Starting to plan a trip to Truk/Chuuk - help please
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Joe Burns
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I found the marine life to be great in Chu'uk - I actually thought my week there was the perfect balance between marine life dives and wrecks. Naturally wrecks were the constant, and the setting for every dive - but each one is covered in life.
The soft corals (dendronephthya - common name "carnation coral") are profuse and amazing. The nite dives were fantastic - and we saw literally parades of feather stars in every color imaginable. There were some really unique fish - Clown triggers, Napoleon Wrasse, bat fish, really interesting cucumbers, huge anemones(sometimes 3 feet across) hosting pink skunk clowns and tomato clowns, octopi, enormous puffers, hordes of saphhire damsels, and the rest of the "usual suspects" in terms of reef dives.
One of the biggest things that I took away from my week at Truk Lagoon, was the contrast between the man-made death machines that have literally become tombs on the ocean floor, and the vibrant life that was slowly taking over these wrecks.
Before Chu'uk, I really never considered myself a hardcore wreck diver. But my week there gave me a new appreciation for that part of diving as well as satisfied my love for marine life. We didn't see too much in the way of big pelagics... a couple of sharks, and a ray. But that's certainly no detraction from what we did see.
If you go and have the extra $100 - I really recommend doing your wreck penetration certification on the Odyssey. It was a great addition to our trip, and helped us really experience everything the wrecks had to offer. Before going, we had never penetrated a wreck, but by the end of the week we were comfortable deep inside the labrynthine engine rooms.
Before the trip, we read a lot about how the depth and technical diving requirements in the lagoon and as recreational divers, found it a little off-putting. But there was never a time where we felt we couldn't enjoy our dives due to lack of experience. There was plenty to see and do at recreational depths, and the staff of the Odyssey was great at giving us the extra training and safety precautions we needed to expand our skills.
The soft corals (dendronephthya - common name "carnation coral") are profuse and amazing. The nite dives were fantastic - and we saw literally parades of feather stars in every color imaginable. There were some really unique fish - Clown triggers, Napoleon Wrasse, bat fish, really interesting cucumbers, huge anemones(sometimes 3 feet across) hosting pink skunk clowns and tomato clowns, octopi, enormous puffers, hordes of saphhire damsels, and the rest of the "usual suspects" in terms of reef dives.
One of the biggest things that I took away from my week at Truk Lagoon, was the contrast between the man-made death machines that have literally become tombs on the ocean floor, and the vibrant life that was slowly taking over these wrecks.
Before Chu'uk, I really never considered myself a hardcore wreck diver. But my week there gave me a new appreciation for that part of diving as well as satisfied my love for marine life. We didn't see too much in the way of big pelagics... a couple of sharks, and a ray. But that's certainly no detraction from what we did see.
If you go and have the extra $100 - I really recommend doing your wreck penetration certification on the Odyssey. It was a great addition to our trip, and helped us really experience everything the wrecks had to offer. Before going, we had never penetrated a wreck, but by the end of the week we were comfortable deep inside the labrynthine engine rooms.
Before the trip, we read a lot about how the depth and technical diving requirements in the lagoon and as recreational divers, found it a little off-putting. But there was never a time where we felt we couldn't enjoy our dives due to lack of experience. There was plenty to see and do at recreational depths, and the staff of the Odyssey was great at giving us the extra training and safety precautions we needed to expand our skills.
Joe/Larry - you guys had some great pictures!
Strongdiver
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I agree with MOST of what NCChuck has written and thank him for his honesty. I must defend Blue Lagoon Dive Shop dive guides regarding lack of certification. As one who was first certified as an instructor in 1970 (YMCA, crossed over to NAUI in 1977, now certified for trimix), and made my first Truk dive with Kimiuo in 1973 BEFORE he opened his dive shop, and have returned to the lagoon for a total of 52 trips, I say these mostly Aisek family relatives don't need to be certified. Their experience and safety record speaks for itself. They were the first to hang tanks or to carry an extra tank (a steel 72 and then an aluminum 80) on "deep" dives -- so non tek divers could make quick bounce dives to the San Francisco or the Nippo. They have longevity vs. the expat turnover at Truk Stop (even though Melba is married to an Aisek!). Competition is good. And yes, the Odyssey is THE choice for tek -- but fully booked 2 years in advance. Too bad the Odyssey owners are so paranoid about land-based boats "stopping by" for a freshly baked cookie or a banana (or a spare fin!).
Strongdiver
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Joe/Larry: I could not have captured the beauty better myself after 52 trips (since June 1973). I salute you! I am using your shutterbug URL to share with others so I don't have to "explain" why I love Truk/Chuuk! Kinisou Chapur. My only complaint, how about crediting the late Klaus Lindemann for all those copyrighted pics (ship profiles drawn "pixel-by-bloody-pixel" on an Apple 2E!) you took from his HAILSTONE: the Dive Guide? Or did I miss it?
Strongdiver
Registered
Great shot. What room number is that at Truk Blue Lagoon Resort?
Room 119.
Strongdiver
Registered
Too bad Klaus Lindemann passed away (brain cancer). You could ask him how much of Dan's book is PLAGIARIZED from Klaus' work. I also noticed some guys posted photos of the pages in Klaus' HAILSTORM: the Dive Guide. That book is copyrighted.
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