SDQ in Lembeh Strait, Indonesia

[tangfish]

Hi,
Does anybody heard about this place?
Any recommendations? Or anything else to comment?

Thanks,

by FAR the worst experience of all my diving career. These guys are the absolute bottom of the barrel. Usually I don't slam anyone but when I went diving with this outfit: No dive plan, no site briefing. The divemaster jumped into the water and headed down without instruction to me. I went after him and we got seperated in the murkiness, I looked around for 1 minute and went to the surface. The dive boat was 40 m away so I swam to it calling out for the captain, no answer. I climbed aboard the dive boat to find the crew asleep, literally. The DM never came up to look for me, they came back 45 mintues later, never once wondered where I was. Absolute garbage of a dive operation. Avoid Sulawesi Dive Quest at all costs.

I packed my stuff up and went to Lembeh Lodge and had a great time (and spent more money). Check out the photo gallery, Lembeh is unbelievable!

 

[bearteacher.tw]

I was really surpriesed at funkyspelunker's so negative opinion to SDQ of Lembeh, because there were some quite positive posts before in this board.

I am very worried about our next month's trip with them. I had a experience of getting lost in the water and being ignored so I understand why funkyspelunker was angry.

I don't want to be neglected and swim very hard to the boat without helps.

Should I dive with SDQ of Lembeh next month?

 

[Zippsy]

It sounds like a case of a DM who is sick of working. I had one of those once at Borneo Divers on Sipadan but the rest of the DMs, facilities, etc. were great. We just changed DMs for the remaining dives. As far as boat boys sleeping instead of keeping a watch, that seems pretty standard for most (not all) places around Indonesia, Philippines, etc. Take a whistle / dive alert and an SMB with you.

 

[JenM]

I was really surpriesed at funkyspelunker's so negative opinion to SDQ of Lembeh, because there were some quite positive posts before in this board. I am very worried about our next month's trip with them. I had a experience of getting lost in the water and being ignored so I understand why funkyspelunker was angry. I don't want to be neglected and swim very hard to the boat without helps. Should I dive with SDQ of Lembeh next month?

I don't know anything about SDQ, we stayed at Lembeh Resort just around the corner from it, but don't worry, the diving in Lembeh is usually very easy. Even if you lose your divemaster, just start looking around on your own and you'll see tons of stuff and have a great dive. Depths range from 10 feet under the boat to 80 ft or so and you can't really get lost as you are in a strait. Our Dive op knew the currents really well and planned around them - I assume SDQ would do the same. However, do be prepared for awful vis - on a good day it's maybe 15 ft. - that's why it's such great muck diving, but it does make it quite easy to lose your DM. We lost ours on just about every dive because we were always dawdling and he was always going ahead to try to find cool stuff for us. Whenever we lost him, we just stayed together and eventually he would swim back, find us, and take us on to some amazing and cool creature that he'd found. Lembeh is awesome, we can't wait to go back.

 

[bearteacher.tw]

Is it possible to find small things by ourselves?:10:

Does anyone can share more experiences with SDQ? We will go there next month and expect very much.

 

[Indah]

Hello JenM, the viz is really not always that bad. Worse months are August and September. As soon as the winds turns and we get some rain the viz improves a lot. Up to 25 meters (75 feet) on the wonderful Mawali wreck two days ago. Actually, we do not suppose that the guests will have to find their own way and creatures. That is why we have a ratio of two guests per guide at our Divers Lodge.
Bearteacher, why not simply copy/paste the story of funkeyspelunker to SDQ and make them promise that would never happen to you, with a money back guarantee or something like that? It would be fine for them to know and to get an second chance and for you to be certain about a good holiday.
Rob, Divers Lodge Lembeh.

 

[bearteacher.tw]

To Indah, The reservation manager of SDQ, Anky actually replied my email after I forwarded funkeyspelunker's bad experience with them. And his response id as below:

That was maybe true. From the beginning until now what I know all dive
operators in lembeh will not pick up the divers after diving. Normally
divers must find the boat themself ( Return to the boat )
Lembeh is not like bunaken. Bunaken all divers must pick up by the
boat cause they know the current will be bring them away.

I am not sure the guy who told at the comment they are so far away,
cause all the dive sites mostly only in that area ( not far )

About the garbage, he means must be the leaf from the trees, not the
plastic bag, woods like bunaken have. This is maybe true cause of our
cleanning service was out ( retired )

As you know we are the cheapest dive operators on lembeh island. But
this guy maybe wrong. I want to proof you when you come here and tell
the comment into scuba board at what you have experienced with us in
the future.

I think this part of his email to me is about public interests, so I post it here. I just copied and pasted withou changing a word. I will try SDQ of Lembeh this time and will share my experience here later.

 

[Indah]

Bearteacher, having read Anky's comment there is not much I can say. Just that it probably makes sense to make very clear before every dive what you expect from the guide and the boat crew. And what they can expect of you (write it down?). Of course the crew should never, never, never sleep when they are having guests diving. We would fire them for this behaviour (yes, this did happen some years ago).

Wishing you a good stay and diving!!

 

[H2Obaby]

Bearteacher,

So how was your trip to Lembeh in November? Did SDQ treat you well?

I dived with them back in 2001 in Bunaken and had a brilliant time, found them to be very professional, never left us on any of the dives, helped us out when currents got a bit wild and they were always pointing out cool stuff.

Back then they didn't have a base in Lembeh but we did it as a day trip, it all went smooth as; sorry to hear funkyspelunker had such a bad time with them.

 

[Jussi_K]

Has anyone up to date experience about sdq? What about their liveboard? Sounds like a bargain, is it any good?