Review of 5d/5n Burma Liveaboard Dive Trip with AICD (Based in Ranong, Thailand)

[Deefstes]

mmmmm, when it all goes south you want them to come back and say

' that was hell, but i enjoyed it in a funny sort of way!'

I'm sorry but I would have to disagree with such a statement. If you travel half way around the world and pay good money for a diving trip, there is no enjoyment in a funny sort of way if the trip is hell.

but surely the adventure of a dive trip would be diminsished if it went exactly to plan every time, no variations

Maybe for you but not for the paying customer. The paying customer expects to get what you advertise on your website and if you're going to use superlatives like "the best diving in Burma" you'd have to know that your customers are coming over with an expectation of the best diving in Burma. The thing is, most of these web sites advertising liveaboard diving would have you believe that the diving is so unbelievably good that no right minded customer would think "oh but surely the adventure will be diminished if everything works out like that."

Maybe I'm missing your point but the way it comes across just doesn't make sense to me.

 

[Zippsy]

You probably did get "the best diving in Burma". It's just that the diving there sucks.

 

[jamiemac]

I'm sorry but I would have to disagree with such a statement. If you travel half way around the world and pay good money for a diving trip, there is no enjoyment in a funny sort of way if the trip is hell.


Maybe for you but not for the paying customer. The paying customer expects to get what you advertise on your website and if you're going to use superlatives like "the best diving in Burma" you'd have to know that your customers are coming over with an expectation of the best diving in Burma. The thing is, most of these web sites advertising liveaboard diving would have you believe that the diving is so unbelievably good that no right minded customer would think "oh but surely the adventure will be diminished if everything works out like that."

Maybe I'm missing your point but the way it comes across just doesn't make sense to me.

I get your point entirely. I'm always careful not to post too much on websites, and certainly not a detailed schedule of dive sites and what to see. You can get away with that with tec divers, perhaps not with the fishy ones.

I remember well having print outs thrust in my face at 6.30am because we're at the 'wrong' site and how will they see the greater spotted manta shrimp pictured on the website?

My very general point is that now that diving is so well exposed now, and there's so much competition that it has got a little sanitised and the adventures are a lot softer.

I've no idea what the solution is, if you promise the earth , you have to deliver, you're right.

 

[hallenbad]

Hi all, I am from germany, dive in thailand and burma since 1997 every year and have been to many liveaboards with more than 300 dives now. I don´t know why this guitarfish is blaming AIDC and complaining about everything not only in this forum, maybe he is a notorious complainant or has something else in his mind only to destroy the reputation of AIDC. He should take a trip to thailand (TIT) and specially to burma as an adventure and enjoy the holiday.
I was with AIDC now 7 times on a trip and never had a bad experience. My last trip was burma march 14 to 19 and all 11 customers were happy and satiesfied, nothing to complain about. Preben, the danish manager does everything to organize a great trip, make everybody happy, sometimes it is not in his hand what happens in thailand or with the engine, The two Divemasters Carmen and Mischa have a very great passion for diving and I trust both of them to be good guides. Ths cave-diving was easy, western rocky is more a tunnel and shark-cave is also not a problem with a small group. I did this several times and nobody had any problems. The briefing was always good standard and all questions were answered. The food on board was excellent, even a barbeque and frsh sushi was offered, better than on other liveaboards. The atmosphäre an board was super, we had fun, talked about all the diving. Read the AIDC blog and have a look at the pics from the customers.
I must reject all what guitarfish wrote and can highly recommend AIDC.
Gerd

 

[limirl]

You say you have done 7 trips with AIDC but never posted a trip report then you register for your one and only post to solely refute the OP its hard to take your opinion as objective.

 

[Bowmouth]

This cave-diving was easy, western rocky is more a tunnel and shark-cave is also not a problem with a small group. I did this several times and nobody had any problems. Gerd

The large entrance (south-side) of the tunnel at Western Rocky starts at approximately 20 meters (70 fsw) depth and the narrow "creep through" exit on the north side of the islet is at 24 meters (80 fsw). The tunnel itself is fairly long (I guess approximately 30+ meters) and there are no air-pockets in the tunnel or places where you can make a direct ascent to the surface. I am aware that many divers under guidance of their DM's/Instructors (who should know better) visit this tunnel and find it an exciting and "fun thing" to do. I am glad to hear that you or the other divers had no problems during your dive in this cave.
Now try to imagine what could have happened if you or one of your divers had an equipment related problem, an out of air problem or simply freaked out while inside the tunnel. Not a great scenario...

The short swim-through of 3-islets' middle islet (aka "Shark Cave", or "In through the Outdoor") is indeed relatively safe to do as long as there's no surge and you're not trying to swim through it against the current. The smaller cavern just besides and under this swim-through must not be entered though. Entering this cavern can be a true hazard when there's surge or when tawny nurse-sharks are resting inside it. Divers have been "bumped" by the disturbed sharks when they (the sharks) bolted for the exit after being rudely awakened. Not a funny experience; not for the divers nor for the sharks....

 

[hallenbad]

I am from germany and made a trip report including some pics in my language in the german board taucher.net about the MV Thai Sea in 2009. Please have a look:

http://www.taucher.net/edb/MV_Thai_Sea_s9017.html

My english is not that good, sorry. I was with AIDC and also with A-One-Diving 5 times in Burma and several trips to surin, similan.

Bowmouth`s description about western rocky and shark cave are exactly right. We always made the tunnel in western rocky first and continued the dive on the north side. Our guides Preben, Mischa and Carmen made a good briefing and know the site very well.
Shark cave is indeed not so easy cause in the last two years in my opinion there is more and more sand inside from the surge, so the cave is getting smaller every year. I had the experience with two very big nurse sharks in 2005, now the sharks are long gone.
All my dives we have been max. 2 divers and one Instructor and no problems.
Gerd

 

[Deefstes]

Gerd, let's start with your closing comment.

I must reject all what guitarfish wrote and can highly recommend AIDC.

Are you rejecting Guitarfish's claim that they had to sleep in a cabin that smells of diesel and from which you can see the engine though slits in the floor?

Are you rejecting Guitarfish's claim that they were left behind on their first dive by their assigned DM?

Are you rejecting Guitarfish's claim that other divers cut off a starfish's leg, filmed it and showed it to the amusement of the boat management and staff?

You accuse Guitarfish of having an ulterior motive but it really looks to me like you have an ulterior motive. Preben has done nothing to refute the claims that I've highlighted above. Is Guitarfish lying or do you, like Preben, just consider those things to be acceptable?

Preben, the danish manager does everything to organize a great trip, make everybody happy, sometimes it is not in his hand what happens in thailand or with the engine.

But when something does go wrong, it is his job to manage the problems professionally. It doesn't sound to me like he has. Besides, why exactly did the boat engine give problems? Because of insufficient maintenance perhaps? Is it really not in Preben's hand what happenes with the engine?

Ths cave-diving was easy, western rocky is more a tunnel and shark-cave is also not a problem with a small group. I did this several times and nobody had any problems.

You can play Russian roulette several times and not have any problems, that doesn't make it any less idiotic. The fact that everyone is OK afterwards is not how an activity is measured as being safe. The question you should ask is not "what did happen?" but "what could have happened?". If the topography and conditions are as Bowmouth explains, it sounds very dangerous to me and certainly not appropriate for recreational divers.

The atmosphäre an board was super, we had fun, talked about all the diving. Read the AIDC blog and have a look at the pics from the customers.

Did these pictures include images of Morays being forcefully removed from their hiding holes or starfish being maimed?

 

[hallenbad]

Deefstes,
I was not in a cabin that smells or from which you can see the engine, but on my last two trips the boat was fully booked and nobody claimed. Please read the comment from Gitte and Lars who were on the same trip with guitarfish.
About Guitarfish's claim that they were left behind please read the comment from their DM Mischa:
Review of 5d/5n Burma Liveaboard Dive Trip with AICD (out of Ranong, Th.) - Lonely Planet travel forum
The boat engine gave problems cause of the gear, Preben did everything to fix it. Cut off a starfish's leg is sure a thing I would never do and is not acceptable, Preben should comment that.
Burma is not a destination for beginners. The topography and conditions of western rocky and shark cave are not VERY dangerous, for experienced divers it is not a problem to dive there if you have a good briefing, not too much surge and are carefully enough.
To your last question I can only say "No".
Gerd

 

[lord khram]

You can play Russian roulette several times and not have any problems, that doesn't make it any less idiotic. The fact that everyone is OK afterwards is not how an activity is measured as being safe. The question you should ask is not "what did happen?" but "what could have happened?". If the topography and conditions are as Bowmouth explains, it sounds very dangerous to me and certainly not appropriate for recreational divers.

I agree entirely, having done the dive myself it really should not be done without the appropriate training or experience.
If simply a good dive briefing is considered to be sufficient, I would be asking the said 'dive professionals' / PADI, what is the purpose of having customers pay good money to do such things as cavern and cave courses?