Chuuk Lagoon trip

[JD]

Just an expression of interest I guess, who would be interested in a trip to Chuuk? Probably land based, probably sometime next year. Not holding anyone to anything either.
Also, suggestions? Has anyone been and have any tips?

JD

[ph]

sth china sea

[JD]

Looked at that. 5 day trip doing 3 days on 1 and 1 day on the other (cant remember which way around it was), seems like a lot of organisation to do 4 days diving. I would want to go elsewhere after that to make it worthwhile. Truk has deep stuff for early dives, and shallow stuff for afternoon dives.

JD

[steveh]

I've done Chuuk twice, both times on Thorfinn.  It's an amazing place and the diving is fantastic.
It's the easiest diving you'll ever do.  30deg water, 30meter vis and no currents.
Both trips I was more interested in seeing as many wrecks as possible, so was doing single tank dives but up to 5 per day.
Most of the wrecks were in the 20-40m range, with a couple in the 50's and the San Francisco Maru at 60.  Deco times 10-15 mins were common with approx 50-60min run times in total.

Some of the advantages I thought Thorfinn had over shore based Blue Lagoon.
1. You can do 5 dives per day.
2. They have the fastest boats in the area. Max travel time was 15mins, with some about 2-3 mins from Thorfinn.   Thorfinn usually relocated twice to cover each group of wrecks.  Some of the Blue Lagoon boats are slower and 30min trips or longer are common.  We had one day where we overtook the Blue Lagoon boat to a wreck, dived and were back on Thorfinn drinking coffee when they putted past, with another 15mins to travel.
3. With Thorfinn everything is up front.  All dives, food and non-alcoholic drinks are included.  Overall it's a bit more expensive than Blue Lagoon.
4. The boys on the boat manage all your gear.  I think I touched my gear to put it on the boat on day 1, the next time I handled it was to pack it up on day 7.  They change tanks and set everything up.  At dive time you stand up, they lift the gear on to you, buckle up and drop in.

Thorfinn does do tec diving.  On my 2nd trip we had one group re-organise the schedule to do 3 big dives per day.  They were diving a mix of twins & stages, with a few on rebreathers.
I'd recommend following the guides too.  They knew the wrecks inside out and can show you were all the good stuff is. Once they realise you can dive they'll take you way inside the ships.

Think my fondest memory was on the Fujikawa Maru on one of the last dives. The guide took us way inside past the engine room to the engineering level.
There was very tight passage with a light hanging down, with the light bulb still intact.  Not many divers get to go through that bit!

Last tip is I'd be a little hesitant about doing massive dives unless you're very conservative. While there's plenty of O2 there's bugger all infrastructure if you needed a chamber.  It's a long long flight back to Guam, if you can get one.  It's very 3rd world and not the place for a bend.

I'd go back again in a heart beat!

Just thought of more! The food on Thorfinn is just average, much better at Blue Lagoon.
Breakdowns are common and replacements hard to find.  A water pump died on Thorfinn which meant severe rationing of water.
It's no place for a non-diver.  There is absolutely nothing to do if you're not diving.
Finally, my first trip was in May, 2nd trip in November.  The 2nd trip there were jelly fish everywhere.  None on the first trip.  Some of the locals said it was a seasonal thing.

[JD]

Great report! Interesting comments about shore/liveaboard too, I must admit I had heard that Thorfinn was a bit run down, and they never moved it anyway hence me thinking a land based trip.
Nice comment on doing serious dives, when it appears you were doing 40-60m dives on air. It dont get more serious than a 60m air dive! We did the stern of the Coolidge on air, and I know I was a bit fuzzy but the others I watched were bloody hilarious! Of course none of them were narced at all (so they said anyway!), except for Sidemount Stacy who loses the use of her legs below 50m.

I am interested in doing the tec thing. How available is helium? I figure we can always ship sorb over, gas is another issue. We need at least 100bar of O2, and as much helium pressure as we can get! We could always take a booster I guess.

JD

[steveh]

I know, I know.  50-60m on air and "perhaps" using a single tank wasn't the brightest thing I've ever done.

I've no idea about helium there.  Last trip the guys on breathers had they're sorb shipped in to Thorfinn separately and the website specifies they can do trimix, so it can be done.  I'd allow plenty of time for shipping, nothing happens fast in that part of the world.

Shore vs liveaboard is an on-going fight! Some prefer shore, others prefer liveaboard.  For the diving I was doing ( 5 per day), liveaboard was the way to go.  2 big dives per day perhaps shore based is better.

Here's an idea on the MAX depths of the 53 dives I've done there.
0-10m 1 dive
10-20m, 10 dives
20-30m, 15 dives
30-40m, 18 dives
40-50m, 6 divs
50-60m, 2 dives

The San Francisco Maru ( deepest one there), looking at my profile the deepest point was 55m for 2 mins.  Rest of the time at depth was 48-50.  So still deep, but not quite 60.  
Would I do it again?  More than likely.  Do I recommend it?  Not really!

Same with the 40m+ dives.  Couple of mins at max depth, with most of the dive a good 5-10m shallower.

[ph]

Great report! Interesting comments about shore/liveaboard too, I must admit I had heard that Thorfinn was a bit run down, and they never moved it anyway hence me thinking a land based trip.
Nice comment on doing serious dives, when it appears you were doing 40-60m dives on air. It dont get more serious than a 60m air dive! We did the stern of the Coolidge on air, and I know I was a bit fuzzy but the others I watched were bloody hilarious! Of course none of them were narced at all (so they said anyway!), except for Sidemount Stacy who loses the use of her legs below 50m.

I am interested in doing the tec thing. How available is helium? I figure we can always ship sorb over, gas is another issue. We need at least 100bar of O2, and as much helium pressure as we can get! We could always take a booster I guess.

JD

are you saying she is a sure thing afterb 50m???

[JD]

Pretty much, but she regains her senses at about 35m, so you wanna be quick!

JD

[ph]

Pretty much, but she regains her senses at about 35m, so you wanna be quick!

JD

can't do quick!!!!!!!!!!.........maybe a job for Rick!!!!!!

[ph]

so where is the trip planned guys

[Shit_Stirrer]

so where is the trip planned guys

It's no good for you Paul.... Didn't you read what steveh said..... I quote.....
"It's no place for a non-diver.  There is absolutely nothing to do if you're not diving."
But then again... you could always carry our gear for us 

[ph]

so where is the trip planned guys

It's no good for you Paul.... Didn't you read what steveh said..... I quote.....
"It's no place for a non-diver.  There is absolutely nothing to do if you're not diving."
But then again... you could always carry our gear for us 

listen fuck stick.... who ever you are just because my diving hasnt been as active as it once was Im tipping you are one of these divers who has raced through the system in the last few years  and found diving as your new religion and think you are the latest ducks nuts of extreme sport!!!  but I could be wrong.  so just remebr SS who ever you are...i may just have been diving alot longer than you...........maybe you were still in short pants when I was diving who knows, but on here matey don't bat yourself too high up the order or you will be shot down very quickly LOL

BTW was only chatting to GB the other day about a nullabor trip next year Hmmmmmmmmm   we'll see, much perefer a week at a pool bar in the tropics though, right JD....how good is a pool bar!!!

[JD]

Probably about the same cost too. Much prefer the pool bar, and the scenery is better than looking at Gary!

JD

[ad]

Probably about the same cost too. Much prefer the pool bar, and the scenery is better than looking at Gary!

Chuuk costs the same amount as a trip to the Nullabor? I guess it depends where you're traveling from, but even then, I didn't think that the Nullabor would be that expensive.

How much should one budget for a week or 2 out there?

If it really is the same amount, I may head off to the tropics instead. At least that way I keep my anonymity with PH. 

[JD]

Not sure, never been to Truk, hence this thread.
PH is referring to a trip we took to Indonesia a few years ago. Tropic water temp of 30 deg (well, above 80m it was!), swim up pool bar at the hotel, awesome location and even some 'moving scenery' to look at!

Last time we went for the Advanced trimix on the breathers, it cost about $3500 for 10-14 days including course costs and gas. Take out $1300 or so (unless you are CL, his gas bill was more than that!), and it is simular to Nullarbor. Still cheaper here, but you get people carting your gear, drinking beer poolside, tropical holiday for not much more.

JD