Eco Explorer Runs Aground On Tubbataha

[Halthron]

of course they will answer whatever questions you'll throw at them. They'll even do it with a smile. The question is, will you believe them?

Depends on the questions you ask. You don't ask if something happened, you ask how extensive the damage was. A dirty trick and one that immediately places the person on the defensive, but not as dirty as running aground on the reef is.

 

[Wolverine]

Another thing you should be aware of is that they may try to cut the trip short on you. Even though they promise 5 dives a day, on the Stella Maris they tried to get away with doing only 2 dives on the last day of the cruise. I got into a huge argument with Allen, the head divemaster about it. While he finally gave in, he restricted bottom times to 35 minutes at a max depth of 20 meters, despite the fact that my group was also diving Nitrox. Somehow the idea of actually getting what is advertised and what you pay for doesn't register with this operation. Given that in most places in the Philippines, dives on day boats cost around $20 each and very good, private accomodations can be found for $20 per night, the $1400 Cruise Island Adventure / Scuba World charges for a shared, "deluxe" room on the Stella Maris Explorer is a complete rip-off. In the Philippines, 6 nights of land-based accomodation and an equal number of day boat dives would cost around $520, plus a nominal amount for food. In addition, you'll almost certainly get bottom times of 1 hr. or more on each dive with land-based operators.

I've been to the Philippines four times now and think that in the right places it has some of the best diving in the world. I go for the reefs, wrecks, macro life and tremendous bio-diversity. Tubbataha was a nice dive site, though not spectacular. For big animals, it simply doesn't compare to places like Sipidan or Palau and certainly is not worth three times the price of other Philippines destinations. That's especially true when diving with an operator as negligent as Cruise Island Adventure / Scuba World.

Unfortunately, there are not that many operators (which I can book from HK) which I can turn to. I remember asking on the board who they would recommend and unfortunately, Explorer Fleet came out as the most reputable. Not too sure if that is the case now. Has anyone else been diving with these guys? I know its kinda late but heck, better to be prepared.

 

[manhattandiver]

Depends on the questions you ask. You don't ask if something happened, you ask how extensive the damage was. A dirty trick and one that immediately places the person on the defensive, but not as dirty as running aground on the reef is.

According to the company's website, the Eco Explorer has a length of approximately 46 meters and a breadth of 8.5 meters. Even assuming that (i) only 75% of the ship ran aground, and (ii) the breadth of the ship at reef level was only 2/3 of the 8.5 meters cited above, that still generates approximately 193.5 sq. meters of destruction. Don't forget, however, that the damage isn't just confined to the reef top. The Eco Explorer carved a trench in the reef a couple of meters deep. On top of that, during the salvage attmept, the Stella Maris Exlporer and the Oceanic Explorer were both pulling on the tow ropes at full power, just off of the reef and with their prop wash pointing directly at it. I can't imagine that was too good for the remaining marine life in the area.

 

[chip104]

Unfortunately, there are not that many operators (which I can book from HK) which I can turn to. I remember asking on the board who they would recommend and unfortunately, Explorer Fleet came out as the most reputable. Not too sure if that is the case now. Has anyone else been diving with these guys? I know its kinda late but heck, better to be prepared.

wolverine, just go and enjoy the diving. There's not much you can do about rebooking. I wouldn't be surprised if they try to cut you short, so as Manhattan diver says, make sure they hold their end of the bargain.

If you can rebook, there's a couple spaces left on another operator (Southern Cruise) that is going april 10-15. Maybe you can book with them.

 

[Wolverine]

I will give a trip report when I get back. Guess I might make it known to other passengers about the accident. Maybe we will be able to dictate more of the diving. And hopefully, they will be more careful (at least in the next few months).

Wish me luck...

 

[clgsamson]

I will give a trip report when I get back. Guess I might make it known to other passengers about the accident. Maybe we will be able to dictate more of the diving. And hopefully, they will be more careful (at least in the next few months).

Wish me luck...

well good luck...rack em dives!

 

[dive_addict]

I was aboard the other ship, Oceanic Explorer, and i talked to the people who were at Eco. It was a very unfortunate incident, but i just have to tell say that the dedication and the service of the staff was excellent. I just can't agree with the statement below.

"The negligence of the Eco Explorer's captain and crew is inexcusable, as is the negligence of the other boats' captains in risking their own passengers in the ensuing salvage operation."

I'm sure the Eco crew didn't intentionally want to wreck the reef, but given the situation, people from Eco and the other boats appreciated the fact that they've tried to make the best of the situation and arranged for dives to still take place, and accommodate the Eco Explorer people seamlessly, without hassling the other existing passengers.

It was a really sad & unfortunate accident...when Greenpeace hit the reef, did anybody scratch off Greenpeace contributions?

I just think the staff of Scubaworld deserves some credit for the way they've handled the incident. I know some of them, and I've seen how hard they worked to try to salvage and make the best of the situation, with less than 2 hrs of sleep each day esp during the rescue attempts, they were still smiling and greeting you good morning the next day!

Manhattan diver is entitled to his opinion, but as a fellow guest aboard the other ship, i wanted to add my POV in this thread. There are big accidents and small accidents, irregardless, they are incidents that nobody ever wanted to happen in the first place. If I was aboard Eco and that happened, I would be shaken and bothered, but I would also appreciate how the whole crew of the 2 other boats responded to the situation. All of these boats were operated by Scubaworld by the way. Eco captain may have made a mistake, but Stella and Oceanic captains and crew displayed true examples of 'bayanihan', by helping each other out.

Being accountable, i do hope Scubaworld learns from this incident, pays the proper fines and offers acceptable compensation. They have been running trips to Tubbataha for over 8 years i think and this is the first time this has ever happened.

 

[chip104]

nope not the first time this has happened. Which shows their negligence, inability to better themselves, and their disregard for the environment. They still aren't getting my business.

And you just described what any filipino worker would have done in that situation: smile and be happy. Too bad it shouldn't have happened in the first place.


ninja edit: and greenpeace got away easy - but that's a whole other thread.

 

[Dutchie]

I was aboard the other ship, Oceanic Explorer, and i talked to the people who were at Eco. It was a very unfortunate incident, but i just have to tell say that the dedication and the service of the staff was excellent. I just can't agree with the statement below.

"The negligence of the Eco Explorer's captain and crew is inexcusable, as is the negligence of the other boats' captains in risking their own passengers in the ensuing salvage operation."

I'm sure the Eco crew didn't intentionally want to wreck the reef, but given the situation, people from Eco and the other boats appreciated the fact that they've tried to make the best of the situation and arranged for dives to still take place, and accommodate the Eco Explorer people seamlessly, without hassling the other existing passengers.

It was a really sad & unfortunate accident...when Greenpeace hit the reef, did anybody scratch off Greenpeace contributions?

I just think the staff of Scubaworld deserves some credit for the way they've handled the incident. I know some of them, and I've seen how hard they worked to try to salvage and make the best of the situation, with less than 2 hrs of sleep each day esp during the rescue attempts, they were still smiling and greeting you good morning the next day!

Manhattan diver is entitled to his opinion, but as a fellow guest aboard the other ship, i wanted to add my POV in this thread. There are big accidents and small accidents, irregardless, they are incidents that nobody ever wanted to happen in the first place. If I was aboard Eco and that happened, I would be shaken and bothered, but I would also appreciate how the whole crew of the 2 other boats responded to the situation. All of these boats were operated by Scubaworld by the way. Eco captain may have made a mistake, but Stella and Oceanic captains and crew displayed true examples of 'bayanihan', by helping each other out.

Being accountable, i do hope Scubaworld learns from this incident, pays the proper fines and offers acceptable compensation. They have been running trips to Tubbataha for over 8 years i think and this is the first time this has ever happened.

Sounds like a certain dive operator on the back foot to me.............

 

[Bubble Junky]

First time in Tubbataha maybe...........?