Crystal Divers vs. Taveuni

[reubencahn]

For those who have dove both with Crystal Divers and on Taveuni, how do the two compare? I'm thinking about doing a week with Crystal Divers followed by a week at Maravu. Would I be disappointed with diving on Taveuni after Crystal Divers? Also, is there anything to do at Wananavu in the afternoons?

[DocVikingo]

I think you'll enjoy that split.

Each area has it's own special sites, and both are well worth diving. I'd be very much surprized if you were disappointed with such Taveuni sites as Great White Wall, Great Yellow Wall, Noel's Reef, Annie's Bommies, Rainbow Reef, and others.

No, there is little or nothing to do in the immediate vicinity of Wananavu after the diving is done.

BTW, please say hello to my old friend Dan Grenier at Crystal Divers. It might get you an invite to his place for homemade Chicago style pizza.

Have fun.

DocVikingo

[peterjmaerz]

Hi There.

Had direct experience with both areas this past April, though I dove with Ra Divers rather than Crystal. Though there were extenuating circumstances (see *long* trip report at http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=26957&highlight=fiji+trip+report ) , for my money Taveuni with Garden Island Resort and AquaTrek was by far the better of the two in terms of diving. The sites Doc mentions are all killer, as is "blue ribbon" though the current can be a bit daunting at times at any of these sites. The setting on Taveuni is idyllic as well.
Neither Wananavu nor Taveuni have much in the way of activities, though Taveuni has much more in the way of hiking opportunities. Wananavu is in an unforested, grassy, hilly region far from the more populated areas. The very lush surroundings of the resort itself are the result of entirely hand-cultivating and hand-planting almost every living plant and tree. There is a wonderful pool at Wananavu which is a great place to chill after your dives. There are also small beaches for sunning (not swimming) and the porches on the ocean-view burres are fine places to read or gaze out on the water.
Have a great trip!

[donacheson]

peterjmaerz once bubbled...
Hi There.

Had direct experience with both areas this past April, though I dove with Ra Divers rather than Crystal. ...

Crystal Divers offers a much broader, and much more exciting, range of dive sites than Ra. The near-shore sites, which both dive, I've found to be especially good for soft corals and little critters. The offshore sites, which only Crystal dives, offer a marvelous mix of coral, reef fish, and little critters and sometimes sharks, tuna, big rays, etc.

(Disclaimer: I've never been diving with Ra. My impression of its operation comes from chatting with many folks at Wananavu who were diving with it.)

[DocVikingo]

(nt)

[DocVikingo]

This apparently appeared today in one of the local papers:

"No arrest for over 290 complaints

It has cost the police department $60,000 to investigate 290 complaints by a Nananu-I-Ra resident, the Public Accounts Committee has found.

The report has not been able to establish whether anyone has been charged over the complaints.

In a report tabled in the Lower House yesterday the committee found the complaints were made to police during the last 13 years by a Mr Wehrenberg.

The complaints include illegal guest house operations, attempted murder, house breaking, arson, assault causing bodily harm, damaging property, criminal trespass, criminal intimidation and larceny.

The report said although the Acting Commissioner of Police, Moses Driver, has assured the committee that his department “is ready to deal with any further new complaints from Mr Wehrenberg the Committee believes that if there is to be a full and fair investigation, such investigation should be carried out independently from Suva Police Headquarters, since the involvement of the Rakiraki Police Station and Divisional Police Commander Western SSP Eronio Antonio,” the report said.

Mr Driver has assured the committee that he will involve the Trans-National Crimes Unit based in Suva to monitor the situation at Nananu-I-Ra and to undertake fresh investigations in collaboration with the Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Department."

Ain't that a hoot?

DocVikingo

[donacheson]

DocVikingo once bubbled...
This apparently appeared today in one of the local papers:

"No arrest for over 290 complaints

It has cost the police department $60,000 to investigate 290 complaints by a Nananu-I-Ra resident, the Public Accounts Committee has found.

The report has not been able to establish whether anyone has been charged over the complaints.

In a report tabled in the Lower House yesterday the committee found the complaints were made to police during the last 13 years by a Mr Wehrenberg.

The complaints include illegal guest house operations, attempted murder, house breaking, arson, assault causing bodily harm, damaging property, criminal trespass, criminal intimidation and larceny.

The report said although the Acting Commissioner of Police, Moses Driver, has assured the committee that his department “is ready to deal with any further new complaints from Mr Wehrenberg the Committee believes that if there is to be a full and fair investigation, such investigation should be carried out independently from Suva Police Headquarters, since the involvement of the Rakiraki Police Station and Divisional Police Commander Western SSP Eronio Antonio,” the report said.

Mr Driver has assured the committee that he will involve the Trans-National Crimes Unit based in Suva to monitor the situation at Nananu-I-Ra and to undertake fresh investigations in collaboration with the Fiji Islands Revenue and Customs Department."

Ain't that a hoot?

DocVikingo

I wonder about whom Mr. Wehrenberg is complaining? I'll ask Dan when I see him August. Would you like to know, too? <GG>

[reubencahn]

donacheson

when will you be there?

[donacheson]

reubencahn once bubbled...
donacheson

when will you be there?

August 7-22

[DocVikingo]

He's been complaining about any & all tourism development, including Crystal Divers.

"We thought Fred was a harmless, pathetic old man, as was evidenced by lodging 290 complaints! _We don’t think credibility should be given to Fred's imagined maltreatment. He's been contacting the media here in Fiji for a while in his attempt to gain recognition. _We don't think he's a threat to anyone visiting the island, and want to reassure you and your readers that everyone is welcome to Fiji and that we will do what's necessary to ensure their visit isn't interrupted by one individual who has made it his mission in life to discourage tourism to Fiji."

Have fun in August.

DocVikingo

[donacheson]

DocVikingo once bubbled...
He's been complaining about any & all tourism development, including Crystal Divers.

"We thought Fred was a harmless, pathetic old man, as was evidenced by lodging 290 complaints! _We don’t think credibility should be given to Fred's imagined maltreatment. He's been contacting the media here in Fiji for a while in his attempt to gain recognition. _We don't think he's a threat to anyone visiting the island, and want to reassure you and your readers that everyone is welcome to Fiji and that we will do what's necessary to ensure their visit isn't interrupted by one individual who has made it his mission in life to discourage tourism to Fiji."

Have fun in August.

DocVikingo

Dan mentioned him while I was there last year. I'll probably hear more in August.

[DocVikingo]

You'll aso hear about Bamboo Beach Resort, the new 5* resort that the Marlin Bay people have planned. Work has already started. Apparently they’ll be diving the fringing reefs, and Crystal Divers will service their divers out to the better sites in Vatu-I-Ra Passage.

No doubt Mr. Wehrenberg is well lathered up over this.

You heard it here.

DocVikingo

[reubencahn]

We're booked for seven days/six diving with Crystal and six days/four diving at Maravu on Taveuni. Thanks for all the advice and other help.

[donacheson]

DocVikingo once bubbled...
You'll aso hear about Bamboo Beach Resort, the new 5* resort that the Marlin Bay people have planned. Work has already started. Apparently they’ll be diving the fringing reefs, and Crystal Divers will service their divers out to the better sites in Vatu-I-Ra Passage.

No doubt Mr. Wehrenberg is well lathered up over this.

You heard it here.

DocVikingo

I did hear quite a bit about Bamboo Beach while in Fiji, but everything was not finalized as of last Thursday. BB appears to be offering quite a package - about $2K for a week including air from LAX.

If I understood correctly, Mr. W is leaving the island.

Incidentally, Reuben Cahn and his family cut their stay at Taveuni short and returned to the Bligh Water.

Don

[reubencahn]

We did cut short our stay on Taveuni to return to Crystal Divers. While the diving on Taveuni wasn't bad, it didn't begin to compare to that in the Bligh Waters. I'm going to post a trip report at some point, but I've been swamped since I returned home.