son....and he said that he would babysit me and my 15 yoson while we dive and take care to swim with us and be a basic tour guide in the water...I trust his experience, but I really do not want to penetrate anything. I just want to see pretty fish, sharks turtles...sea life. so I'm still not sure about this trip...

My thought is that it's a little too soon for you to be doing Truk. Even if you don't penetrate (which you shouldn't) there's the depths and probably your air consumption to consider. Also if you go really good places in the Pacific, the Caribbean may be a letdown. Might want to spend some time in the Caribbean first before enjoying the Pacific.

My other (cynical) thought is that your LDS might be a little too concerned with filling their trip and not enough whether it's appropriate for you. (And how old is your son?)

I agree with you Sparticle - the wreaks don't have to be entered to be enjoyed. However being comfortable with basic swim-throughs and diving at depths in the 80 to 140 range (or even deeper...) would really open up some great tours of the wreaks, and turn a good trip into something truly fantastic.


If I was only interested in 'pretty fish, sharks and turtles' Chuuk is definitely not where I would go.

Cheers,
Rohan.

Damselfish:

My thought is that it's a little too soon for you to be doing Truk. Even if you don't penetrate (which you shouldn't) there's the depths and probably your air consumption to consider. Also if you go really good places in the Pacific, the Caribbean may be a letdown. Might want to spend some time in the Caribbean first before enjoying the Pacific.

My other (cynical) thought is that your LDS might be a little too concerned with filling their trip and not enough whether it's appropriate for you. (And how old is your son?)

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Hi, My son is 15 yo ....so are you saying that the Pacific islands have more to offer in fish and beauty? then the Caribbean? Wow...now it makes me want to go see the Pacific islands. "can you tell me how its better? I always thought the Pacific and Caribbean looked the same? Yep, your probably right about filling the trip...but my LDS will know I'll bug the heck out of him to dive with me so I can hold his hand...I'll drive him crazy...and its not like he can hide from me on a boat!