Yap and Palau

"Pat Payne" <patpayne@cox.net> wrote in message
news:G1N4h.191776$Ry4.185467@newsfe10.phx...
> What is the Agressor like? Does it have nice room with private bath? Do
> you dive from the dive deck or from zodiacs? How's the food etc.?
> Thanks Pat

Yes on the nice room/private bath, but small. It's not exactly a zodiac.
Aggressor food is routinely good and plentiful, and since it's included in
the price (along with beer/wine), it's certainly cheaper than land dining.
See for yourself: http://www.aggressor.com/subpage11.php

One additonal liveaboard option is the SS Thorfinn, which operates out
of Chuuk (Truk). Once or twice a year they do a "Pan Micronesian" trip
which goes from Chuuk to Yap and Palau and islands in between. It
would be a FANTASTIC trip. (I've only dived with them in Chuuk,
however). The Thorfinn is a great dive op and a nice stable boat
(it's 170 feet long!).


Rocky Grove wrote:
> In message <rlqrk21sf5om0daqbpq3igju9s5o3k7hdf@4ax.com>
> Dan Bracuk <bracuk@pathcom.com> wrote:
>
> > "Veem" <ginmill01@cox.net> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in:
> >:We are thinking Yap and Palau.
> >:Has anyone been?
> >:Best dive operators?
> >:Best hotel?
> >:Is the only way to get there on Continental via Hawaii, Guam?
> >:Any suggestions?
> >
> > I've been to Palau twice, Yap never. Neither trip was recent.
> >
> > The first trip, we stayed in a hotel and dove with Fish and Fins.
> > They were good. When you stay on land, you are faced with long boat
> > rides to get to the dive sites. By long, I mean one or two hours
> > depending on where you go.
> >
> > The second time we stayed on a liveaboard. Were I to go back, I'd
> > take the liveaboard route again.
> >
> I agree with Dan, liveaboard is the best options to save long boat
> rides. I was on the Agressor in August this year. had a good time.
>
> You can fly Continental or another airline which flies via Dacos both
> both from Manila in the Philippines
>
> Rocky
>
> --
> The Earth Is One Country and Mankind its Citizens
> (from the Baha'i writings)
> Surely The Global Superhighway is evidence of this?
> Rocky@mercia.demon.co.uk Phone 01926 312342
> (fax 08700560296)

On Mon, 6 Nov 2006 11:16:52 -0800, "Greg Mossman" <mossman@qnet.com> wrote:

>"Veem" <ginmill01@cox.net> wrote in message
>news:1g33h.1046$Hc2.364@newsfe11.phx...
>> We are thinking Yap and Palau.
>
>Good.
>
>> Has anyone been?
>
>Of course.
>
>> Best dive operators?

>As for Palau, you have a choice of three or so land based operations (Sam's,
>NECO, and Fish&Fins) and a few liveaboards (Aggressor, Ocean Hunter I & II,
>and I think a Japanese boat as well if they're still running). Sam's is the
>most popular and is outfitted for trimix and rebreathers, but the other two
>are also quality dive ops and might not have the crowds that Sam's attracts.

I'm doing Sam's in February. I'm taking the "Blue Corner" PADI specialty course and
a few of the other spots. A total of about 15 logged dives + Kayaking and Jellyfish Lake.

The only thing is, I hear that Sam's "Jellyfish Lake" tour is not the "classic" Jellyfish Lake but their own
private version. I think I want to see the "real" one.

>> Best hotel?

>The PPR (Palau Pacific Resort) is the luxury hotel on Yap.

You mean Koror, Palau, right? That's where I'm booked, actually.

>> Is the only way to get there on Continental via Hawaii, Guam?
>
>Swimming? Continental Micronesia (formerly Air Micronesia) is the only game
>in town unless/until Palau Air gets off the ground. You can avoid Hawaii by
>flying into Guam from the west (Japan or Bali) but you can't avoid going
>through Guam as it's the hub airport.

Or Hong Kong as well. That's what I'm doing. CO 99 EWR---> HKG and then CS flights through to GUM--->ROR and
back the same way to HKG for CO 98 Home.



____________________________________________
Regards,

MAG3


Visit my Travel Website: http://www.mag3.biz/travel_photos/home_page.html

On Mon, 13 Nov 2006 19:52:55 -0500, Dan Bracuk <bracuk@pathcom.com> wrote:

>mag3 <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> pounded away at his keyboard
>resulting in:
>
>:I'm doing Sam's in February. I'm taking the "Blue Corner" PADI specialty course and
>:a few of the other spots. A total of about 15 logged dives + Kayaking and Jellyfish Lake.
>
>How much does that cost and what does it enable you to do?

The course itself is only $75.00 + the regular cost of 2 2-tank dives, + the reef hook rental (or purchase)
and the necessary permit fees to dive in Palau (which, if you go for more than 2 days of diving, you have to
pay both the regular and the Pelieu fee as well. As far as "qualifications" go, I think this is one of those
PADI "Distinctive Specialty" courses like "Underwater Naturalist" or "AWARE - Fish Identification" and the
like. Doesn't really qualify you for anything, but it does give you another "specialty" rating and it counts
toward "Master Scuba Diver" (which I'm already qualified for anyway.... just need 5 more logged dives).
Maybe the one thing you do learn in the course is how to use a "reef hook" in the strong currents of the Blue
Corner.

I should point out that the course itself only requires two 2-tank dives, I said 15 dives because that's how
many I expect to do during the entire trip (actually 17). Oh, and free Nitrox to those certified for it.

>
>Dan Bracuk
>If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure.
____________________________________________
Regards,

MAG3


Visit my Travel Website: http://www.mag3.biz/travel_photos/home_page.html

"mag3" <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:qrvhl2ta3k0ieem3jhff3lpinmj5emv0lc@4ax.com...

> I'm doing Sam's in February. I'm taking the "Blue Corner" PADI specialty
> course and
> a few of the other spots. A total of about 15 logged dives + Kayaking and
> Jellyfish Lake.

I'm not sure how they can make a specialty course out of Blue Corner, but if
you're willing to spend the money . . . Otherwise, a two-minute explanation
of how to use a reef hook should suffice on top of the regular site
briefing.

> The only thing is, I hear that Sam's "Jellyfish Lake" tour is not the
> "classic" Jellyfish Lake but their own
> private version. I think I want to see the "real" one.

I've heard that there are really four Jellyfish Lakes. I'm not sure how
many of them are open to tourists. I do know that the jellyfish population
fluctuates dramatically: the lake will have a die-off, presumably when the
population exceeds the available nutrients, then will slowly come back to
normal populations. The one we snorkeled was accessed via a steep rocky
path lined by a rope railing. Signs pointed out deadly poison trees and the
presence of deadly monitor lizards and salt-water crocs, making the
jellyfish seem even more benign in comparison.

Is there a Jellyfish Lake specialty course?

>>The PPR (Palau Pacific Resort) is the luxury hotel on Yap.
>
> You mean Koror, Palau, right? That's where I'm booked, actually.

Ooops. That should read luxury hotel on Palau. Sorry. You'll have a good
time there wherever it is.

> Or Hong Kong as well. That's what I'm doing. CO 99 EWR---> HKG and then
> CS flights through to GUM--->ROR and
> back the same way to HKG for CO 98 Home.

I didn't know CO did Hong Kong. I had considered going L.A. to Narita, then
Narita to Guam someday. It's always nice to know the alternatives.

On Mon, 13 Nov 2006 23:38:51 -0500, Dan Bracuk <bracuk@pathcom.com> wrote:

>mag3 <zmpmag3-plongee@yahoo.com> pounded away at his keyboard
>resulting in:
>
>:The course itself is only $75.00 + the regular cost of 2 2-tank dives, + the reef hook rental (or purchase)
>:and the necessary permit fees to dive in Palau (which, if you go for more than 2 days of diving, you have to
>ay both the regular and the Pelieu fee as well.
>
>Well, if you think it's worth it, spend it. When I dove Blue Hole we
>didn't use reef hooks. We just grabbed the rocks with our hands.

I'd rather have my hands free for the u/w cameras etc.

____________________________________________
Regards,

Arnold

Greg Mossman wrote:

> >>The PPR (Palau Pacific Resort) is the luxury hotel on Yap.
> >
> > You mean Koror, Palau, right? That's where I'm booked, actually.
>
> Ooops. That should read luxury hotel on Palau. Sorry. You'll have a good
> time there wherever it is.

Anyone who can mistake PPR for something at YAP must have been
completely narked during the entire trip!


Really dumb routing. Must have been booked by some rookie Travel
Agent.

> I didn't know CO did Hong Kong. I had considered going L.A. to Narita, then
> Narita to Guam someday. It's always nice to know the alternatives.

How about LAX to HNL ot Guam, then onto Koror? Going to Narita
is way out of the way, so is HKG.

I am in HKG now. The EWR - HKG flight is 16:25 hours. But on CO's
International Business First, it's the most comfortable and restful 16+
non stop hours you'll ever fly.

I am enjoying my evening Hor d'oeuvres at the HK Conrad now, using
my free wireless internet access while anjoying the harbor view from
the 59th floor.

-- Reef Fish Bob.