Trip Report Trip Report: Mermaid 1 (Route: Bali-Komodo-Bali)

[SaltwaterNomad]

TL;DR: Maintenance issues plagued the trip, leading to the loss of 3 days of diving (⅓ of the trip) and a Coast Guard incident. Diving was overall excellent with the superb reefs, but viz was fairly limited. Crew was fantastic and did their best to accommodate the delays and issues.

ISSUES:

1. Initial maintenance problem - We were notified the night before departure that the trip was delayed by 3 days, as the boat needed to go into dry dock for extensive repairs on the propeller shaft. The company did a decent job of arranging an alternative land-based diving option in Tulamben. While the organization was not flawless, it was a decent accommodation in high season. The diving in Tulamben was fine, but below Komodo and general ID quality. Beware the rocks with shore diving!
2. Second maintenance issue - On the final night steaming back from Sangeang Island to Bali (~15 hours), the coolant intake pipe for the air conditioner broke, and the engine room started to flood. The boat sunk ~ 2 feet in the water, which we could tell because the dive deck was submerged. While the crew managed to patch the hole and make it back to dock on time, the Coast Guard had been notified of our emergency and was on standby to rescue everyone.
3. Bonus - norovirus went around the entire boat.

BOAT: Minus the repeated issues, the boat was overall decent. There was sufficient common space and the rooms were moderately comfortable. The ceilings were quite low, so for two tall people, that created quite a hazard. Additionally, the AC was central, so you have limited control over the temperature, which averaged 21-22 Celsius. Also, note that the bathroom is a wet room. We did really enjoy the sun deck and the couches for afternoon reading.

FOOD: Some of the best liveaboard food we’ve had. We particularly appreciated the variety and the mix of proteins every night. There was generally a balance of Western and Indonesian food options, and the quality was excellent.

CREW: Everyone was absolutely fantastic. People were friendly, kind, and accommodating. Rooms were turned quickly and efficiently, and spotless. Service quality was amazing. Dive guides were very knowledgeable, and there was a strong focus on safety, which we appreciated.

DIVING: For the remaining 6 days of diving we had left, the dives in Komodo National Park were stunning. The coral reefs were the best we’ve ever seen, and it was incredibly heartwarming to see such abundant and thriving marine life.

The dives on the way to and from Komodo were good, but significantly less fantastic. Note that this route does mean you spend more dives outside of the park than routes that involve a one flight

I’m currently having breakfast in Sanur, Bali, awaiting boarding of Mermaid I on August 1st. After reading your post, I’m crossing every finger I have, hoping all goes smoothly for us. I’m so sorry to hear about your experience—I truly feel your pain.

I’ve had my share of challenges too: we lost our last day on the Solar V in Socorro due to a diver getting the bends; missed several sites on the Calico Jack in Raja Ampat because of mechanical issues; spent an entire trip on the Orion in Egypt without air conditioning and dealing with recurring zodiac problems (which, by the way, is the same boat that later sank—thankfully, not during our trip); and to top it off, we had a norovirus outbreak on our boat in Tubbataha.

Bottom line—liveaboards are a bit of a gamble. Wishing safe, smooth sailing to everyone out there, and a reminder to always pay attention during those safety briefings. They matter.