Liveaboard Tips - Chu'uk Odyssey

Joe Burns · Nov 29, 2009

We are going to Chu'uk for a week liveaboard on the Odyssey in April. We're voraciously devouring all the historical and dive lore about Truk Lagoon and the wrecks, but this is our first liveaboard experience (all our other trips have been land based).

Can anyone give us some tips on useful things to bring (or leave behind) or other useful liveaboard ettiquette?

Thanks in advance!

deepstops · Nov 29, 2009

Joe Burns:
We are going to Chu'uk for a week liveaboard on the Odyssey in April. We're voraciously devouring all the historical and dive lore about Truk Lagoon and the wrecks, but this is our first liveaboard experience (all our other trips have been land based).

Can anyone give us some tips on useful things to bring (or leave behind) or other useful liveaboard ettiquette?

Thanks in advance!

A few things that aren't easily obtained in Micronesia to leave with the boat:

A few of the latest movie DVDs
A few of the latest music CDs
A range of recent magazines

Outside of that, call their US booking agent and see if there's anything specific the boat needs.

Here's my report here on ScubaBoard from 2003 on the Aggressor boat: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/pacific-islands/28819-truk-report.html (the wrecks haven't changed a whole lot since then)

akdeepdiver · Nov 29, 2009

I was on the Odessy this summer, here is what I suggest:

1. If your a coffee drinker, bring a travel mug, the cups they have are a little small
2. Bring medicine to prevent swimmers ear
3. If drying suits, the starboard size of the boat has the hot air exaust and will dry out the suits faster
4. If buying wood carvings from the native population, wait till the last day on the boat, they come on board and will bargin
5. skip the BBQ at the blue lagoon, its terribile, yet the restaurant isnt bad.
6. Bring extra batteries for your stuff, what you dont use, give to the dive guides, they will take them home to thier families.
7. If you are not Nitrox certified, get certified before you go.
8. Stay up at night till they toss the food scraps off the boat, then enjoy a cocktail while you watch the sharks feed.
9. Keep your sense of humor. When our group disembarked the boat, we left a remote controlled whoopie cusion behind for the staff use.

Send me a message if you have any questions.
Myles

Eau_Girl · Nov 30, 2009

General liveaboard packing advice.

1) Lay out the clothes you think you'll 'need' on the boat for a week.
2)Then remove half of them.
3) Repeat.

You'll find you probably still brought too much! On a recent 2 week liveaboard trip, I took 2 pairs shorts (during the day), 2 pairs of casual trousers (after last dive) and some tshirts/tops (recycle them -- don't take one per day). That was more than enough. I had extra stuff that I left in my suitcase that was leftover from the land-based part of my holiday.

Don't forget a fleece, you'll be surprised when you can get chilly.
Bring lots of bathing suits. They take up little space. I want a dry one after every dive.

1_sl · Nov 30, 2009

One pair of croc or flip-flop would be enough for the week; No need for sneakers.

Bring T-shirts that you feel comfortable to leave behind. The local guides would love them (size S-L) & since the tips are distributed amongst all guides, it would show them some special appreciation from you.

Make sure your equipments are in good working order & bring some spare parts. The boat doesn't have rental gear although they got tool box for basic repairs.

Enjoy your trip!

robint · Nov 30, 2009

Joe Burns:
We are going to Chu'uk for a week liveaboard on the Odyssey in April. We're voraciously devouring all the historical and dive lore about Truk Lagoon and the wrecks, but this is our first liveaboard experience (all our other trips have been land based).

Can anyone give us some tips on useful things to bring (or leave behind) or other useful liveaboard ettiquette?

Thanks in advance!

I have a few suggestions:
You profile says you have less than 24 dives and certified less than 1 yr. Is that still correct? If it is, how is your air consumption? How many deep (over 100') dives? Do you own a dive computer?

If you haven't done your AOW course, do it before you go, along with the Nitrox cert, and maybe your Deep Cert. You will find that you will be doing wrecks which are all deep, and doing multiple deep dives back to back.
Nitrox and good air management are important, along with comfort with all your gear. If you can't get those courses in before the trip, consider doing them ON the trip with the instructor there on the boat, or pay extra to have a DM do the dives with you. You will get much more enjoyment out of them that way. Also, you MUST have a dive computer to do so many deep dives each day. If you don't own one, rent one.

robin

Eau_Girl · Nov 30, 2009

robint:
Also, you MUST have a dive computer to do so many deep dives each day. If you don't own one, rent one.

robin

Robin had some really good points. Yes, do get a computer in advance if you can. Read the manual and know how to use it. Given the depths you'll be going to, learn how to interpret your computer IF you should exceed your NDLs. My computer's screen and info changes when it goes into deco mode. Not to panic, you just need to know how to interpret the ceilings/floors it will give you as you need to do stops on the way up. That was one of the best pieces of advice my dive school owner gave me when I started diving (no I didn't go into deco :no:

, but I did learn how to use my computer!

)

Have a great time!

Joe Burns · Nov 30, 2009

Thanks for the tips everyone...

The profile is out of date (or WAS out of date... i updated since the initial post). We've significantly increased our experience level - AOW and Nitrox Cert, over 50 dives with deep dives experience, good air management and buoyancy. And fully equipt with the right gear and computers.

Good suggestion to make sure we re-read the deco functions on the computers so we know how to deal with the contingency! Thanks!

The tips on boat ettiquette/culture are great - keep 'em comin!

robint · Nov 30, 2009

Joe Burns:
Thanks for the tips everyone...

The profile is out of date (or WAS out of date... i updated since the initial post). We've significantly increased our experience level - AOW and Nitrox Cert, over 50 dives with deep dives experience, good air management and buoyancy. And fully equipt with the right gear and computers.

Good suggestion to make sure we re-read the deco functions on the computers so we know how to deal with the contingency! Thanks!

The tips on boat ettiquette/culture are great - keep 'em comin!

good, you will have a great time!

akdeepdiver · Nov 30, 2009

I forgot to add this:
If your diving a computer and have the ability, have 2 per diver. That way you have a redundant computer in the event one dies. You dont want to sit on the surface for 24 hours waiting for your system to clear before going back in. Also know how to use your computer, at some point on the Odyssey you will probably go into Deco. Know how to read what it is telling you. As JJ the cpt will tell you, Deco is not a 4 letter work, just use common sense and know how to use your computer/tables.

Liveaboard Tips - Chu'uk Odyssey

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