Brief Trip Repot - South China Sea

Here is a brief trip report from my latest expedition to the South
China Sea.

Parked the car at the NCP car park for 11 nights for £77.

We left Heathrow for Singapore at noon on Thursday 21st April flying
Singapore Airlines (http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/app/saa). This is
an excellent flight, good food, nice service and a choice of 60 DVDs.
Reasonable cost £600.

Boarded with 55kg of luggage - 32kg checked luggage (inspiration with
cylinders) and the rest as hand luggage. No excess baggage to pay.
Singapore allow 10kg extra for divers (standard 20kg + 7kg hand
luggage).

Arrived Singapore Friday afternoon staying at the Holiday Inn (£25pppn
BnB,
http://directrooms-singapore.com/hol...town-2331.htm).

Singapore is a good "City Break" with cheap electronic goods for sale.
Must visit Raffels for a Singapore Sling!

All transfers from the airport to the hotel and to the boat cost only
£15 total.

We departed Sunday on the MV Mata Ikan
(http://www.fisheyeproject.com/mvmataikan.asp). The boat had good
basic accommodation with Air Con, and supplied all the gas, O2 and
Sofnolime for my trip. Costs £790 food and accommodation. Sofnolime
was CD grade (not 797, but 2-5mm), but it worked just as the smaller
stuff. Cost £80/20kg. Gas (He and O2) was £14 for the week.

The weather was hot - 38C the high. Cooler at night - 28C. Wind
-none. Swells - none. Water was 33C (0-1m), 29C (1-20m) and 28C to the
bottom (max 67m). I dived a 3mm with long arms and legs and a thin
pair of gloves - no hood. Life was mostly fish and coral.

We spent 6 days at sea, and the diving was awsome.

Monday - 2 dives on the super tanker Seven Skies (approx 100nm NE
Singapore). Sits upright. The main attraction in the inside of the
bridge which runs from 35m to 57m. The rudder and prop shaft are
equally attractive at max depth of 65m. Both dives 150 mins.

Tuesday - HMS Repulse (56m). Approx 100nm N Seven Skies. Approx 70nm
E Kuantan, Malaya. Magnificent WW2 light cruiser. Fully intact on
port side. Made dive to stern from midships. 185 mins. PM dive on
Repulse for those that wanted it.

Wednesday - HMS Repulse (56m). Made trip from mid-ships to bow. 180
mins. PM dive on Repulse for those that wanted it.

Thursday - HMS Prince of Wales (67m). British Battleship sunk WW2 with
the Repulse. Most major action with HMS Hood against the Bismark.
Approx 8nm SE Resulse. Made full trip from stern (big prop in tact
with rudder) to bow. Upsidedown. Stern is flush with sea bed with
portholes, but the bow stands prowed. 25min swim down the length. 180
mins. PM dive on Repulse for those that wanted it.

Friday - Tanker Maritime Fidelity (48m). Approx 120nm S Repulse. Main
area is the bridge and accommodation. Modern vessel (c.1990), tool
shop, bathrooms, engine rooms etc. 2 dives both 90 mins.

Saturday disembark at Raffels marina for another night stay in the
Holiday inn before flying back on the Sunday arriving Heathrow Sunday
7pm.

Splendid trip and superbly organised.

Cheers
Matt.

[scubafreak]

I surely love the idea that they do allow 10kg more package for divers. It's kinda good right? Like a privilege but of course that's because you might be carrying your own oxygen tank and other paraphernalias that would be a lot greater than 10kg I hope it applies to other parts of the world.