Your packing & general liveaboarding tips for upcoming Raja Ampat LoB

[chillyinCanada]

Lucky girl, how'd you manage that?

And yes, it helps.

Don't buy new luggage. It'll be OK. Lots of folks are traveling with their 30" hard sides. Not ideal but it happens and gets stowed one way or another.

Having your own romm on a liveaboard is sublime!

 

[scubaNYC16]

OK, now a question about luggage: I see a few folks saying "absolutely no hard sided luggage" and "don't bring suitcases" (though no restriction is mentioned by the folks at Blue Manta). I only own either check-in size soft-sided suitcases, or a hard-sided carryon bag.

Given the list of dive stuff I need to buy for this trip (need or want? heh ), I'd like to avoid also adding the expense of new luggage or duffels (something that would be a cheap roller duffel on Amazon US is about 3x more expensive here in Australia). Is it really not possible to bring a hard-sided carryon, or a soft-sided larger luggage? If it helps, I snagged myself a solo occupancy, so I hopefully won't be infringing on a bunkmate's space

Bring whatever suitcase you want. The rooms are huge and the boat has tons of space and the crew can store your bags outside the cabin.

 

[scubaNYC16]

OK, now a question about luggage: I see a few folks saying "absolutely no hard sided luggage" and "don't bring suitcases" (though no restriction is mentioned by the folks at Blue Manta). I only own either check-in size soft-sided suitcases, or a hard-sided carryon bag.

Given the list of dive stuff I need to buy for this trip (need or want? heh ), I'd like to avoid also adding the expense of new luggage or duffels (something that would be a cheap roller duffel on Amazon US is about 3x more expensive here in Australia). Is it really not possible to bring a hard-sided carryon, or a soft-sided larger luggage? If it helps, I snagged myself a solo occupancy, so I hopefully won't be infringing on a bunkmate's space

Single rooms look like this. They’re the same size doubles.

 

[scubaNYC16]

Lucky girl, how'd you manage that?

Only $400 single supplement on Blue Manta.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Single rooms look like this. They’re the same size doubles.

View attachment 550317 View attachment 550318 View attachment 550319 View attachment 550320

Omg!

 

[Dan]

Only $400 single supplement on Blue Manta.

Aren’t you going to be on Blue Manta in this December?

 

[scubaNYC16]

Aren’t you going to be on Blue Manta in this December?

No, Socorro this Xmas and Raja next. Santa hooking me up.

 

[SeaWarden]

For those divers not in the know, the Queen Trigger fish may come for you if she's got a nest. The nest is generally on the sea floor and is a circle of rubble to our eyes. The trigger's zone of attack is a cone shape, small end at the nest and getting progressively bigger towards the surface.

Rather than attempt to stab one coming for you, get out of the cone zone!
Keep an eye out so that you don't wander into a cone zone.

If the trigger isn't protecting a nest, you should have nothing to fear.

Actually I have times where I accidentally go over the nest, without knowing and the fish followed me all the way to the surface. The knife isn't to stab it but the poke it instead of damaging my camera gear.

 

[SeaWarden]

Buy it in Autralia & register it there.

Here’s mine, including PAB. All fits in my BCD pocket. I bought the PLB1,~ $225 a couple years ago & its 24-hour battery life is guaranteed for 7 years ($32/yr) I think that’s a good investment for my peace of mind.

View attachment 550131

Can you register those outside of Australia?

 

[Dan]

Can you register those outside of Australia?

Since you are in Singapore, I made a quick internet check and found this store, Pamarine - Marine and Offshore, Rescue and Safety. You need to buy it and register it at your home country. So, when you ever trigger the emergency alert, the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore would be able to locate where you are in the world and coordinate your rescue effort with the local SAR and the MPA would know who you are and verify your whereabout at that particular time with your emergency contact.


Here is a short video about why you want to carry a PLB.


Carry one when you go diving. Hate to keep reading missing divers at sea, massive rescue effort deployed, and days later their body found on a beech, like this one, 3 divers missing off of Java