Real Time Blue Manta Review: Banda Sea 9 – 19 Sept 2019

[billt4sf]

Back to the Blue Manta Review portion of this thread:

Just wanted to point out that the crew lifted every tank for every dive for every diver. When we got on the dinghy, the rigs were there, the crew helped us put them on and we rolled in from the exact place we put the rig on. After the dive, virtually everyone took their gear off in the water and the crew pulled them up with the DM's assistance from the water. There were a few young show-offs happywavefoob)

This procedure is one of my requirements, because of my back and my many birthdays, but it was a nice surprise to see that it was standard practice on the BM !

- Bill

 

[Dan]

Back to the Blue Manta Review portion of this thread:

Just wanted to point out that the crew lifted every tank for every dive for every diver. When we got on the dinghy, the rigs were there, the crew helped us put them on and we rolled in from the exact place we put the rig on. After the dive, virtually everyone took their gear off in the water and the crew pulled them up with the DM's assistance from the water. There were a few young show-offs happywavefoob)

This procedure is one of my requirements, because of my back and my many birthdays, but it was a nice surprise to see that it was standard practice on the BM !

- Bill

I started off by removing my weight pouches and handing them to the dinghy pilot before removing the BCD in the water until Batman said: “don’t bother doing that, as it would risk of loosing the pounch during hand over or forgetting to re-insert them back to BCD or dropping it to the abyss during the next back roll entry when the pouch is not securely reinserted back to the slot (“click” lock)”. I was happily agreed since we did pay good $$$$ for this trip.

 

[Dan]

If you guys have a couple days in Bali, I highly recommend you to dive in Manta Point (Nusa Penida) & Blue Corner (Nusa Lembongan). @Foo @Jay & I did it yesterday. We saw 2 mantas, 4 mola-molas & a thresher shark in clear blue water. I’ll upload the YouTube video later.

Here they are:

 

[chillyinCanada]

Geez Dan, you managed to make that mola mola look pretty!

 

[Dan]

Geez Dan, you managed to make that mola mola look pretty!

Of course, after being manicured by team of banner-fish

 

[Tippytoes12]

Back to the Blue Manta Review portion of this thread:

Just wanted to point out that the crew lifted every tank for every dive for every diver. When we got on the dinghy, the rigs were there, the crew helped us put them on and we rolled in from the exact place we put the rig on. After the dive, virtually everyone took their gear off in the water and the crew pulled them up with the DM's assistance from the water. There were a few young show-offs happywavefoob)

This procedure is one of my requirements, because of my back and my many birthdays, but it was a nice surprise to see that it was standard practice on the BM !

- Bill

Good on you Bill.

It’s standard procedure in every dive shop I go to because if they don’t offer this I take my business elsewhere. Sometimes, eg in Lembeh where the water is very calm and there are no other boats , I always climbed up with full gear to burn off some of the amazing food on offer !

 

[billt4sf]

Back to the Blue Manta Review portion of this thread:

I think everyone used 29% Nitrox given the depths and bottom times we were shooting for.

Only once did I see an analyzer being used -- the one time I went out to the dive deck early to see. Yup, it was 29%. After that, I never looked, but I dutifully initialed the log every dive.

I suppose I was the only one that didn't personally check their nitrox % either by doing it oneself or at least seeing the DM do it every dive. Right? Sure!

Thanks,

Bill

 

[charlier]

Back to the Blue Manta Review portion of this thread:

I think everyone used 29% Nitrox given the depths and bottom times we were shooting for.

Only once did I see an analyzer being used -- the one time I went out to the dive deck early to see. Yup, it was 29%. After that, I never looked, but I dutifully initialed the log every dive.

I suppose I was the only one that didn't personally check their nitrox % either by doing it oneself or at least seeing the DM do it every dive. Right? Sure!

Thanks,

Bill

As a former DM, I always checked nitrox before every dive. I made sure that my team had a update just after the dive briefing. . We had two to three analyzers on the dive deck.

 

[outofofficebrb]

As a former DM, I always checked nitrox before every dive. I made sure that my team had a update just after the dive briefing. . We had two to three analyzers on the dive deck.

Some boats want to do the analysis for guests. I always insisted I watched them do it if that were the case. Otherwise, I wouldn’t sign. Or, I analyze myself and sign. I never trust anyone else doing it and it is my due diligence for my own safety so that there are no doubts.

 

[charlier]

Some boats want to do the analysis for guests. I always insisted I watched them do it if that were the case. Otherwise, I wouldn’t sign. Or, I analyze myself and sign. I never trust anyone else doing it and it is my due diligence for my own safety so that there are no doubts.

Perfect. If I was your DM, I would rely on your pre-dive analysis. I might watch the your first time measurement, mostly to make sure it was done properly.