Real Time Blue Manta Review: Banda Sea 9 – 19 Sept 2019

[Carlos Diver]

Awesome pictures.

Bill, what other liveaboards have you used in Indonesia that offer the gear service like that?

 

[Jay]

Back to the Blue Manta Review portion of this thread:

I think everyone used 29% Nitrox given the depths and bottom times we were shooting for.

Only once did I see an analyzer being used -- the one time I went out to the dive deck early to see. Yup, it was 29%. After that, I never looked, but I dutifully initialed the log every dive.

I suppose I was the only one that didn't personally check their nitrox % either by doing it oneself or at least seeing the DM do it every dive. Right? Sure!

Thanks,

Bill

Hey handome, which boat were you on!! As far as I could tell, on our side of the deck, each DM AND diver checked

Here's how the process went; after refilling, the clear cylindrical 'caps' were placed over the tank's value. DM's would then check the tank and then replace the 'cap'. (I saw other DMs aside form ours doing this too). Divers would then check their tank, connect their 1st stage, and sign the form.

The only time a single check was done (in our group at least) was if the DM was checking and I was there or vice versa.

They varied the nitrox blend depending on that day's diving ... 28% was perfect for dropping down to those Hammer-Heads at 40m!

 

[Dan]

Glad to hear it. Anyone have photos? I need an indo fix badly.

Here are some HH pictures taken during the trip, courtesy of JK and RB. I wasn't lucky enough to get good shots of them. You can see the poor visibility at the time. Once I get permission from PJ (BM in-house photo / video grapher) to post some of his better HH pictures, I'll post them here.

Hopefully yours would be much better.

 

[billt4sf]

Awesome pictures.

Bill, what other liveaboards have you used in Indonesia that offer the gear service like that?

I think all will do it, but my point is that this is first one I have seen where it s the default.

 

[Carlos Diver]

I think all will do it, but my point is that this is first one I have seen where it s the default.

Understood. Sounds like a great set-up. I am not too ``long in the tooth'' yet... but by dive 15, 20, 25, I could definitely see the advantages to this service.

How did they do it on Mermaid?

Glad you guys had such a great trip.

 

[billt4sf]

How did they do it on Mermaid?

.

They did it well. Anyone who wanted it got it for asking, no questions asked.

- Bill'

 

[Dan]

Or in Alor, for a fraction of the price you pay on a liveaboard...


... that's precisely where I'd prefer to spot them on coral reefs, walls or ledges, such as the ones in Alor.
But if the HH they spotted are around the not-so-secret remotest island of Banda sea where some of the liveaboards are going now, they can be seen on the top of the reef. Depending on the presents you gave and the "benediction" of the chief of the island, as mystic tells.

You are certainly right about HH siting in Alor

 

[Luko]

You are certainly right about HH siting in Alor

I certainly am.
Saw them 4 times in 6 dives on this site in Alor, unfortunately no photo on my side for various reasons (one of which i flooded my camera the day before might explain ).
Courtesy of one of my friend who I recommended the operation to, this is the same site as your video https://flic.kr/p/V1icoo
I cannot put my hand on a Gopro video one of my buddies did showing a wall of 50+ HH.

 

[Dan]

Finally PJ (BM photographer) gave me permission to post these pictures, below.

Lots of scalloped hammerheads. However, you can see the unfortunate murkiness of the sea at the time.

 

[Dan]

Show off

Seriously. I’ll be in Nautilus Liveaboards - 21 Jul 2020 on Nautilus Belle Amie. Come & join me.