On this trip I will be hitting 6 different spots to dive at and explore. Yap, Palau, Chuuk(Truk Lagoon), Pohnpei, Kosrae and lastly Kona, HI. At Palau, Truk, & Kona I will be on liveaboards as well as some limited time on land. The first 5 are part of a collection of different countries called Micronesia. Micronesia is a huge scattering of islands between Hawaii and the Philippines. Each of the six places I will visit has different types of diving to offer. At Yap they are best known for the Manta Ray dives. Palau is best known for the Blue Corner(among others) a legendary dive site which is on everybody's top 10 list. Palau will soon be known for being the next site for the TV show Survivor which starts on Feb 17th(the day I arrive in Palau). The show was filmed in Nov/Dec. Check it out to see this tropical paradise. Truk Lagoon my third stop is famous for being the location of Operation Hailstorm in World War II. The US sunk a lot of Japanese ships that day and the Lagoon is great place to wreck dive. Next stop is Pohnpei another place to dive with Mantas and hard and soft coral. It also has a lost village to explore. Kosrae is the last stop in Micronesia and is a whos who of indo-pacific hard corals. It too has a lost village which I'll check out. I might also take an Advanced Nitrox class here. Last stop Hawaii where I spend a week on the Kona Aggressor off the Kona coast. I've attached a map of Micronesia with my stops there highlighted. Below is my itinerary and some other info. I think 120 dives is a realistic goal if my ears and body hold out. 130 is even possible but I want to dive safely first. I'll be diving Nitrox on the liveaboards to allow for a that added edge against DCS. I've just started my hydration program by drinking lots and lots of water and taking an asprin every day.
Trip Itinerary:
Feb 8 Am Air DEN to LAX (depart 4:30pm arrive 5:54pm)
Feb 8 overnight at LAX Radisson
Feb 9 Continental LAX to HNL (depart 9:55am arrive 1:40pm)
Feb 9-10 Continental HNL to GUM(Guam) (depart 3:10pm arrive 6:40pm)
Feb 10 Continental GUM to YAP (depart 7:40pm arrive 9:10pm)
Feb 10 to Feb 17 Manta Ray Bay w/5 days of two tank boat dives(10 dives)
http://www.mantaray.com/
Feb 16 21st anniversary of my 29th birthday.(over the hill, better then being under the hill)
Feb 17 Continental YAP to ROR(Palau) (depart 10pm arrive 10pm)
Feb 17-19 @ West Plaza By The Sea(3 nights) extra for Land Tours and one day diving(3 dives)
http://www.fishnfins.com/ - sched for the 19th. 2 dives + Chandalier Cave.
Feb 20-27 Palau Aggressor
http://www.aggressor.com/ under destination Palau
Feb 27 Continental ROR to GUM [1 stop in YAP] (depart 1:15am arrive 5:30am)
Feb 27 Day Room in Guam (~ 6 hours in room then sight see)
Feb 27 Continental GUM to TKK Feb 27(depart 7:40pm arrive 9:30pm)
Feb 27 - Mar 6 Truk Aggressor
http://www.aggressor.com/ under destination Truk
Mar 6-7 Continental TKK to PNI(Pohnpei) (depart 10:15pm arrive 12:30am)
Mar 6-16 The Village Hotel Pohnpei (dives not included)7-8 dive days TBD
http://www.thevillagehotel.com/
Mar 16 Continental PNI to KSA(Kosrae) (depart 1:45pm arrive 2:50pm)
Mar 16-25 Kosrae Village Reosort w/8 days of two tank boat dives(16 dives) [Adv. Nitrox cert??]
http://www.kosraevillage.com/
Mar 25 Continental KSA to HNL [2 stops KWA(Kwajalein), MAJ(Majuro)] (depart 3:30pm arrive 2:35am)
Mar 25 Hawaiian Air HNL to KOA(Kona) (depart 5:15am arrive 5:58am)
Mar 25 Royal Kona Resort(1 night)
http://www.rkona.com/
Mar 26 - Apr 2 Kona Aggressor
http://www.aggressor.com/ under destination Kona
Apr 2 Hawaiian Air KOA to HNL(depart 10:05am arrive 10:45am)
Apr 2 day in Honolulu??
Apr 2-3 Continental HNL to LAX(depart 8:50pm arrive 5:00am)
Apr 3 Am Air LAX to DEN(depart 11:45am arrive 3:02pm)
55 days(Feb 8 - Apr 3)
Gear:
Bags
Medium size dive bag w/wheels & retractable handle
Eagle Creek travel bag
Day pack & regulator bag - this stuff will be carried on.
Dive equipment:
3 mm wet suit(Henderson Gold Core ML)
1 mm microprene wet suit(Henderson ML)
3/5 mm hooded vest(Henderson Hyperstrech M)
gloves(light weight tropical gloves)
booties(3 mm Tusa shorties)
lycra hood
fins
2 masks(red & yellow lenses)
4 lights(chargers,batteries,etc...)
marker light
snorkels(one for snorkeling the other for my pocket)
regulator & gauges w/cover
computers(Suunto Vyper and Gekko)
save a dive kit(usual assortment)
dive tool
silicone grease
weight belt
reef hook
knife
sheers
whistle
dive alert
BC
rattle
safety sausage
dry bag
mesh bag
slate & pencil
attachment accessories
pak towel
Dive log & C-Cards/Dan
Pacific Fish ID book
Clothes:
2 pair shorts
2 swim suits
1 pair jeans
1 light sweats
1 polo shirt
3 t-shirts(will buy a few no doubt)
1 long sleeve tee
banadana(Mary Brooke's tie dye)
sneakers
crocs
baseball cap
socks(2 white shortys; 2 normal)
underwear(2 boxer briefs; 2 normal)
pile jacket
gore tex parka & pants
sun glasses & chaps
regular glasses
watch
Toliet & First Aid:
toothbrush & paste
dental floss & tooth picks
ear beer(60% alcohol; 40% white vinegar)
sissors
clippers
extra contact lens; solution, case,etc...
sun tan lotion
deodorant
asprin(1 a day)
multi vitamins(1 a day)
advil
benadryl
sudafed
immodium AD
Tums
cipro
ambien
razor & blades
bandages
chap stick
q-tips
bug spray
oraljel
safety pins
tweezers
Camera(Underwater housing, memory, batts, chargers, case, etc...)(Wish I had an underwater strobe)
Misc:
mp3 player & headphones(noise cancel) extra batteries
CD's(3 or 4) to play on the liveaboards.
nylon ties
passport
tickets
vouchers
wallet,cash,id,etc...
credit cards, ATM
itinerary
books & magazines
pens
emergency contacts
dive forms
Edited by chinacat46, 06 February 2005 - 12:27 AM.
Mishelle
