How to dive Truk

[WetPup]

50m on a single tank is extremely risky. And your dives would be very short. If your going that far get some tech courses to dive doubles and learn about dive planning, deco and gas management.

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The dives weren't that short, and I still came up with half a tank. We only spent a few minutes at 50m, then made our way back up the reef. 50 minute dive no problems.

Also, doubles is never going to happen for me. I physically can not dive with doubles. I appreciate where you're coming from with the advice, it's just not a practical option for me.

 

[Seya]

Could you use side mount doubles? You also can gear up and down in the water. You can see a tank on the Nippo Maru and that at 30m. Your going to have an amazing time at the wrecks.

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[WetPup]

Could you use side mount doubles? You also can gear up and down in the water. You can see a tank on the Nippo Maru and that at 30m. Your going to have an amazing time at the wrecks.

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Maybe on the sidemount (nobody around where I live offers it as an option anyway, so it'd mean a trip somewhere that did just to do the training), but I physically had trouble with doubles even gearing up and down in the water.

 

[Scubagolf]

Man, now I feel like I chose the wrong boat....Siren looks amazing, plus I like the set-up you described and the services provided.

Risking being off topic, we were on the Palau Siren two years ago. I believe the boat is the same design, but all diving was from a chase boat. Great boat. My wife won't go on a live aboard but the Siren Fleet.

 

[Oldbear]

Rob McGann went back home to Florida Cave Country after managing the Truk Stop Dive-Ops for nearly five years. The new manager is Gary, who is a PADI Tech Instructor.

Yeppers...I have been in contact with them. We have a group leaving today for Chuuk. So they are going to tell me about the current conditions of the training.

 

[Kevrumbo]

Yeppers...I have been in contact with them. We have a group leaving today for Chuuk. So they are going to tell me about the current conditions of the training.

The other option is to Island Hop all the way over to Puerto Galera and Subic Bay Philippines and do your tech/wreck training there (IMO, the best technical dive training in SE Asia and most similar to the kind of WWII wrecks you will see in the Indo-Pacific/Oceania Region):

Technical Diving | Puerto Galera | Philippines | With Nitrox and Trimix courses.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/wr...nov-06-a.html?highlight=Subic+Bay+Philippines

---------- Post added March 19th, 2015 at 10:03 AM ----------

Again, the best way for the first timer recreational diver to economically visit the more popular/famous wrecks of Truk Lagoon is to use any of the recommended Liveaboards above; for the experienced Tech-Wreck Diver who wants to deco dive the deeper 45m to 60m wrecks of the Fourth Fleet Anchorage rarely visited by the Liveaboards (Wrecks like the infamous Aikoku Maru, Seiko Maru, Nagano Maru, Fujisan Maru, Shotan Maru, San Francisco Maru, Hokuyo Maru, Reiyo Maru, Momokawa Maru; Amagisan Maru and the Oite Destroyer & Katsuragisan Maru near the North/North-East Passes at over 60m to 65m deep) --then use the land based dive-ops of the Truk Stop Hotel which has the better technical logistic & gas blending support of ANY operation -liveaboard or land-based- in ALL of Micronesia. . .

---------- Post added March 19th, 2015 at 06:45 PM ----------

Originally Posted by RJP
Anything new/changed/remarkable? My last trip was 2009. Sub penetratable anymore? Was more than a bit tight last time.

Jan 18 thru Feb 08 2015: Bow of Rio and Engine Room of Fujikawa (R2D2 Compressor) are getting very dangerous with loose unstable superstructure plating hanging above. Aikoku engine room now requires running a reel in at nearly 60m max depth, and there is finally a small boat mooring line attached to the Port side hull just aft of the remaining superstructure. Fumitzuki Destroyer engine room can only be done on Sidemount with dismount technique; I-169 Sub traverse only done via Sidemount with both tanks dismounted and pushed ahead thru the bulkhead forward hatch restriction, but simple penetration do-able on Backmount manifolded doubles with entry/egress only thru aft vertical hatch. Nippo Maru mooring had the strongest current conditions which I used a jonline during deco.

Cold Winter Season, 27deg C air & water temps, prevailing chilly NE winds 8-12 knots, 2 to 5' max wind chop/swells in the Lagoon, with scattered rain showers. Glad you're bringing the Drysuit RJP -because I surely missed mine!


Addendum: Again do not attempt to exit that forward hatch restriction in the I-169 Submarine unless you're sure to fit thru on dismount/no mount/Sidemount technique. Even as small as I am at 5'7" 155lbs, got stuck & keyholed for a few minutes before struggling out: once you commit forward, it's too difficult physically turning/contorting back around to abort & egress through a now resulting total silt-out. . .