Singapore/White Manta

[andshand]

Hi, i know there is no local diving on Singers that is any good and i blieve that the people there do weekend liveaboard's with white manta being one of the options. Does anyone have any info on whether these are decent weekend dive trips? I will be there around Sept/Oct, im just really using it as transit and a short stop to see a friend but was wondering if it worthwhile taking my gear.

Regards Andy

 

[TJ_Diver]

I have only dove on the Black Manta, which is the newer sister ship to the White Manta. I have been on it 4 times and quite enjoy the trip. The diving is enjoyable, if not world class. I have been both on the Tioman/Aur & Acasta rock/wrecks itineraries. Although others have different opinions I enjoyed the Tioman trips more. The reefs around Acasta rock and other sites on that itinerary are all heavily damaged from dynamite fishing.
The nice thing about these trips is most of them leave on Friday afternoon and return Sunday evening, so it's an easy chance to get in some decent diving without having to take time off work. If you are in Singapore and have only a limited amount of time, it is definitely worth the trip IMHO.
September/October is getting to be the end of the dive season here, so it is possible that the weather may start to turn worse. I wouldn't let that stop you from taking the trip, but it is something to keep in mind. The Black Manta is also a slightly bigger boat than the White Manta and is a bit more stable in the water.

 

[andshand]

Thanks for that, anyone been on the 7 skies/ananbas trip as that seems to be the trip at the time im there on WM.

 

[Vie]

White Manta can be a little crowded, but the boat is clean, food good and crew excellent.

Imho, recreational dives at Seven Skies would suck as it is quite a deep site and there's not a whole lot to see above 30m. It is possible to encounter whalesharks (at shallow depth) there though. For recreational dives, I would go on the Aur/Tioman trip.

 

[Zippsy]

Vie, there are a lot of of tech divers I know that agree with you but I hold a different opinion. I have more than 50 recreational dives on that wreck and I've enjoyed them all. There is lots of the ship to see above 40m. I'm not keen for inexperienced open water divers to be there but I think it's a great place to do a deep dive for the AOW course assuming the student has some decent experience. Also as noted already, in September & October there is also a decent chance of the whale shark and manta sightings. Also, a few of my "dives" there were also just going down the line to 18m, never letting go and just watching a couple of mantas dancing a ballet for 50 minutes with whale shark commercials swimming through.

Finally, most trips to the Seven Skies in September / October only stay there for a second dive if the viz and currents are cooperating. If the whale sharks or mantas are also cooperating, boats will stay there for three dives. The other dives are usually reef unless it is advertised as a wreck trip.

 

[Vie]

...I hold a different opinion. I have more than 50 recreational dives on that wreck and I've enjoyed them all. There is lots of the ship to see above 40m. I'm not keen for inexperienced open water divers to be there but I think it's a great place to do a deep dive for the AOW course assuming the student has some decent experience.

I don't disagree with you but otoh, I personally do not like to venture anywhere near 30m when diving recreationally (single tank/air or EANx). Yes, definitely lots of stuff to see on Seven Skies between 30 and 40m (and beyond) - I'd just rather have helium and deco gas(ses) (just personal preference, no criticism intended whatsoever) for those ranges.

And, as I live in Thailand, there are better places to see mantas.