Chuuk Lagoon - Ghost Fleet - Is land based diving possible?

[Akimbo]

At the moment, I believe they are still closed to tourism.

That has to be devastating to their economy. As near as I can tell, wreck divers are the primary contributor to their GDP.

Many of these wrecks will collapse into scrap metal soon. At some point divers will go elsewhere since the lagoon does not have especially clear water or support rich coral reefs. The last gasp for the economy will be to salvage the scrap unless they can figure out another way to capitalize on other resources.

 

[Scared Silly]

That has to be devastating to their economy. As near as I can tell, wreck divers are the primary contributor to their GDP.

Many of these wrecks will collapse into scrap metal soon. At some point divers will go elsewhere since the lagoon does not have especially clear water or support rich coral reefs. The last gasp for the economy will be to salvage the scrap unless they can figure out another way to capitalize on other resources.

I am sure the Chinese will make them an offer well before that as pre atomic blast metal (aka low background steel) is in demand.

 

[BoltSnap]

If they were hurting, they wouldn't have persevered as they have done so far in their COVID lock-down. I am sure that they are being very well taken care of by the US of A.

 

[runsongas]

its not nearly as tourism dependent as say palau. and either the US will end up ponying up more aid money or i'm sure the PLAN would love to send chuuk some bags of cash to set up a naval base.

the radiation is getting better on bikini, might be a short window of opportunity to revive the land based resort there before the wrecks collapse

 

[broncobowsher]

its not nearly as tourism dependent as say palau. and either the US will end up ponying up more aid money or i'm sure the PLAN would love to send chuuk some bags of cash to set up a naval base.

the radiation is getting better on bikini, might be a short window of opportunity to revive the land based resort there before the wrecks collapse

I knew the land based stuff closed shop when the one airplane broke down and they could not get parts to fix it. But I was reading up on stuff a few weeks ago and saw Bikini Atoll - Wikipedia The Bikini islanders suspended land-based dive operations beginning in August 2008. As of 2021, Air Marshall Islands operates one Bombardier DHC-8-100 aircraft and two 19-seat Dornier 228. So there may be a chance of land operations again.

 

[bakodiver391]

The Bikinian local government has made noise about opening up a land based resort again, but i doubt they want to make the investment in infrastructure, especially given the near total ban on travel over the last two years. I would not bet money on the two liveaboard operations resuming either.

 

[poseident]

If they were hurting, they wouldn't have persevered as they have done so far in their COVID lock-down. I am sure that they are being very well taken care of by the US of A.

They weren't being very well taken care of by ANYONE in the 90s and 00s....maybe it got better. I haven't followed developments in the FSM very closely--not sure if China has stepped into the void there.

Chuuk is a very interesting place, but the "safe" rule was "don't leave the property" (referring to Blue Lagoon). I had the good fortune to do some work with the Air Force Civil Engineering detachment and had some really awesome interaction with the locals. If you can arrange some kind of local guide, you'd be fine, but I agree with the previous point of not going out "on your own." I'd be pretty shy about flashing a lot of cash or jewelry (including fancy dive watches) but that's my nature anywhere...not picking on Chuuk.

 

[clownfishsydney]

Shore based is the best way really. You can do far more wrecks for a lower cost, but you need longer time. I have been there 6 times, all land based (once also did liveaboard). Three out of the last four times I did three weeks.

 

[poseident]

Shore based is the best way really. You can do far more wrecks for a lower cost, but you need longer time. I have been there 6 times, all land based (once also did liveaboard). Three out of the last four times I did three weeks.

Is Gradvin still around Blue Lagoon at all? I know he dove into politics and was the mayor of one of the islands for a while. I had some great conversations with him over the years...and felt like he was going to be a great steward for Kimiuo's legacy.

 

[BoltSnap]

They weren't being very well taken care of by ANYONE in the 90s and 00s....maybe it got better. I haven't followed developments in the FSM very closely--not sure if China has stepped into the void there.

Micronesia and the whole area there is a very strong US "influence" area. Chuuck has been under the US's total control for many decades, since WWII. This doesn't mean that the US is going to make it the "51st." state or make the living standards there at the same level in the US.