30 replies to this topic

[chinacat46]

Hey now,

I've been thinking about this trip for over a year and am actually starting to plan it and wanted to get info from others who have been to Micronesia. Right now I'm looking at about a 5-6 week trip in Feb/March of next year. I turn 50 in Feb. and that is about the best time to be in Palau from what I've heard. Right now I'm considering liveaboards in Palau and Truk. In Palau either the Aggressor or the Big Blue Explorer although I've heard of a new boat which is just about to launch the Ocean Hunter II. If anybody has been on any of these I'd love to hear about either here or via PM. In Truk I'd like to the Odyssey but I've heard it's booked way in advance so I'd also consider the Aggressor there also. Besides Truk and Palau I'm thinking of land based stops at Yap, Pohnpei and Kosrae. The main place I hear about in Yap is the Manta Ray Bay but also have heard about Pathways and Traders Ridge. In Phonpei I've heard of two places Pohnpei Village and Pohnpei Cliff Rainbow. In Kosrae I've heard of two place Kosrae Village and Kosrae Nautilus. If anybody has been to any of the places and dived at any of these places I want to hear about it again either post here or PM. Also if there are other places I haven't listed in these locations that you have used or are familar with plz let me know about them. Finally if anybody is interested in going along I'm looking for a buddy for either part or the whole trip. Lastly I don't work for the goverment and by the time I take this trip I'll be unemployed since I know my current employer won't give me this much time off. But screw it you only turn 50 once. One last idea I've had also is doing the Kona Aggressor in Hawaii either before or after going to Micronesia. Thnx in advance for any suggestions.

- Chuck

[triggerfish]

china, my boy, my girlfriend did that same itinerary last january....all on liveaboards. loved it. she's in the galapagos right now (the bitch) but when she gets back i will try to find out more for you.

my big 5-0 will be in 2006....planning on a safari with one of my nieces. only SHE wants to climb Klimanjaro. i might pass on that in favor of diving the maldives and meeting her somewhere.
otherwse, she's gonna have a hrd time on the mountain....

relatives : kerri...how was your trip??
kerri: fine except very tiring
relatives: the climbing part??
kerri: nah, that was easy. but draggin' eileen's dead bloated body was....

[chinacat46]

That would be great TF. I didn't know they even had liveaboards at some of the other places. Of course from what I've read the diving is close enuff at those other places that land based is okay.

[triggerfish]

jamie has been to kosrae...you should pm him...

damn...it's tempting....i like to take trips around my birthday, too (st. patrick's day)

[chinacat46]

Already exchanged some PM's with Jamie. He recommends the Kosrae Village which right now is my first choice for Kosrae.

Hey we could hit my bday and yours on the same trip!

[triggerfish]

i'd LOVE to take a trip foe several weeks....but i have 3 dogs and a cat that would go postal after more than 2.
in fact, i'm STILL working on finding a critter sitter for the nc trip.

i wonder how the chihuahua would do underwater.......

[chinacat46]

Man I understand that totally. I grew up with dogs and cats and love all animals. When I visit friends with dogs they always remember me and get all excited. My friends say why don't you get a pet. I tell them cuz I like to take off for 3 months and it wouldn't be fair to the animal. I could never board a pet for that long and it's tough getting a friend to watch my house without a pet.

[maninthesea]

China M-Man your talking my forte!

In Palau either the Aggressor or the Big Blue Explorer although I've heard of a new boat which is just about to launch the Ocean Hunter II. If anybody has been on any of these I'd love to hear about either here or via PM.

The agressor and the Big Blue are both top notch operations. I never get a chance to do a liveabord when I am in Palau since I usually have work to do. So I cant personally recomend either one. The owners of OceanHunter II are friends of mine and I looked at the plans while it was being renovated. I also have seen photo's and it is a nicely done boat. Same people have a land based operation and another liveaboard "Ocean Hunter"(go figure) It was so fully booked they decided to expand. One thing in favor of the OH II is the food will be the best of the three. If you want I could put you in touch with the owners.

In Truk I'd like to the Odyssey but I've heard it's booked way in advance so I'd also consider the Aggressor there also.

The Odyssey is constaly voted best liveaboard in the world so you could not go wrong there. The couple that own/run it are great. I dont know much about the Truk Agressor so I won't comment good or bad other than they have a good rep.
There is another liveaboard there called the SS THorfin. It is a converted whaling ship and actually has a tripple expansion steam engine for propulsion. Even the oil pumps run on steam! Lance the owner is quite the character. Or if you want land based, the owner of the Truk Stop Hotel/Truk Lagoon Dive Center is a good friend of mine. I gave him a lot of advise on starting up his shop. I can put in a good word for you there.

Besides Truk and Palau I'm thinking of land based stops at Yap, Pohnpei and Kosrae. The main place I hear about in Yap is the Manta Ray Bay but also have heard about Pathways and Traders Ridge.

Depends on what you are looking for in accomidations. Manta Ray would be as close to a Motel 6 as you can get in the islands. Traders Ridge is an amazing colonial style hotel that comes nowhere close to making money. It is a pet project of some ancient guy in Califorina. The hotel is AWSOME colonial style layout but the staff is hit and miss sometimes.(not allways) Pathways would have to be one of the most romantic hotels in the Islands. The bungalo's are well built, but have the apearance of being made from bamboo with thatched roofs. There are no liveabords in Yap. Your dive choices are with Yap Divers or Beyond the Reef. I like beyond the reef the best. I could put in a good word for you there also.

In Phonpei I've heard of two places Pohnpei Village and Pohnpei Cliff Rainbow.

The diveing here is GREAT. Kind of a secret kewl spot. Yap is know for Manta's but you see them in a channel in what we would call murky water. In Phonpie I have seen Manta and stingrays every dive day most of the time in great Vis. The Vilage is the Kewlest location with bungalo's They have a dive operation but are SLOW operators. If you stay at the village you will have to dive with them as they are quite far out of town. I have not been to phonpie in a couple of years so I dont know if Cliff rainbow has a dive operation. It is a decent hotel and close enough to all the other dive operations. The other operations are mostly Japanese orentated but I dove with them and had a great time. I can recomend Aquaworld highly and really like the owner. However he does not speak english well so pre booking may be difficult.

In Kosrae I've heard of two place Kosrae Village and Kosrae Nautilus.

I have not made it to Kosrae yet but I do know the owners of both. I highly recomend Kosrae Village. Again I could put in a good word with them. I will see the wife on thursday in Saipan.

If anybody has been to any of the places and dived at any of these places I want to hear about it again either post here or PM. Also if there are other places I haven't listed in these locations that you have used or are familar with plz let me know about them.

It looks like you have done your homework well. You have picked the best places in Micornesia! Let me know when your comeing and if you want to do some Guam dives. I can show you the only site in the world where you can put 1 hand on a WW1 wreck and the other on a WWII wreck.
Cheers You can contact me a maninthesea@hotmail.com
Jim Pinson ><)))'>

[chinacat46]

Thanks alot Jim thats is some great info. I'll send you some email when I'm closer to booking. I've thought about stopping in Guam to but the Micronesia Airpass I'm looking at from Continental has restrictions on the number of stops so I probably will just pass thru Guam on this trip. I've read about the dive you mention where you can do the WW I and WW II wreck on the same dive. If I did stop in Guam that would definitely be one of the dives I'd do.

Cheers,
Chuck

[triggerfish]

I grew up with dogs and cats and love all animals

me too. and talk about spoiled rotten....
the oldest, sophie the dachsie (her picture and chalupa are in my gallery) thinks she's being punished if i put her in a crate.

cheyenne, the shep/husky mix, was my grumpy uncle george's pup before he died. it was either me or doggie heaven. she's on prozac (for real!) cuz of her fear aggression towards other dogs (funny...she acts just like uncle george did ....growls at everyone!).

and chalupa...the rescued 4 1/2 lb longhaired chihuahua ...well, he's ok, you can literally stick him in your pocket and carry him around. but he adores sophie and follows her around all day.

then there's buddy the bengal...my cat who uses the toilet.

hmmmm....i think i just figured out why i'm single.....

[harleyman]

Great diving - the Live-aboard is the way to go in most of Micronesia. I did Peter Hughes when he had a boat in Palau, and we had done two dives before the boats made it out from the resorts.......

I have read that YAP is recovering from some storm damage, so check into that closely before you spend the $'s.

Happy diving....

[chinacat46]

I have read that YAP is recovering from some storm damage, so check into that closely before you spend the $'s.

Already knew about Yap but since you brought it up I just got an email from Undercurrent with the following update on Yap:

Yap is famous for near-certain diving with mantas, so after a
cyclone hit in April predictions were dire. But Bill Acker, owner
of Manta Ray Bay Hotel & Yap Divers reports to Undercurrent that
nature is returning everything to normal. "It is amazing how fast
islands come back from these things. Five weeks ago, the island
looked like it had been in a war, but now the jungle is back, and
it is beautiful and green again. Some heavy damage to shallow
hard coral reefs on the Northeast exposure, but little to no
damage at the Southern Tip (Yap Caverns, Lion Fish Wall, Gilman
Wall, etc.) and all along the Western Walls as well as Mil
Channel and the mantas. Not everything is completely back to
normal, but we are getting there day after day."

Since the main reason to go to Yap is to play with the Mantas and they are still there I think I'll go. Also it's nice to see coral in all its states.

[chinacat46]

My trip is slowing coming together and I have a buddy for Yap, Palau and Truk. Looks like I'll be gone Feb 9 to around April 2 or 3rd. Anybody want to go to Pohnpei, Kosrae or the Kona Aggressor? Hope to do about 140 dives or so.

- Chuck

Edited by chinacat46, 27 July 2004 - 08:36 PM.

[desksgt]

Chuck,
Very nice trip you're planning! I'm going to Yap and Palau in October for 13 days, but it's a trip with a local dive shop. I think 9 or 10 are going thus far. When I get back, I'll email you about how things were, or are I should say. I am really looking forward to it!
Just got a call tonight that a diver is needed to have a full boat of six in NC, and I will be #6. For dives on fri, sat, and sun., about 35 miles off the coast for giant Megalodon teeth! Can't wait!
PS: 50 is Great and so is 51!
Steve

[chinacat46]

Steve,

Would love to hear about your trip when you get back. Especially about the shape of things in Yap.

- Chuck