where to go be a dive bum for a year or so?

[ChuckP]

Update on all this:
I spent the last couple of months visiting cozumel -> playa -> san pedro -> roatan, while doing a consulting project for client in USA timezones. that should be done soon though. didn't spend any of the trip budget yet because of onsulting income so that's good.

I bought a discount spot on the Palau aggressor for July 16, plan is to start heading west at the beginning of July to acclimate (maybe head to Palau, maybe Manila or something, will see), make it to Palau in time for the liveaboard trip, then head to indonesia after.

thanks for all the input!

Seriously keep updating - I'm in Cozumel and looking for a two month vacation in the next few months. Just sent an email to a group in Palau - I have never dove in the pacific - this vacation, diving isn'y as important as just turning the phone off but a benifit

 

[bassplayer]

Seriously keep updating - I'm in Cozumel and looking for a two month vacation in the next few months. Just sent an email to a group in Palau - I have never dove in the pacific - this vacation, diving isn'y as important as just turning the phone off but a benifit

Awesome!

my latest:
July 4 fly to Oahu, staying there a few days and diving with Island divers (just trying to break up the travel)
July 9 fly to Palau, staying there a few days before and after the liveaboard
July 25 fly to Manilla, going to start with a week in Puerto Galera and see what happens from there
Aug 23 fly to Bali

 

[bassplayer]

Just leaving Palau, few notes here:

Trip Report - palau visit and rock island aggressor july 2023

wanted to jot some notes down while it's fresh in mind - I came to Palau July 11 to visit the islands and then join the Rock Island Aggressor July 16-23rd trip. Even though this is the rainy season, we had a lot of good weather and a lot of good dives. A few periods of torrential rains occurred...

scubaboard.com

off to Puerto Galera assuming I can make it through any typhoon issues; i hear the ferry didn't run today.

 

[Centrals]

The flight from HK to MNL was a bit bumpy on approaching Manila late this morning. But weather has been fine since.
The typhoon has left the country and probably on the way to ROC(Republic of China).
You should be fine.
Have a nice trip.

 

[Centrals]

I should had checked with eg. typhoon2000.ph for typhoon warning.
This super typhoon is still within the vicinity of the country(North). Typhoon Signal No.1 is still given to metro Manila and Northern Batangas!! Weather in Manila this morning(26th) is overcast with strong wind.
Typhoon Signal No.1 means there is NO ferry in the affected area.
I hope my connection flight in this late afternoon won't be affected. Cebu Pacific flight to Taipei has just closed the check in gate.

@bassplayer
You better have a plan B just in case there is no ferry. Calapan is usually the least affected and is 2hrs to PG by road.
Good luck.

 

[bassplayer]

I should had checked with eg. typhoon2000.ph for typhoon warning.
This super typhoon is still within the vicinity of the country(North). Typhoon Signal No.1 is still given to metro Manila and Northern Batangas!! Weather in Manila this morning(26th) is overcast with strong wind.
Typhoon Signal No.1 means there is NO ferry in the affected area.
I hope my connection flight in this late afternoon won't be affected. Cebu Pacific flight to Taipei has just closed the check in gate.

@bassplayer
You better have a plan B just in case there is no ferry. Calapan is usually the least affected and is 2hrs to PG by road.
Good luck.

I was aware of this but decided to just show up at batangas and see what i could manage; ended up taking the ferry to calapan (as you suspected, it was the only option) and then getting one of those motorcycle sidecar taxis to bring me up to Sabang beach in the rain.
It was a bit of a long day and the ferry ride got a little sporty for a few minutes (you could hear people praying and the boat was rolling side to side a good 30 degrees it seemed like)
made it through though and ready to check out puerto galera, which seems fairly empty.

 

[Centrals]

Taking the trike all the way from Calapan to Sabang in the rain ! Wow.
I have done the rough crossing couple of times(Batangas to Calapan) and is definitely not for the faint hearted.

 

[bassplayer]

update: been hanging out in puerto galera, some notes about my experience training with tech asia:

Info - quick plug for tech asia (TDI AN/DP)

Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed getting the first steps of training on the tech diving path here in Puerto Galera with Tech Asia. I completed intro to tech with Sam and then AN/DP with Tim Blomeke, all TDI. Decided to start with intro to tech for a few reasons: - never dived doubles...

scubaboard.com

 

[Centrals]

update: been hanging out in puerto galera, some notes about my experience training with tech asia:

Info - quick plug for tech asia (TDI AN/DP)

Just wanted to say that I really enjoyed getting the first steps of training on the tech diving path here in Puerto Galera with Tech Asia. I completed intro to tech with Sam and then AN/DP with Tim Blomeke, all TDI. Decided to start with intro to tech for a few reasons: - never dived doubles...

scubaboard.com

You are on a very slippery slope now!!!
The course is getting more and more expensive.
BTW, I think Sam arrived at Asia Divers around 97/98.
Have fun.

 

[Todd999]

Philippines and Thailand are both fantastic for diving and the cost of living is quite affordable so you can fly around Asia to other spots with ease.