Report: Borneo Divers/Sipadan

[Luko]

Actually just re-reading the OP report, finbob has stated at Borneo Divers they do 4 dives a day at Sipadan if you get a permit? I just read their sample itinerary on the Borneo Divers site that says only 3 boat dives per day - 2 dives in Sipadan, the 3rd in Kapalai or Mabul. Anyone care to shed light on this please? At SWV last time we did 3 dives at Sipadan per day.

It depends on the season :
Low season : 3 boat dives a day on Sipadan, but you are almost certain to get back to Sipadan within the next 2 days. So, no hurry.
Peak season (I guess september will still be high season) : 4 dives are scheduled on Sipadan in order to maximize your Sipadan time. personally I don't like this pattern as I would be on deco after 20 minutes, so most of the time I skip the 4th dive and go snorkeling with my daughter. Often I also have camera issues after 3 dives, like flash or camera batteries are dead, greasy chicken flavored finger print on my dome port, etc. that are pushing me towards avoiding the 4th dive with no regrets.

 

[finbob]

I was in Sipadan in May 2011, just missed the reported hammerheads by one week! Can't vouch for the number of hammerheads but the report that they were there seems true. However, I believe hammerheads are fairly rare at Sipadan. Regarding the number of dives/day at Sipadan, I dived 4-dives/day with Borneo Divers which seems normative. However, Luko seems to know more than I about the seasonal variation. Certainly Borneo Divers will do their best to schedule additional dive days, quota permitting. Hope that helps.

Luko, I'm curious, why would you be on deco on the 4th dive with solid surface intervals between each dive? Would Nitrox help you?

 

[Luko]

Luko, I'm curious, why would you be on deco on the 4th dive with solid surface intervals between each dive? Would Nitrox help you?

Typically I would ask Elger or Steven or anyone to start the morning dive at 40m I would already be reaching the deco at the end, second dive is usually on Barracuda point spent chasing the 'cuda school with the idea of shooting the tornado from below, that means quite some time spent at 25m...on this one I am always ending with 5-8 minutes deco stop but... sssshhhhh... since deco is not officially allowed (and if I were using an Oceanic 'puter, I woudln't have any stop mentioned, blame it on conservative Suunto).

It's then lunch time where thankfully, a lot of offgasing is achieved, though the 3rd dive regular 18m-for-50' dive profile at "coral gardens" or "hanging gardens" takes a high toll on nitrogen storage : I will be flirting with deco stops again.
You may remember that everybody is eager to finish the 4th dive quickly and come back home, so the timeframe between dive 3 and 4 are quite short, never more than the official 60 minutes, therefore it's very likely that I will be on deco quickly on that one. I am Ok with 2 deco dives a day something I am familiar with in the CMAS zone, 3 is a bit too much... hence I prefer to skip.
Yes indeed, nitrox would be very helpful on the 4 dives daytrips to Sipadan, unfortunately I found Nitrox very expensive at Borneo divers (probably 10USD) and not that easily proposed. Anyway, as said I don't find the 4th dive very exciting, it it were only me, i'd go back to Mabul immediately after the 3rd dive.

 

[gee13]

Very informative thanks. Think Id plan the first 2 deep dives on Nx and the other 2 on air. But I tend to agree 4 dives tend to be quite tiring toward end of day esp when you are aging like luko . Im happy to make the call on the day how I feel. As a photographer we are always pressed for memory and charge. I prefer to refresh my gear once a day. That said id be happy to leave the camera behind for the last dive and just dive!

And about Suunto...lets just say I dont use one

 

[Luko]

Think Id plan the first 2 deep dives on Nx and the other 2 on air.

Watch out for the mix on the first one which can be deep, I am not sure they will brew EAN28.
You should rather use a solid EAN36 for the 3rd, nitrogen builds up in slow tissues when you stay for a longtime at average depths, whereas it's easy to gas off for deeper but shorter dives.

when you are aging like luko lol.

You, shameless ruffian... I am so young and dandy looking.

 

[Searcaigh]

Thanks for the update Finbob, currently sitting in Dubai airport on my way to KL, and will be at Mabul by Sunday also booked with Borneo Divers for all of next week and then later in July from 15-20 for a second dose courtesy of the Malaysian Tourist Board.

Last time I was on Sipadan was 19 years ago, 4 dives per day for a week, no Nitrox, no computers either, that was fun. Highlight was sitting at the end of the jetty with two of my friends drinking Anchor out of the bottle and a Manta breached about 100 meters offshore, well engrained in my memory, an awesome moment.

 

[vladimir]

However, I believe hammerheads are fairly rare at Sipadan.

This amounts to trivia, but in 1995 we saw schooling hammerheads on a couple of dives. It was by no means routine, but it was common enough for a couple of my fellow divers to have hammerhead tattoos to commemorate sightings from prior trips.