Palau LOB - Aggressor, Ocean Hunter or the new Black Pearl/7Liveaboard?

[Centrals]

Has anyone ever done a trip to Palau as a shore based trip?

If so, how was it?

The first time was shore based! Not recommended at all. It is a long trip to outer reef and beyond(if available). The day started very early and the bumpy ride on a fast speed boat is very uncomfortable and I had to wear my mask because of the splash! Eating out is tedious and you need to arrange transport first. So choose the accommodation carefully and make sure it is close to the dive operator.
LoB is more civilized and more dive offered. And the boat beat the crowd from the day boat. A lot more expensive but well worth it.
Bit of everything as a whole for Palau.
Another good thing is lack of communist chinese nowadays!!!!!

Ocean Hunter is pretty small and if you do not get along with your fellow divers then there is hardly anywhere to escape from them.

 

[Shasta_man]

Boring would also depend on your past travels. Lots of wall dives, and drift dives which are easiest you can do. There's also the chance to see Peleliu battle area and the little museum still in the little former blockhouse with where it was shelled still evident from the chunks out of the reinforced concrete. Dont get many chances to see those battle areas or Japanese memorabilia.

@Akimbo you say the Russians are mad at Palau?

 

[runsongas]

the ocean hunter is pretty rough as a boat, closer to what you see in socal and scapa.

 

[Akimbo]

@Akimbo you say the Russians are mad at Palau?

Huh? CCP = Chinese Communist Party. CCCP was the Russian abbreviation for USSR. More info:

Empty hotels, idle boats: What happens when a Pacific island upsets China

 

[Centrals]

Most day boats do not make it to Peleliu because of the distance from Koror.

'It's the tone': Palau president explains his China mistrust

 

[Shasta_man]

I`m a little behind in my Communist nation acronyms. I only think of them as China while Communist is implicit.

Thanks for education @Akimbo . The article as well as acronyms were enlightening.

 

[Akimbo]

Thanks for education @Akimbo . The article as well as acronyms were enlightening.

I just re-read my post and fear it came out more harsh than intended. If so, please accept my apologies. CCCP is seared into the memories of most of us boomers and we forget that it has been gone longer than some of our readers have been alive.

 

[Centrals]

Dec 1991.

All proudly displayed on their sporting clothing.

 

[Akimbo]

Most day boats do not make it to Peleliu because of the distance from Koror.

We had to pay extra plus convince enough other divers to meet the minimum for the boat. It is a long run in an open boat for sure.

I found a lot of debris from the invasion of Orange Beach including pieces of landing craft that didn't make it ashore to 50 cal belts of ammo. Most of it is fairly shallow so you can spend lots of time rooting around. It is also an invasion where the UDT, predecessor to the SEALs, played an important role. Lots of history and a great dive site even without the WWII connection.

 

[Blackcrusader]

I live in Taiwan and Palau and Taiwan have a travel bubble but it's not open tourism you need to go in a tour group and stay at certain places and are restricted to where you can go.
Direct flight is 5 hours so that's not too bad. I would love to dive Palau but will need to wait until late 2022 me thinks before general tourism is allowed again. I might do a 3 week trip where one week is on a live aboard. and the other parts of the stay are land based. Good to read the opinions of others here on LOB and shore diving operators.