Lumba Lumba – Pulau Weh – Serious Safety Concerns – and a dangerous incident

[ayeshacantrell]

We have just booked our second visit to Pulah Weh with Lumba Lumba.

We greatly enjoyed the first one, hence the return, hopefully this time with a bunch of mates and we cant wait....

We are greatly experienced divers that have taught and dived all over the world, so we do know what we are looking for in terms of safety and standards and we had no problems what so ever. We were even asked to make a check dive before diving the Sophie Rickmers - even though we are both technical instructors.

The diving is amazing and in my top 3 places for sure, however it is challenging, as often the richest waters are.

I cannot comment on the individual incidents as I wasnt present and advise others against doing the same - only to say that in our experience we had nothing negative to say about the centre - only perhaps that our visit was too short !

We will of course be more than happy to post a trip report upon our return - however we dont visit until November .....

 

[DandyDon]

ayeshacantrell, I am curious: did anyone ask you to seek out the three threads you just posted on and comment?

And can you take a CO tester and check the tanks?

 

[ayeshacantrell]

Nope - I have not been asked to write anything. I was in the process of booking my trip and it reminded me that I had promised to send some supplementary information to other divers that we had talked to about diving there. I checked ScubaBoard and Trip Advisor and couldnt believe what I was reading.

I will not be taking a CO tester.

 

[DandyDon]

Nope - I have not been asked to write anything. I was in the process of booking my trip and it reminded me that I had promised to send some supplementary information to other divers that we had talked to about diving there. I checked ScubaBoard and Trip Advisor and couldnt believe what I was reading.

It's just been interesting to see all of the new and unfamiliar members posting in defense here as a fire and an injury are still serious accidents. The Op itself is welcome to post here of course, but no amount of defense or praise can wash away serious facts.

I will not be taking a CO tester.

For a tropical site with a compressor intake inside the small room, you really should - and I'd like to hear some test reports as I have a hunch that they don't bother testing.

 

[ayeshacantrell]

I am hardly new or unfamiliar .....3 yr membership and over 200 posts - not a newbie for sure but not a someone with 1000s of post either.

I only comment or contribute when I think I have something worthwhile to say or I can help with divers questions ......

As I said, I have no knowledge of the incidents that have been cited - so cant comment and have only expressed what we experienced during our visit. I will, as I have said, happily post a trip report post our visit.

I agree that no amount of defense or praise can wash away serious facts but neither you (dandy don) or I were there during any of the cited incidents - hence why I did not comment on that particular incident and suggest that no one else - who wasn't there should comment either.

 

[Bubble Junky]

I've spent over twelve months in total working at Lumba Lumba (and no, I haven't been asked to post here - working in Asia I follow the Asian related forums...). In all my time at the dive centre I have never once seen or heard of any problems with the air in the tanks. Or any other safety problems. It sounds to me that there was a nasty accident, but that's all it was - an accident.

The diving on Weh is amazing - mimic octopus, tiny frog fish, mantas, eagle rays, sharks etc, etc. - and I am looking forward to going back and diving with Lumba Lumba again, with no CO analyser and no qualms !!!

 

[cruisinmanly]

my boyfriend and I dived and stayed at Lumba Lumba for over 2 weeks. Granted the conditions were not pristine in the dive shop but what can you expect for a place so far from anywhere...

I did not test the CO2, and do not have the presence of mind to do that, unfortuntely I assume that the air i take is good, but this is not my point. (I m an adult i take risks, I sometimes can t believe people smoke, but we have choices in life). (like they say assumptions are the master of all F89k ups)

The diving in Lumba Lumba is probably not for beginners, the diving was difficult and had I not been diving for many years I probably would have trouble with my buoyancy, and it would be quite an ordeal. But aside from the very strong currents the diving was different and good, the walls were great and the fish life very good.

There were options to go deeper, and do different dives, but I believe we make choices, if you need to have you hand held (which is not a bad thing) perhaps going 40m in an area known for strong currents might not be the best thing...it only increases a chance for things to go wrong. In diving you need to be aware of limits....we all have our own...and if you need to be led around a site and not have any awareness or orientation then perhaps not the place you need to dive...maybe somewhere shallower, and with more divemasters?

We used the same boats as described, I had no trouble and the boat men were great. The dive masters were awesome, and so were the staff based at the centre. Its not a place i would choose to take a friend who is beginning their dive career though...although the shore diving was great...and relaxed, i stayed up to 1.5 hrs in 2-5 metres....how great is that!

I suppose its like mount everest, you can go up there nothing stopping you, in fact you can get some to practically drag you up there if you want, but there is a chance something might happen, its a dangerous place. So if something does happen whos fault is it? and if you just started your mountain climbing career would it be your first trip? should you casticate against the company who sent you there...or the person who dragged you up there...its like a blame culture right?

I work in the marine offshore industry, boats and sea sometimes don t mix, and unfortunetly when it goes wrong, it really goes wrong...

Things do go wrong in life, but really was it so god awful that you are ranting about it alot? if it was that bad I would of packed up and left the island, not stayed around doing shore dives...there must of been something you liked?

I m just playing devils advocat....and I met some really nice people at that resort.especially moma something with the little pastries..and I did some good diving....and I m so glad no one was killed, thats the ultimate price...I m sure the staff at lumba lumba got a shock, and going back and being in thier faces aint going to help...what did you want them to do ? people react differently...

take easy y'all

 

[DandyDon]

I've spent over twelve months in total working at Lumba Lumba (and no, I haven't been asked to post here - working in Asia I follow the Asian related forums...). In all my time at the dive centre I have never once seen or heard of any problems with the air in the tanks. Or any other safety problems. It sounds to me that there was a nasty accident, but that's all it was - an accident.

The diving on Weh is amazing - mimic octopus, tiny frog fish, mantas, eagle rays, sharks etc, etc. - and I am looking forward to going back and diving with Lumba Lumba again, with no CO analyser and no qualms !!!

Perhaps some of the new and unfamiliar posters on these threads are hearing about the discussions on other sites. Was wondering but no problem.

Instructors and Operators not testing for CO is a long standing and widespread problem. Testing is a good way to prevent injuries but it sounds like if marginal leves were found there, this owner would just tell you to go elsewhere.

I guess one can accept either side: Great vs Dangerous place, and we are not going to settle that question here.

 

[cruiser]

Perhaps some of the new and unfamiliar posters on these threads are hearing about the discussions on other sites. Was wondering but no problem.

Instructors and Operators not testing for CO is a long standing and widespread problem. Testing is a good way to prevent injuries but it sounds like if marginal leves were found there, this owner would just tell you to go elsewhere.

I guess one can accept either side: Great vs Dangerous place, and we are not going to settle that question here.

My take on all this is the diving is great, but the dive boat provider -- not so much.

 

[LumbaLumba]

Please look for our full report on:

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ac...ght-fire-part1-lumba-lumba-diving-centre.html

Thanks for paying attention to both sides of a story,

Ton