Raja Ampat Liveaboard Cruise 20-30 April 2014 Kar ...
Raja Ampat Liveaboard Cruise 20-30 April 2014
Karma - you have to return to the community from which you have gained -
With each over 1´500 dives in tropical waters across Asia Pacific, and as recreational divers independent from any tourism operator, my mate and I (54)feel we need to do some justice to Paisubatu II. Whereas each previous review holds various elements of truth, they don´t shape the right expectations for future guests. Paisubatu II is a top recommendation deserving every of its 6 Fins, certainly the 10-day itinerary Sorong-Misool-Fam-Kawe-Wayag-Gam-Dampier Strait, with the crew and Cruise Director we had. And if it were not for the max 10 guests limit, we would keep it a secret, hoping our next trip would again be with a small group of divers.
Some divers tend to forget that weather conditions, tidal currents and visibility are game of nature. One can repeat the same cruise and live totally different experiences. Marine life is not a visit to the Zoo, and a few meters into the current can make a fishworld of difference. Even in phenomenal most ´fishy´ Raja Ampat with its mindblowing soft corals, unequalled biodiversity, swarming schools, from manta rays to blue ring octopus... when swells are bad, viz is low, currents too weak or too strong, you may get unlucky. And with the density of bacteria in this incubator of sealife, you may even get an ear infection for your long travel efforts. Or the boat runs into a technical problem, a very normal thing for a boat to do.
None of that is inherently related to Paisubatu II and its crew:
1./ Cruise Direcor Frederico Sanchis is some of the very best we´ve ever sailed with: creating atmosphere among all guests, providing rich briefings (great graphs!)and smart dive planning, pre-dive current checks, straightforward feedback to his guests with the right assertiveness, socializing, entertaining, perfect leadership skills vis-a-vis the crew.
2./ Three rotative group guides, Lembeh-trained, were perfectly suitable to experienced buddy-divers you´d expect on a Raja Ampat trip, not to hold hands but to keep an eye on safety and point at the occasional macro stuff. A school of barracudas or a shark does not pass unseen...
3./ The system of using a 2nd boat, Bobara, to house compressor and divetanks and operate to dive from, is superb for safety and comfort, no dinghy accidents, and no noise during the night; as well as for land and lagoon excursions. Paisubatu II per consequence remains a true ´cruise boat´ always tidy and clean, no bad smells, and with a huge outside living space.
4./ The cabins are excellent price/value ratio, with good air circulation and no airco, clean linnen (changed twice), and the showers function perfectly well with luke cold water.
5./ The food is great, with cakes & cookies after the afternoon dive, good variety in all meals, and attentiveness to special wishes, timely served and with great ambiente.
6./ The land-based excursions are...not to miss!
So IF the weather is good, the currents compatible with the itinerary and set dive times (7-11-15-19), the visibility okay, and you are a diver who knows how to handle some current, then this is going to be one of the very, if not THE best divetrip of your life, for as long as the Bird´s Head Seascape is what it is today.
IF it rains, you won´t see the Birds of Paradise dancing, for the same reason.
I believe that the divers who had less good experiences with Paisubatu II, flocked together in their disappointment caused by mediocre diving conditions, and understandably found a scapegoat in Paisubatu II and its crew. Each of their statements holds some truth, but with better conditions, they are minor beauty spots on what is an incredibly unique experience, and one that we are looking forward to repeat very soon... IF the weather is fine, the currents sit right, and Frederico runs the same crew and ship... Seven Fins Whisky Foxtrot Tango!
Karma - you have to return to the community from which you have gained -
With each over 1´500 dives in tropical waters across Asia Pacific, and as recreational divers independent from any tourism operator, my mate and I (54)feel we need to do some justice to Paisubatu II. Whereas each previous review holds various elements of truth, they don´t shape the right expectations for future guests. Paisubatu II is a top recommendation deserving every of its 6 Fins, certainly the 10-day itinerary Sorong-Misool-Fam-Kawe-Wayag-Gam-Dampier Strait, with the crew and Cruise Director we had. And if it were not for the max 10 guests limit, we would keep it a secret, hoping our next trip would again be with a small group of divers.
Some divers tend to forget that weather conditions, tidal currents and visibility are game of nature. One can repeat the same cruise and live totally different experiences. Marine life is not a visit to the Zoo, and a few meters into the current can make a fishworld of difference. Even in phenomenal most ´fishy´ Raja Ampat with its mindblowing soft corals, unequalled biodiversity, swarming schools, from manta rays to blue ring octopus... when swells are bad, viz is low, currents too weak or too strong, you may get unlucky. And with the density of bacteria in this incubator of sealife, you may even get an ear infection for your long travel efforts. Or the boat runs into a technical problem, a very normal thing for a boat to do.
None of that is inherently related to Paisubatu II and its crew:
1./ Cruise Direcor Frederico Sanchis is some of the very best we´ve ever sailed with: creating atmosphere among all guests, providing rich briefings (great graphs!)and smart dive planning, pre-dive current checks, straightforward feedback to his guests with the right assertiveness, socializing, entertaining, perfect leadership skills vis-a-vis the crew.
2./ Three rotative group guides, Lembeh-trained, were perfectly suitable to experienced buddy-divers you´d expect on a Raja Ampat trip, not to hold hands but to keep an eye on safety and point at the occasional macro stuff. A school of barracudas or a shark does not pass unseen...
3./ The system of using a 2nd boat, Bobara, to house compressor and divetanks and operate to dive from, is superb for safety and comfort, no dinghy accidents, and no noise during the night; as well as for land and lagoon excursions. Paisubatu II per consequence remains a true ´cruise boat´ always tidy and clean, no bad smells, and with a huge outside living space.
4./ The cabins are excellent price/value ratio, with good air circulation and no airco, clean linnen (changed twice), and the showers function perfectly well with luke cold water.
5./ The food is great, with cakes & cookies after the afternoon dive, good variety in all meals, and attentiveness to special wishes, timely served and with great ambiente.
6./ The land-based excursions are...not to miss!
So IF the weather is good, the currents compatible with the itinerary and set dive times (7-11-15-19), the visibility okay, and you are a diver who knows how to handle some current, then this is going to be one of the very, if not THE best divetrip of your life, for as long as the Bird´s Head Seascape is what it is today.
IF it rains, you won´t see the Birds of Paradise dancing, for the same reason.
I believe that the divers who had less good experiences with Paisubatu II, flocked together in their disappointment caused by mediocre diving conditions, and understandably found a scapegoat in Paisubatu II and its crew. Each of their statements holds some truth, but with better conditions, they are minor beauty spots on what is an incredibly unique experience, and one that we are looking forward to repeat very soon... IF the weather is fine, the currents sit right, and Frederico runs the same crew and ship... Seven Fins Whisky Foxtrot Tango!