No contact from MV Dolphin and leaving next week...eeek!

[frogfone]

We are booked on a liveaboard due to depart Puerto Galera/Anilao on Sat 30th Nov. Booked and paid in full in the summer. We used the boat in the summer to visit Tubbataha and had a great time with no issues.

We leave the UK next Thursday and I have been trying to contact the boat/associated dive resort for the last two weeks. I have tried email, contact us page on website and sent a text to a mobile number listed. I have had no reply.

I have no idea if there is an issue with the boat/resort and don't have any transport organised from Manilla. There seems little point as I don't know where or when we are supposed to meet it or if it is even sailing!

I'm getting pretty worried and have no idea what to do next...

Does anyone have any information or ideas of what to try next?

Thanks

Sharon

 

[Johncn]

Not sure if this helps, but we saw this liveaboard in Sabang last week...I think November 12 or 13? It had divers on board, and was mobile. ;-) No longer in Puerto Galera, or I would try to ask around. Sorry.

Johncn

 

[frogfone]

Thanks for letting me know that it is still operational. I have checked the schedule and it is not due to sail again until 30th Nov. We leave the UK on 28th so still have time...I have tried another email address and phone number but so far no reply. Still, very worried

 

[WOODMAN]

Thanks for letting me know that it is still operational. I have checked the schedule and it is not due to sail again until 30th Nov. We leave the UK on 28th so still have time...I have tried another email address and phone number but so far no reply. Still, very worried

I am going to try and ask my dive operator Rick at Frontier Diving in Sabang if he knows anything. Woody

 

[outofofficebrb]

Please keep us posted on what you all find out. That would make me nervous as well.

 

[frogfone]

I got a reply last night via facebook, phew! I was getting quite nervous so can now relax and get my packing done this weekend.

Thanks to all that posted and gave me some moral support

Sharon

 

[frogfone]

Everything went to plan. We were picked up from our hotel in Manila at 9.30am and transferred to Batangas port where we were met with a rep with two tickets for the 2pm ferry. He showed us to the gate and strangely to us the Ferry departed at approx 1pm.

We got a trike to the resort and the boat left with only 6 divers on board about 5pm. We dived Anilao, Coron and Apo Reef with Typhoon Tisoy giving us a bit of trouble but nothing that the crew and boat could not handle.

We had a wonderful week, the second time we have dived from MV Dolphin this year. The other divers that we were with had booked through Liveaboard.com and had been told that they had secured the last spaces on the trip (in an attempt to get them to complete the sale) but could have probably opened the trip to other club members as it turned out there were only 6 divers on the trip. I'm sure given the small number of divers and the fact that we had to sail into the wind to keep the boat safe and stable during the worst of the typhoon that the trip was run at a loss. But we never felt that the trip was curtailed in anyway. Food was very good and came in huge quantities, we were very well looked after by everyone on the trip and apart from the lack of upfront communication I couldn't fault the trip at all.

Sharon

 

[MomZo]

Thanks for the feedback.

Do you plan to write a more detailed report about the best of diving you experienced during this week?
Would be especially interested in your feedback about Coron and Apo Reef.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Everything went to plan. We were picked up from our hotel in Manila at 9.30am and transferred to Batangas port where we were met with a rep with two tickets for the 2pm ferry. He showed us to the gate and strangely to us the Ferry departed at approx 1pm.

We got a trike to the resort and the boat left with only 6 divers on board about 5pm. We dived Anilao, Coron and Apo Reef with Typhoon Tisoy giving us a bit of trouble but nothing that the crew and boat could not handle.

We had a wonderful week, the second time we have dived from MV Dolphin this year. The other divers that we were with had booked through Liveaboard.com and had been told that they had secured the last spaces on the trip (in an attempt to get them to complete the sale) but could have probably opened the trip to other club members as it turned out there were only 6 divers on the trip. I'm sure given the small number of divers and the fact that we had to sail into the wind to keep the boat safe and stable during the worst of the typhoon that the trip was run at a loss. But we never felt that the trip was curtailed in anyway. Food was very good and came in huge quantities, we were very well looked after by everyone on the trip and apart from the lack of upfront communication I couldn't fault the trip at all.

Sharon

How was it diving from the dingy? In photos, it looks like quite a relaxed transfer from the liveaboard to the dingy but the tanks are all laying on the bottom of the dingy. How is gearing up for the dives handled? How do divers keep from walking on everyone's gear?

 

[frogfone]

How was it diving from the dingy? In photos, it looks like quite a relaxed transfer from the liveaboard to the dingy but the tanks are all laying on the bottom of the dingy. How is gearing up for the dives handled? How do divers keep from walking on everyone's gear?

It was quite a big skiff, with cubbies underneath for mask, fins, small cameras etc. Even when the boat is full the dive groups are no bigger than 6 so plenty of room. The guide/skiff driver helped each diver on with their gear once at the dive site. Good ladders and always someone to help you on and off the boat back to the dive deck.

Sharon