Trip Report Tulamben Trip Report

[Searcaigh]

Was it all shore entry btw? I did my open water in Tulemban years ago and remember it was a lot of hard work carrying the tank from the dive shop to the beach, waiting to time the waves right, putting on fins in the water in between waves… can’t imagine doing that multiple times a day with a big camera which is the reason I haven’t gone back yet, but that donut nudi is tempting!

Yes it's all shore entry.

However at each site there are a bunch of people who take the gear from the truck, you then assemble everything put it on and then head into the water.

If the entry spot is not where you assemble the gear then one of the locals carries the gear to the entry spot.

When I first dived the Liberty back in the 90s, a little lady carried my tank and gear on her head for about 100m.

Most entries are fairly easy to be honest, even with a camera rig, and if there's a bit of surf on exit there's a technique for getting out safely.

As soon as your fins touch the bottom, take them off
I carry a couple of 4" double enders and clip the fins off to a D-ring
Your feet will soon touch the bottom and you can exit but keeping an eye on the waves and turn side on.

What amazed me was Big Wayan used full foot fins, being a local he's been brought up that way barefoot.

The Liberty site has rather a boulder shore entry, I don't like it as they move when walking on them.

 

[Blackcrusader]

Thanks for your trip report. I will be doing the Liberty wreck and Tulamben area early next year. I was supposed to go there 2 years ago but that nasty virus stopped that vacation.

 

[Searcaigh]

Thanks for your trip report. I will be doing the Liberty wreck and Tulamben area early next year. I was supposed to go there 2 years ago but that nasty virus stopped that vacation.

I'll be back in October

 

[Blackcrusader]

I'll be back in October

I'm doing Raja Ampat for 14 diving days end of September October. Was too much to fit in with Bali.

I bought some new diving boots with harder soles for the Liberty wreck entry. Looks not nice to walk in so I will let the staff carry my gear into the water and kit up there. Alba Resort looks really nice my dive buddy and I are planning on staying at Liberty Resort but I will give him the FB page for Alba.

I use video lights with my TG6 but always turn them off when others taking photos. Have had divers with strobe issues so they were happy to ask me for lighting though.

 

[Searcaigh]

I heard Alex Mustard instructs a single strobe challenge day in all of his workshops

I actually started off with one strobe back in the 90s originally with my Nikonos V then with a Nikon F801 in an Aquatica housing using a 60mm lens.

It wasn't too difficult to revert back to the one strobe, and gives you more opportunity to play with the lighting.

The advantages of Digital photography is that you can review how the shots look lighting wise, and play around with it.

Other factors such as surge and current can make it challenging as well as trying to get the lighting into holes and small crevices.