Kevrumbo
Banned
- Messages
- 5,659
- Reaction score
- 1,363
- # of dives
- 1000 - 2499
Until Truk Odyssey as a policy starts allowing the option to blend helium for trimix, this liveaboard is NOT the choice for technical diving. I save a lot more money by sacrificing the amenities of the Odyssey liveaboard for the trimix/deco gas support & logistics of the Truk Stop Hotel/Truk Lagoon Dive Center, the only dive operation that has helium readily available to blend in Chuuk.I agree with MOST of what NCChuck has written and thank him for his honesty. I must defend Blue Lagoon Dive Shop dive guides regarding lack of certification. As one who was first certified as an instructor in 1970 (YMCA, crossed over to NAUI in 1977, now certified for trimix), and made my first Truk dive with Kimiuo in 1973 BEFORE he opened his dive shop, and have returned to the lagoon for a total of 52 trips, I say these mostly Aisek family relatives don't need to be certified. Their experience and safety record speaks for itself. They were the first to hang tanks or to carry an extra tank (a steel 72 and then an aluminum 80) on "deep" dives -- so non tek divers could make quick bounce dives to the San Francisco or the Nippo. They have longevity vs. the expat turnover at Truk Stop (even though Melba is married to an Aisek!). Competition is good. And yes, the Odyssey is THE choice for tek -- but fully booked 2 years in advance. Too bad the Odyssey owners are so paranoid about land-based boats "stopping by" for a freshly baked cookie or a banana (or a spare fin!).
The Aisek Family does a great job running the Blue Lagoon Dive Ops (nice diving retail shop and memorabilia display), and there is no question about their dive guides' skill, expertise and experience. But they have not kept "up to date" with the latest best techniques for overhead technical diving like current manager Kelvin Davidson practices over at the Truk Stop --the only qualified advanced wreck instructor (TDI) to teach technical wreck penetrations in all of Micronesia, in residence at Weno/Chuuk Lagoon.
Strongdiver, I know of the past turnover history at the Truk Stop dive ops --but tell me how is that relevant to their service at present? Tell us how many times you've been back to Truk Lagoon within the past two years?? Do you know the current manager of Truk Lagoon Dive Center at the Truk Stop Hotel, and can you give a fair & honest assessment of the way he's running the operation??? Better yet, why don't you come join me and Kelvin's former employer Asiadivers/Tech Asia Philippines at the Truk Stop Hotel this coming Sept?
http://www.asiadivers.com/techasia/Truk.pdf