Penghu Islands, Taiwan

[JRC58]

Hi,
I'm looking for any info on diving in the Penghu Islands. Are there any shops or dive clubs around Magong? Best time of year/conditions etc etc.
Thanks, Jim

 

[taiwan-sunfish]

Winters tend to be cold and windy, so that's generally considered kite- and wind-surfing season. Summers are nice and sunny and the sea tends to be a lot calmer. So, yes: Great diving in Penghu!
Let me know, if you need more info.

Till

 

[Makhno]

If either of you have more details you could post here, I'd be most grateful. My Chinese language skills are awful, so I'm reliant upon English-language info about Taiwan diving.

taiwan-sunfish, are you based in Taiwan? Are you organizing any dive trips to Penghu this summer? How does the diving compare to Green Island, Orchid Island, etc.? Also, I've heard that there are some good wrecks in the Penghu islands -- is it all recreational diving, or are there some tech diving opportunities?

JRC58, please let us know what you learn about Penghu diving, and please post a trip report after you've been there.

Cheers,
M

 

[JRC58]

The U.S. Navy destroyer I served on was sold to Taiwan and after a full career was sunk as an artificial reef. The information I have puts it in 130' (39m) of water off the west coast of the Penghu Islands.
I would love to locate it and dive on it. I am sailing around the world on my sailboat, currently in Malaysia. My plan is to cross over to Borneo, make my way up to the Philippines this summer. I'll probably wait out the NE monsoon in Subic Bay and then go over to Taiwan around may next year.
I am hoping to find a dive club or a buddy or two to dive with if I can find the ship and maybe get a little help with some photography. I also would like to know what the regulations and restrictions, if any, there are in the Penghu Islands.
Thanks, Jim

 

[Wantonmien]

Makhno, JRC58, Taiwan-Sunfish,

Did any of you make it to Penghu in 2009 and get diving there ?

I've been to Penghu a few times and had hoped to dive there last October, but alas the last two weekend I booked and went, rotten weather and typhoons ruined the trip.

Any info any of you have on diving Penghu, or contacts of Penghu dive guides appreciated, I'm planning to head out there around May this year.

Cheers

 

[Wantonmien]

Penghu ... Still looking for some info on diving there - has anyone dived there ?

Locally I've been told due to strong currents it is not recommend at all, but I would love to hear from someone who has actually spent a few days diving there in the last couple of years ?

Cheers

 

[Makhno]

Wantonmien,

I was talking with Andy ( www.taiwandive.com - Kenting - Green Island - Orchid Island - XiaoLiuChiu ) about this a few weeks ago when I saw him in Kenting. He said that some of the best and most accessible Penghu diving is off Dungji island. We talked about maybe doing a trip there someday, but that was just an idea, not a plan.

From what I've heard, most of the wrecks are generally off-limits because the government doesn't often give the requisite permits.

That's about all the info I've bothered to glean, as I'm happy enough for now with Kenting, Green Island, and Orchid Island.

 

[Wantonmien]

Hi Makhno,

If the idea for a Penghu trip becomes a plan, let me know and I'd almost certainly join with my Buddy. We are 20 mins away from the domestic airport Taipei and flights are numerous to Penghu, so just a target weekend and could put a plan together. I have contacts for good little hotels there etc, so just some local diving knowledge and maybe some experienced divers such as yourself or Andy needed !

I used an Instructor from "Newport" (I think that was the name) dive school last summer and met Andy at the pool side for a quick chat, but he had his hands full with a group of students so didn't get to dive with him, not sure if I have met you but am sure I will do in the coming months. My Buddy (Taiwanese) and I were McGills students and only did the Advanced and Nitrox end of 2009 so we are new to the game, and alas the wrong end of the island to get to Kenting every weekend.

Cheers

 

[Makhno]

Hi Makhno,

If the idea for a Penghu trip becomes a plan, let me know

Will do, but since I've heard that the wrecks are mostly off-limits, I'm a lot less eager to dive Penghu than I had been. So I probably won't be the driving force behind any effort to organize a trip there.

Look forward to meeting you in Kenting sometime. By the way, in case you hadn't heard, for Tomb Sweeping Day long weekend (early April) Andy's organizing a trip to Orchid Island and Greg's organizing one to Green Island. Have you dived those islands yet? They're both well worth doing.

 

[Wantonmien]

Will do, but since I've heard that the wrecks are mostly off-limits, I'm a lot less eager to dive Penghu than I had been. So I probably won't be the driving force behind any effort to organize a trip there.

Look forward to meeting you in Kenting sometime. By the way, in case you hadn't heard, for Tomb Sweeping Day long weekend (early April) Andy's organizing a trip to Orchid Island and Greg's organizing one to Green Island. Have you dived those islands yet? They're both well worth doing.

Makhno,

I'll try and glean some info about Penghu and keep you advised if I come up with a Plan or anything of use.

Re Green Island and Orchid, no I have not been to either as yet but will hope to get to both this year, though early April I have another nondiving trip planned so probably won't be able to make it at that time. Did contemplate a trip to Kenting this weekend, but hotels jammed and weather reports seemed iffy, so cancelled and enjoying the wet weather in Taipei for a few days, before heading to Puerto Galera later this week.

Cheers