Trip Report - Bora Bora, 2006

Flight Details:

08-25-2006 Air Tahiti Nui FL 003 JFK --> PPT 17:15

Flight left gate 2 min ahead of scheduled departure time. Wheels up about 25-30min later.
No problems at TSA. No checked bags were searched 2ndary to scanning. This includes the Ikelite
case with the underwater housing and battery pack which arrived totally in tact, although the
TSA approved lock on it (the clasp) was bent upon retrieval. Flight was scheduled for 12 hours
and took roughly 11hrs 57 min of air time. Flight itself was relatively empty and bus. class
was barren. There were only 8 people and in essence, each of us had a whole column of seats
to ourselves. I was the only person in the A-B column when the couple behind me moved to the
C-D column. There was only one other couple in the E-F column and one lone individual behind
the couple in the C-D column. Mild to moderate chop en route. Service was up to Air Tahiti Nui's
excellent standard with only one exception - It appeared I happen to get the FA from Hell! She
refused to let me store my laptop "under the seat." It had to go in the overhead bin, and when
we reached 10,000 ft., she told me that at anytime there is any turbulence, I had to put it
away back up in the overhead, or at least belt it to the empty seat next to me. In all fairness,
she made the others put all of their gear up in the overheads but I was the only one with a
laptop. Kinda made it difficult to watch my movies since we did have several turbulence "lockdowns"
en route. I ended up not using it at all. :-|

Return Flight - 09-02-2006 - Air Tahiti Nui Fl 004 PPT-->JFK 21:05

Flight left on time and arrived pretty much on time, again 12hr scheduled air time, actual air
time 12:07. This flight was packed to the gills FC & BC were totally filled, Coach about 80% full.
I guess the difference being that this was Labor day weekend and many were making their way home.
Did not have "Attila the FA" this time, but I chose not to use the laptop anyway, even with very
little chop this time and no "lockdowns." Slept most of the way back. Security wasn't as tight
as I might have thought though in PPT. Of course it was very good, and everyone was searched at
the gate prior to boarding (no random in it at all). The CTX-5000 equivalent was very busy indeed.
But no one was required to remove shoes, and I had even forgotten to remove the gel heel inserts to
my shoes, and that wasn't caught!!!. The hand search at the gate was very quick and they didn't pry
very far, failing to open the inner case for my Sealife DC-310 inside my carry on. The agent asked
"no Liquids?" and I responded, "No Liquids!" She then waved me onto the plane after about a 30
second search. A little scary. Same problem with the TSA approved lock on the Ikelite case although
it was bent much worse as if someone had attempted take it off and put it back on. I did notice that
they sent this through the CTX-5000 equivalent a 2nd time but it seemed to pass. Not sure if the lock
was forced open or whether it was simply damage being knocked around by baggage handlers. I'm
hoping they have stronger TSA locks with stronger clasps, but I guess not, since they want them thin
enough to cut them if necessary. In any case, nothing seemed to be taken from the case upon inspection
after I got home. Everything arrived in tact and undisturbed.


Diving Details:

The dives were great!!! I racked up a total of 13 logged dives and my PADI Rescue Diver certification!!!
I was able to make great strides in buoyancy control, dropping to 12 lbs. in salt water with a 3mm full
suit with reef gloves and a 100cf aluminum tank. The dives tended to be longer and so I'd get down to
as little as 400PSI after a 40min dive but I was able to complete a 3min. safety stop after each dive.
Got down to as low as 82 fsw, with most dives at 70-76 fsw. All the fun dives were with Nitrox 34%.
Got to see 3 different Shark feedings at Tapu. Went to Muri Muri at least once, where we were followed
for at least 1/2 hr by the resident bump-head Napoleon Wrasse about 4'. Lots of Black Tip reef and gray
nurse sharks, including the one I called "Captain Hook," because he had what looked like a small
carabineer attached to standard nylon mesh ribbon caught in his mouth (as if he had bitten into it).
Took video of one of the shark feedings and lots of pictures. I'll publish on my website as soon as
I can.

The rescue course was challenging, especially since I was the only student amid 4 different instructors.
Of course, the dive manager did most of the training and ran all the scenarios, all but one of which
took place out in the middle of the Toopua dive site in 1-2ft seas. I had to do two different
"unconscious diver underwater" rescues plus a panic diver and a unconscious diver on the surface,
both with and without rescue breathing. The last one was with an "audience" as it was done right after
the standard introductory dive trip for that afternoon to Toopua. And the exercises were just as rough as
the manager would often make me just dive with him,and then he'd suddenly go "unconscious" underwater.
I also had to do the "U-Pattern" search to find his weight belt as well. I didn't find it right away so
he punished me by going "unconscious" underwater again. You try rescue breathing on the surface in
1-2 ft. seas and keeping water out of the victim's mouth!!! But end of day, it was worth it when I got
the PIC form (it has to go to Australia instead of Rancho Santa Margarita as French Polynesia is governed
by PADI Asia Pacific).


Anyway, great trip and looking forward to going back next year. Perhaps I made some good friends along the
way. I have one ocean dive this Sat. and then I'll have both Wreck and Deep Diver specialties. Next stop,
Palau in February.


____________________________________________
Regards,

Arnold