Bilikiki - Solomons - Time for New Boat Managers

[cor]

I was on the Bilikiki about the same time DontLieToMe was. I had a wonderful time, but we did have an unruly guest that was easily the most obnoxious guest ive ever seen on a liveaboard. He complained, whined, played loud music constantly, and it was obvious he was having a lousy time aboard the Bilikiki. Luckily almost everyone else was having a great time.

The managers did try everything in their power to make this guest happy. It wasnt easy because nothing could actually make this guest happy. The food was bad (it wasnt), the diving was bad (it wasnt), he never saw anything underwater (I did, check out my gallery at the end of the post), he hated the managers (who are actually very nice and tried hard to make everyone happy), and so on.

About some of the issues DontLieToMe noticed..

The truck was deep, we went there too on our trip and the only reason we went there was because 2 other guests were desperate to see war wrecks. Monty wanted to make them happy, so he went there. At no time did he force anyone else to go, and im still alive despite the fact that I was using nitrox.

I think we went to the same airplane too. There are actually 2 airplanes there, and some guests wanted to swim from one to the other. About a 200 yard kick. The problem was that this dive was in a very busy shipping channel, with large boats going through. If a guest would mistakenly head the wrong way and then surface, he or she could easily have been killed by a large ship. So it was deemed safer to just surface and then head to the other airplane on the tinny. It's usually the know-it-all guests that end up going the wrong way too.

The whole airport thing is a little annoying. You have to leave the Bilikiki by 8am, they drive you to a hotel, you spend some time in their lobby, chat with everyone, then about 3 hours before the flight leaves they bring everyone to the airport. Yes, you have to sit around the crappy airport for a bit, but anyone that travels as much as DontLieToMe does, shouldnt have a problem with that. The reason you have to leave the ship so early, is because they have a huge amount of work to do before the next group of guests, and in some cases it's also a day off for the crew, who often dont see their families for months. It's all give and take. It's really not that much of a problem.

I dont recall ever seeing a near 100% dead reef. I guess you werent on our trip then We did do some rubble areas, and they are often the most interesting areas. We've seen up to 4 ornate ghost pipefish on one of those 'near 100% dead reefs'.

The unruly guest on our trip finally went too far, and Monty told this guest that if he wanted to talk to the owner about all the problems, he would call him on the sat phone, no charge, as some of the problems this guest had were rules set by the owner. Needless to say the guest didnt take this offer, as when push came to shove, he wasnt that brave. The managers do work within certain rules, and the guests and the managers have to follow them. One of those rules was the departure times, which in our case was what prompted this issue.

Whats funny is, this same guest had written a terrible guestbook entry the last time he was there, so you can only wonder why he came back.

Anyways, almost any complaint this person on our trip had, was just silly. The Bilikiki is an awesome ship. We go there a lot, usually twice a year for upto a month each time. This is mostly because of the managers, who are easily the nicest managers ive ever met.

Ste..eh..DontLieToMe.. im sad to hear you had such a bad time.

Cor

ps: for a trip report of our trip, check out http://underwa.ter.net/tripreports/SolomonIslandsNovember2005/ . There is also a gallery with photos here http://underwa.ter.net/gallery2/underwater/website/galleries/solomonislandsnovdec2005/?g2_GALLERYSID=a63ca2fe00776349693495a5aaeffa25

pps: i won a contest with images from this trip, winning an 11 day liveaboard trip to Indonesia. I also placed and had honorable mentions with several other images. It really is an amazing place to go.

 

[Mike Veitch]

MOD for EAN 32 is 132 feet at 1.6 and 111 for 1.4

TDI and SDI both train for 1.6, PADI trains for 1.4

I teach SDI/TDI and 1.6. I would have no problem going to 130 on a 32% mix

Cor.... nice rebuttle.... and good reports,

I have seen your pics before..... Good job on the wins

 

[peterjmaerz]

One of the consequences of being involved in public broadcasting is the inevitable exposure to Dr. Wayne Dyer. Our sister TV station has been running the good pop psychologist what seems like 24/7 during their latest pledge drive. While I take the good Doctor's instruction with a smile and a not insignificant grain of salt, he did strike a nerve when talking about the concept of negativity drawing negative results.

It's a phenomenon I think most of us are familiar with: folks who moan and complain about everything end up living a self-fulfilling prophecy. So, amen to you, Cor, and others who've commented on Mr. Lie-to-Me's litany of woes. Sometimes you just have to shake your head and smile.

And, Cor, your photos are INCREDIBLE!! Your prize was obviously well-deserved. Can you describe to me the equipment you used, that I'll never be able to afford (much less use with your skill )? You can view my feeble Solomon efforts at the link to my galleries.


All the best,

 

[cor]

Hi Peter, Im using a Nikon D2x in a Subal ND2 housing. And I think you were there basically the same time we were but on the Spirit right? My wife Julie (_bella_ here) says hi

Cor

 

[peterjmaerz]

Thanks, Cor,

for the info and hello back to my pre-Solomons correspondent Julie/Bella! Julie, I carried your writings with me on board the Spirit. Thanks, also, for the wonderful linked trip report which brought back dreamy memories of my trip, as well as the more surreal ones of the Mendana and Honiara!

I'm booked on Deb Fugitt's photo friendly trip to Raja Ampat on the Ondina for November. Can't wait for that one! After that, I'm seriously considering another go on the Spirit/Bilikiki for the following year. Perhaps we'll have a chance to meet then.

All the best to you both.

 

[vetdiver]

Cor - thanks for your post, off to look at your report pronto!! less than 3 months until go time, and i am already foaming at the mouth to get there!! cannot see a few hours waiting to depart annoying me. i can see having to depart annoying me, however!

as an aside, gotta say, i still wouldn't feel comfortable with diving 32% EAN to 130 ft (i am TDI trained, too), but that's obviously just me and the op. and my suunto, which is a little (heh, heh) on the conservative side and likes to beep at any opportunity. guess i'll stick to air that day, if we're lucky enough to hit those trucks...hope so.

 

[peterjmaerz]

VetDiver,

Just set your Suunto to 1.6 as I do with my Cobra. Ya gotta figure that, with the Suunto as conservative as it is, you've got an extra margin, even if you're going with 1.6 instead of 1.4. Besides which, most of the time, my tank was at 31% or less on the Spirit.

Just my dos centavos.

Best,

 

[vetdiver]

PJM - I've got a Cobra, as well. Perhaps I will reset it for this trip...gotta say, the beeping at about 105 ft began to get VERY annoying in Saba/St Eustatius last year. We DID have 32 fills there, though, and sometimes (in St E) as high as 33-34, in fact, so the conservatism was probably a good thing.

I'll admit here and now, I'm a bit of a wuss in terms of being conservative (drives my husband nuts when I'm driving, I think...what can I say, I'm a defensive driver and diver...) Can't help it... Wuss, wuss, wuss, that's me... Should change my screen name immediately.

Cor - I did see your trip rpt a month or so ago when I was trolling for new Bilikiki stuff - I remembered well your croc picture, as well as the soft coral on the mangroves. Beautiful stuff. I am extremely jealous of your talent!

 

[peterjmaerz]

Hey, VetDiver,

I'm a card-carrying member of the Wuss club! That's why I put up with my Suunto's nagging...I think, though, that we're both safe at 1.6, as long as the standard vulnerabilities (weight, conditioning, fatigue, etc) are low.

Have a blast in the Solomons--I have no doubt you will!

Best,

 

[vetdiver]

Hold those cards high! (PS, I also belong to the ankle-weight-wearers club, which is apparently "a good way to spot a newbie drysuit diver". Whatever.)

I have the feeling I will conveniently forget my wuss card for the Solomons.

OK, guess I should get some work done. That's what paid for this trip, after all...