Diving Tubbataha Reef with M/Y Sakura

[RedFishBlueFish]

For our trip, which was the first trip of the season for Sakura, we were 12 Divers. According to their website, it’s supposed to be a max of 11 Divers. As for the water coming into our cabin, it came through the portholes which despite being closed, don’t seal properly. And the extra luggage is stowed in the hull of the catamaran portion of the boat which will get wet as water splashes over the deck and goes right into the hatch door. In our group, one of the divers had been to Tubbataha with Sakura for 3 previous trips (this was his 4th) and another diver had done one previous trip with Sakura. The rest of us were pretty unhappy with the condition of the boat.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Look people, a typical afternoon tropical squall & thunderstorm in zero visibility in a low freeboard vessel like the M/Y Sakura -basically a wood/fiberglass bangka in the middle of the exposed open ocean of the Sulu Sea- that's NOT the best seaworthy Diveboat to be in with those frequently encountered surface conditions:

 

[romancoat]

Huh. I was supposed to be on the Sakura now (Apr 15-20) but stuff happened and long story short, I'll be on the Zamerdius instead the last week of May. It's a couple hundred dollars more expensive, but hopefully will be more comfortable than what the Sakura sounds like.

 

[Scandi Divers]

I have to been to Tubbataha 4 times in the last five years. It is really worth spending an extra $1000 for a quality trip. Even if you have to save for an extra year to get the $$$ it really is worth it. The Discovery Fleet boats are great value for money at about $2,300 for six nights plus park fees. They are very safety orientated, have a good selection of tasty food. The cabins are comfortable and the staff really make you feel at home. For me to travel over a 100 miles to dive for 4 days is not worth it, that's why I recommend saving up and splurging a little on this bucket list trip.

 

[Centrals]

Outrigger is NOT really suitable on rough sea and together with cross wind would make it extremely uncomfortable.
Take a look at M/B Dschubba, 7D/8N for Euro 1,920.00. Not cheap but Mark has been doing this route since 90's. BTW, I have been on his old boat Moonshadow before.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I have to been to Tubbataha 4 times in the last five years. It is really worth spending an extra $1000 for a quality trip. Even if you have to save for an extra year to get the $$$ it really is worth it. The Discovery Fleet boats are great value for money at about $2,300 for six nights plus park fees. They are very safety orientated, have a good selection of tasty food. The cabins are comfortable and the staff really make you feel at home. For me to travel over a 100 miles to dive for 4 days is not worth it, that's why I recommend saving up and splurging a little on this bucket list trip.

I’m at the airport about to head out to Puerto Princesa. I was really excited to see your post because we are booked with Discovery Fleet on the Discovery Palawan. I will post a trip report when I return mid May!

 

[Centrals]

I’m at the airport about to head out to Puerto Princesa. I was really excited to see your post because we are booked with Discovery Fleet on the Discovery Palawan. I will post a trip report when I return mid May!

Tubattaha is the BEST in the country. However, the reef is huge so nothing is really guaranteed so keep your eyes open and hope for the best. The wall is DEEP.
Have been there 3 times and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Have a nice trip.

 

[moorish8idol]

As for some of the questions, there IS oxygen on board the Sakura. The profiles can be very deep so this is absolutely necessary though we were told in 12 seasons they have never needed it (knock on wood). We also had 12 divers on board (plus 2 divemasters and 6 crew - everyone sharing the 2 toilets and one shower) even though it is advertised as 11 - the most fore-cabin should likely only be a single. It has a double bunk but is quite a tight squeeze and has no porthole so can get quite stuffy in there.
The seals on most of the hatches are not air-tight and this was certainly cause for a lot of the leaking. During the crossing, I went down to sleep in my bottom bunk where it was dry-ish (I am not so prone to sea-sickness though several guests were very sick and not really looked after my staff - luckily fellow guests stepped in) but my feet kept getting splashed despite the hatches being closed. In one of the two compartments for bags, the left-side's lid was flipping up every time the boat hit a wave (so was easily flooded) - the other compartment didn't behave that way but was obviously still leaking as evidenced by my ruined bags which will now sit in a fresh water soak for some time.
Tubbataha is sooo good that I can't say it was a nightmare or that my experience was ruined. We regularly came up from our dives just gobsmacked - they were busy dives too as in one moment you'd be swimming alongside a big whale shark only to be distracted by loads of (pretty big) reef sharks, huge schools of jack/tuna/barracuda etc, only to run into some hammerheads, mantas - this place is crazy. Even a terrible boat can't ruin it (though admittedly a lot of it has to do with luck - we had two tenders on our boat and I was on the lucky one, though I think our DM was a bit more tuned in to where to go and when to find the big guys so not entirely a question of luck - and you have to go deep - the other boat saw a single whale shark the whole trip and no hammers or mantas - we saw whale sharks every day and all of the other goodies too - and regularly). Lesson learned though - spend the money for a good boat and then the top-side experience can be just as good as the diving.

 

[whatacoolfish]

As for some of the questions, there IS oxygen on board the Sakura. The profiles can be very deep so this is absolutely necessary though we were told in 12 seasons they have never needed it (knock on wood). We also had 12 divers on board (plus 2 divemasters and 6 crew - everyone sharing the 2 toilets and one shower) even though it is advertised as 11 - the most fore-cabin should likely only be a single. It has a double bunk but is quite a tight squeeze and has no porthole so can get quite stuffy in there.
The seals on most of the hatches are not air-tight and this was certainly cause for a lot of the leaking. During the crossing, I went down to sleep in my bottom bunk where it was dry-ish (I am not so prone to sea-sickness though several guests were very sick and not really looked after my staff - luckily fellow guests stepped in) but my feet kept getting splashed despite the hatches being closed. In one of the two compartments for bags, the left-side's lid was flipping up every time the boat hit a wave (so was easily flooded) - the other compartment didn't behave that way but was obviously still leaking as evidenced by my ruined bags which will now sit in a fresh water soak for some time.
Tubbataha is sooo good that I can't say it was a nightmare or that my experience was ruined. We regularly came up from our dives just gobsmacked - they were busy dives too as in one moment you'd be swimming alongside a big whale shark only to be distracted by loads of (pretty big) reef sharks, huge schools of jack/tuna/barracuda etc, only to run into some hammerheads, mantas - this place is crazy. Even a terrible boat can't ruin it (though admittedly a lot of it has to do with luck - we had two tenders on our boat and I was on the lucky one, though I think our DM was a bit more tuned in to where to go and when to find the big guys so not entirely a question of luck - and you have to go deep - the other boat saw a single whale shark the whole trip and no hammers or mantas - we saw whale sharks every day and all of the other goodies too - and regularly). Lesson learned though - spend the money for a good boat and then the top-side experience can be just as good as the diving.

Thanks for the great report! I'll be on the Sakura April 29th and was starting to get nervous after all these comments. I researched pretty thoroughly before booking and hadn't read anything like total flooding or bare electrical. Out of curiosity which was the luckier guide, I'll try to join them.

 

[outofofficebrb]

Tubattaha is the BEST in the country. However, the reef is huge so nothing is really guaranteed so keep your eyes open and hope for the best. The wall is DEEP.
Have been there 3 times and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.
Have a nice trip.

Thanks for the tips! @moorish8idol your report on what you saw also has me very excited! I think this will be a great way to kick off a 6 month surface interval.