FYI Peter Hughes' New Policy

[Shasta_man]

I can't understand why anyone would have a problem buying any of these devices. From the safety angle, many of their boats are in places you could be LONG gone if they can't find you. We were on the Komodo Dancer and you could be in Australia in no time. Just washed away to around the corner of the next island might as well be in Australia if they can't find you. Of course there, the dragons would get you but that's another issue. From the cost point of view: this is a drop in the bucket compared to your trip cost. Almost like booking a luxury hotel room the day after returning, it's just a drop in the bucket of the whole trip. If you're paying multiple grand to get there, this is really nothing. If a couple hundred is a deal breaker then it sounds like you can't go anyway because you'll spend that on souvenirs from the natives on the trip. As for being after you book, again, it's your safety not a fuel surcharge. All that stuff is worth zero until you need it. Also think about it from their point of view: we'll be searching everywhere for you when we could have found you, and how will we feel if we lose one? I could also use this stuff diving at home. Just shorediving here in CA I could end up using it.

 

[reubencahn]

Quick report on the topic of this thread. The requirement for the devices was announced at the beginning of the cruise. However, it wasn't stringently enforced from what I could see. The Princeton Tec strobe recommended by Mike worked fine, a good compromise between the heft and expense of the the Jotron and the Teklite, except my wife's flooded for some unknown reason.

Cruise with StarDancer was very good, and I would recommend the boat. I'll try to post a trip report once I get around to writing one. FWIW, I would not recommend an extended stay at Walindi which I found to be a disappointment.

 

[Cacia]

FWIW, I would not recommend an extended stay at Walindi which I found to be a disappointment.

Oh really? I'd like to hear about that.

 

[reubencahn]

Oh really? I'd like to hear about that.

Many of the dive sites in Kimbe Bay are excellent, and Walindi will get you to them. But the boat rides are long (often an hour and a half) and you may not be on the site at the best time. You'll leave the dock at 8:00 and be in the water at 9:30. The big fish sites are all better earlier. The boats themselves are not particularly comfortable. There's limited shade. No bathrooms. No camera rinse tank. Your camera sits on the floor near the driver. Boats are crowded when carrying a full load. Lunch is on the boat every day. It's kept in a cooler and not refrigerated. My son got very sick from it one day.

Walindi's bungalows are large, and the beds are okay, but everything's a bit run down. There's no a/c and humidity is very high. I slept okay but the humidity played havoc with my camera gear. There's a camera room but, again, no a/c, and no compressed air.

Breakfasts at Walindi are pretty poor, limited choices, limited quality. Lunches, I already mentioned. Dinner, there are lots of choices. The meats are poor. If you rush to the buffet as soon as the bell is rung, you can get some of the local fish which was always very good. If you delay even a bit, there will be none left. Unlike the other dishes, there was only one fish prepared each day. The salads and deserts were good to excellent and more than one salad was available at every dinner.

Finally, Walindi is very expensive--at least for an American: Australians pay a reduced rate. The bungalow was $150 pp as a triple share. Diving is $150/day for two dives, $180/day for three dives. In my opinion the resort is grossly overpriced. I think they've been able to get away with it because they've had no real competition, but I wouldn't stay there again except to overnight at the beginning of a trip on the StarDancer or the Febrina or maybe for a couple of days of diving before beginning a trip on one of the boats.