Trip Report Humboldt Explorer Jan 13-20, 2020

[Lorenzoid]

Wow. Every trip report you write seems more detailed than the last.

There is no way my wife will let me dive the Galapagos without her, and that kind of money for two people for one week will likely never be in our budget. For $16,000 we could spend months in Asia.

 

[scubadada]

Wow. Every trip report you write seems more detail than the last.

There is no way my wife will let me dive the Galapagos without her, and that kind of money for two people for one week will likely never be in our budget. For $16,000 we could spend months in Asia.

It depends on what you want and what you get. Many species of shark, couple of species of sea lion, penguins, marine iguanas, Mola molas, mantas... I will forever cherish my time at Galapagos, many more places to go now...

 

[drrich2]

There is no way my wife will let me dive the Galapagos without her, and that kind of money for two people for one week will likely never be in our budget. For $16,000 we could spend months in Asia.

I'd choke on 16 grand, too. That said, at this point in my life, with employment and benefits, it would be harder to get months off. If blessed with retirement when/as I hope someday, should health endure, time availability may skyrocket but income drop way down.

I've got one more 'big' trip on the bucket list, no specific plans, just that I'd like to at some point dive a live-aboard in Indonesia (mainly eyeing Raja Ampat, maybe Komodo, Papua New Guinea appeals but isn't part of Indonesia - though West Papua, which is part of the same big island, is part of Indonesia - if I understand correctly). At times Red Sea trips sound both cheap and good enough that if one has the time, and can stand the long flights, that might be an alternative to Caribbean diving. Trailboss123's land-based Philippines trip sounded good; I don't know what it cost, all expenses included.

Before I left for this trip, my wife and mother-in-law took our 6-year old daughter to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee for 5 days of messing around and enjoying some shows. The kiddo mentioned to my wife it wasn't fair I got to be gone longer than they did.

I doubt I'll ever dive Hawaii, because it'd be too expensive to take wife & kid with me, and running off to Hawaii (sort of a brand name paradise) alone might earn serious stink eye from the kid.

Richard.

 

[KathyV]

I'd choke on 16 grand, too. That said, at this point in my life, with employment and benefits, it would be harder to get months off. If blessed with retirement when/as I hope someday, should health endure, time availability may skyrocket but income drop way down.

I've got one more 'big' trip on the bucket list, no specific plans, just that I'd like to at some point dive a live-aboard in Indonesia (mainly eyeing Raja Ampat, maybe Komodo, Papua New Guinea appeals but isn't part of Indonesia - though West Papua, which is part of the same big island, is part of Indonesia - if I understand correctly). At times Red Sea trips sound both cheap and good enough that if one has the time, and can stand the long flights, that might be an alternative to Caribbean diving. Trailboss123's land-based Philippines trip sounded good; I don't know what it cost, all expenses included.

Before I left for this trip, my wife and mother-in-law took our 6-year old daughter to Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee for 5 days of messing around and enjoying some shows. The kiddo mentioned to my wife it wasn't fair I got to be gone longer than they did.

I doubt I'll ever dive Hawaii, because it'd be too expensive to take wife & kid with me, and running off to Hawaii (sort of a brand name paradise) alone might earn serious stink eye from the kid.

Richard.

We are thinking about those things too because we plan to retire soon - more time, but less income and "we're not youngsters anymore". You just have to do the best you can for yourself and your loved ones while you can!

As for Hawaii, you could take the family there for a week of fun and then put them on the plane for home while you head over to Kona to get on the Aggressor for a week - if you could take 2 weeks off of work. Not a cheap vacation but a way to enjoy both family time and dive time.

 

[Joneill]

I've got one more 'big' trip on the bucket list, no specific plans, just that I'd like to at some point dive a live-aboard in Indonesia (mainly eyeing Raja Ampat, maybe Komodo, Papua New Guinea appeals but isn't part of Indonesia - though West Papua, which is part of the same big island, is part of Indonesia - if I understand correctly.

I think we still have 1 spot left on this awesome Raja Ampat Liveaboard trip for Feb 2022 :

Raja Ampat with Blue Manta, 10-20 Feb, 2022, with 16% off group rate

 

[Dan]

It’s definitely awesome trip. I just came back from that place.

Here is one of the series trip videos from there that I’ll be posting in Indonesia forum .

 

[tarponchik]

The angelfish in your photo is King Angelfish, common from Baja to Costa Rica.

 

[Lorenzoid]

It depends on what you want and what you get. Many species of shark, couple of species of sea lion, penguins, marine iguanas, Mola molas, mantas... I will forever cherish my time at Galapagos, many more places to go now...

Yeah, but as Richard’s report evidences, you aren’t assured of seeing all that on one trip. Sure, that’s the nature of diving, but for that cost I would want more.

 

[scubadada]

Yeah, but as Richard’s report evidences, you aren’t assured of seeing all that on one trip. Sure, that’s the nature of diving, but for that cost I would want more.

However, you can choose your itinerary to increase your chances. Trips are always a crapshoot

 

[EVMarketing]

Humboldt Explorer Trip Report Jan. 13-20, 2020​

Thank you so much for your kind words, Richard. We really appreciate you taking the time out to share such an in-depth review and your diving experiences —and we agree, the Humboldt Explorer crew are truly gems to have on our team! We also count ourselves lucky for customers like you. We look forward to diving with you again in the future!