Chuuk Lagoon Liveaboard

[boydski]

We just returned from a trip on the Odyssey, and they did an outstanding job. The crew spoke well of the Thorfinn, and we did see the boats from the Thorfinn going out to many of the same wrecks (although not at the same time) that we were diving.

I believe the Odyssey is a bit more comfortable, and there were no restrictions placed on our diving. The Odyssey does also have a small boat that we used to dive some of the deeper wrecks. For example the six tech divers on board jumped in the chase boat and dove the San Francisco Maru while the rest of the boat dove a shallower wreck.

For more information, please see my trip report on the Odyssey.

 

[Fort Collins Bob]

I wuldn't say the Thorfinn does not move, more correctly it doesnt move often.. How much it moves realy depends on the number of divers on board and the wrecks that wish to be dove.. The ship is usually moved to cover a specific area so that the rides on the skiffs are as short as possible.. The new 30ft launches are incredible and can do about 40 knotts. They have full electronics and fresh water showers..

I have done multiple trips on the Thorfinn, and plan on going back again.. You get more freedom on the thorfinn than the odyssey and the guides are much more experienced (the 2 most senior guides have been with lance over 15 years)
f you are on a mixed boat you definatey appreciate the thorfin in that the divers can be broken up into skill levels...

Also the cabins on the thorfinn are quite large especially the rooms on the bottom deck with private showers and head..

I feel so strongly aout the crew and the experience that I have turned down trips on the odyssey that I could have gotten on dirt cheap, and chose to spend considerable amouts of money with the thorfin.

Yep, I agree w/ what you have to say.

I am looking forward to getting back out there.

Bob

 

[divesp]

If you are looking to dive any many different wrecks as possible the Thorfinn is the way to go.
They have three different boats that can take you many different sites.

When I was on the thorfinn, I saw 25 different wreck sites in a week!!!

The Thorfinn does not move ... you are taken to the sites by the smaller, faster craft.

If you dont care about that and are looking for more cushy type of trip the Odyssey is a great choice.

bob

I agree. Odyssey boat is big and so more divers in the same dive location, where as in thorfinn they are less divers and less crowded and you get to visit more dive sites.

 

[padiscubapro]

also if you are looking to plunder the wreck of artifacts, skip the thorfinn as you will not get away with it (Thankfully!) .. but I know multiple people that have brough back souveniers while using the odyssey, since the ship anchors directly over the site and its easy to hide stuff for the short time it takes to get out of your gear and into your room..
In a place like Chuuk, the artifacts have to be protected..

 

[dab]

I was on the Odyssey in 05, and the Thorfin in 06. Both boats run fine operations, and you would enjoy either one. They are different in thier approach. You likely will have the opportunity to dive more wrecks on the Thorfin, but on the Odyssey you will be able to dive when you want to and not be held to a time schedule. The Odyssey is a more comfortable boat and the cabins are larger. When I was on the Odyssey, we did not have as much flexibility as to where we went as opposed to the Thorfin. The crew was great on both boats and I wouldn't hesitate to dive with either again. Pick which ever one fits your schedule best.

 

[Tassie_Rohan]

I dived from Truk Stop Hotel a few years back, and am thinking of returning and doing the odyssey next year.

One question:

Does the Odyssey allow you to do the deeper wreaks such as the San Fransisco (160-200' feet) or are the dives selected to suit everyone on board?

Cheers,
Rohan.

 

[padiscubapro]

I dived from Truk Stop Hotel a few years back, and am thinking of returning and doing the odyssey next year.

One question:

Does the Odyssey allow you to do the deeper wreaks such as the San Fransisco (160-200' feet) or are the dives selected to suit everyone on board?

Cheers,
Rohan.

The deep wrecks are usually reserved for tech weeks, or if a shop books the entire boat and they want to visit the deeper stuff.. The san francisco maru is about the only deep wreck that is regulary dove by the odyssey..

One of my close friends just got back (this past monday) from a week on the odyssey (they had the whole boat)..

To give you an example, everytime I have visited Chuuk I was able to do multiple dive on the Shotan (which is one of my favorite wrecks) with the Thorfinn , my friend was told by the captain of the odyssey that He was never on the SHotan, and one of his guides had ONE dive on it.. They did get the odyssey to moor into the wreck for the day and got two dives on it.. But only because they had the entire boat and wanted that wreck...

If you want the deeper stuff, the only options you have is get in on a tech week, get with a charter that wants to do deep stuff, settle for the SF maru, or choose another dive op (Blue lagoon and the thorfin will do the deeper stuff, not sure about truk stop)..

 

[Seadeuce]

Did the SF Maru twice on my Odyssey trip, and it wasn't tech week.

The chosen sites depend on the standard of divers aboard any given week. I remember the Captain, at the opening brief, saying that "this week you're gonna dive the wrecks WE want to dive!"
And it was quite a week.
Must have hit it just right for a change, not one AOW onboard, DM being the lowest grade.

Seadeuce

 

[Scared Silly]

On our recent trip with the Odyssey I and 5 other dove the SF Maru the last day. This was the only time the group was split up as we went out on the skiff. The tech guys (who did not dive it) were having fun the rest of the week deep down in the wrecks.

As others have said I think it all depends on the group diving that week what will be dove. I know that if (when??) I go back I would want to dive some other wrecks as well. The only dive I would want to skip is the reef & shark feed dive - rather staged. Instead take a shore day before or after and dive shark island which is a cleaning station.

 

[seafox69]

Thorfinn-basic accommodations but they know the wrecks and you can dive 30 different wrecks, or keep going back to 3 or 4, in a week. Also you can get on and leave the boat whenever you want to. Sunday to Sunday schedule but can do custom schedule.

Odyssey rated one of the best if not the best liveabord in the world. Great boat, nice crew, very comfortable, but you will not have the opportunity to dive as many wrecks. Sunday to Sunday, and very busy, hard to get space unless you plan ahead.