Pako Mikronesiasta
Matka Chuukista Kuala Lumpuriin, Malesiaan kesti
kolme päivää.
Keskustelin sukellusveneistä ja kokolattiamaton pesutekniikoista alan ammattilaisten kanssa.
Tein kolme välilaskua ja yovyin kolmessa eri hotellissa, en syonyt aamupalaa yhdessäkään.
Soin Jouluaaton brunssin hotelli Hiltonissa.
Jäin melkein koneesta ja naureskelin lentokenttävirkailijoille.
Otin osaa Joulufiestaan.
Toisin sanoen pakenin Mikronesiasta.
Read More...
Keskustelin sukellusveneistä ja kokolattiamaton pesutekniikoista alan ammattilaisten kanssa.
Tein kolme välilaskua ja yovyin kolmessa eri hotellissa, en syonyt aamupalaa yhdessäkään.
Soin Jouluaaton brunssin hotelli Hiltonissa.
Jäin melkein koneesta ja naureskelin lentokenttävirkailijoille.
Otin osaa Joulufiestaan.
Toisin sanoen pakenin Mikronesiasta.
Read More...
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Truk Odyssey
Pretty amazing, after a looong wait I'm finally in
the Mekka of wreck diving.
After the paperwork is sorted, I'm pointed to my cabin. I meet my new room mate Kevin (my future male-model you can see in many of the pictures). He's been diving with Odyssey already for a week and gives me the heads up. I want to set my gear up before I crash. Tomorrow at 08.00 I'm be jumping in for the first wreck. I can't wait!
The whole week pretty much flies by. Long before I came here, I decided to Guerilla dive the whole week, ie. under no circumstances will I miss a dive
Picture of me by Larry Thompson
Our deepest dive was San Francisco Maru with average depth around 50m, deepest air dive I've ever done, decompression was done with 50%. Unfortunately Odyssey does not supply Helium or promote it's use. My understanding after speaking to many different people about it is that the logistics of it are too complicated. I wonder how Truk Stop and Blue Lagoon manage to do it? Anyway most of the wrecks we dove are 'borderline' nitrox dives in around 30m average depths.
My male model Kevin and the destroyer Fumitzuki
One real warship, destroyer Fumitzuki, quite a few Maru's and the Betty Bomber, pretty good score for a weeks diving. In retroperspective, one should spend at least two weeks here, perhaps a week on liveaboard and then a week with land based deeper diving or something. One week did feel a bit short, though I did see a lot. Don't tell anyone, but I think I took around 1000 pictures during the week, perhaps 400 are left ... tells something about my skills as a photographer, 600 to waste. Deleted.
Deep inside Yamagiri Maru
I think I became a Truk-head on my first visit. I just have to come back, though I want to do the deeper wrecks and hopefully get helium from somewhere to do it as well. I'll have to turn in my next holiday application at home (2010, pliis). Read More...
After the paperwork is sorted, I'm pointed to my cabin. I meet my new room mate Kevin (my future male-model you can see in many of the pictures). He's been diving with Odyssey already for a week and gives me the heads up. I want to set my gear up before I crash. Tomorrow at 08.00 I'm be jumping in for the first wreck. I can't wait!
The whole week pretty much flies by. Long before I came here, I decided to Guerilla dive the whole week, ie. under no circumstances will I miss a dive
Picture of me by Larry Thompson
Our deepest dive was San Francisco Maru with average depth around 50m, deepest air dive I've ever done, decompression was done with 50%. Unfortunately Odyssey does not supply Helium or promote it's use. My understanding after speaking to many different people about it is that the logistics of it are too complicated. I wonder how Truk Stop and Blue Lagoon manage to do it? Anyway most of the wrecks we dove are 'borderline' nitrox dives in around 30m average depths.
My male model Kevin and the destroyer Fumitzuki
One real warship, destroyer Fumitzuki, quite a few Maru's and the Betty Bomber, pretty good score for a weeks diving. In retroperspective, one should spend at least two weeks here, perhaps a week on liveaboard and then a week with land based deeper diving or something. One week did feel a bit short, though I did see a lot. Don't tell anyone, but I think I took around 1000 pictures during the week, perhaps 400 are left ... tells something about my skills as a photographer, 600 to waste. Deleted.
Deep inside Yamagiri Maru
I think I became a Truk-head on my first visit. I just have to come back, though I want to do the deeper wrecks and hopefully get helium from somewhere to do it as well. I'll have to turn in my next holiday application at home (2010, pliis). Read More...
Chuuk, FSM
17-Dec-2007 14:37 Filed in: in English
| FSM
Woop woop,
Finally here! I flew from Manila to Guam and tasted a bit of Americana on the way I met up with Tim Rock, who was
kind enough to show me around and a bit of
Guam's military history. My visit was breaf,
only 14 hours before heading towards Chuuk with
Continental. I'm getting used to landing to
remote aiports Fiji's Kadavu have been the
smallest, but Hoskins, Fak-Fak or Kaimana are
not far behind. With my usual luck I was chosen
to the extra careful security checks and
questioning. I'm getting to be pretty good at
that as well. Bugs the shit out the of the
security guys when you answer as short as
possible only to their without any extra meat
around the bones Not a stop without loosing a
lotion bottle though, this time it was my
aftersun, I'm afraid I had around 170ml instead
on 100. Guam's airport was not pleasant at all
given the anality. Oh well, we are on 'orange'
alert.
Guam to Chuuk was a quick flight, I was trying to pick out the individuals joining me for a week. Did not have that much luck. Odyssey guys where waiting for me at the airport including El Capitano Mike. Badabing before I knew it, I'm signing release forms on the boat. The trip from Aiport to Blue Lagoon resort was like driving through abandoned industrial zone, I'm not sure if the road had a any even surface on it. As far as I'm conserned, we are officially in the middle of nowhere, so I quess it is to be expected.
According to polls etc. Odyssey should be one of the better liveaboards in the world. Let's see if it will live up to the expectations! Read More...
Finally here! I flew from Manila to Guam and tasted a bit of Americana on the way
I met up with Tim Rock, who was
kind enough to show me around and a bit of
Guam's military history. My visit was breaf,
only 14 hours before heading towards Chuuk with
Continental. I'm getting used to landing to
remote aiports Fiji's Kadavu have been the
smallest, but Hoskins, Fak-Fak or Kaimana are
not far behind. With my usual luck I was chosen
to the extra careful security checks and
questioning. I'm getting to be pretty good at
that as well. Bugs the shit out the of the
security guys when you answer as short as
possible only to their without any extra meat
around the bones Not a stop without loosing a
lotion bottle though, this time it was my
aftersun, I'm afraid I had around 170ml instead
on 100. Guam's airport was not pleasant at all
given the anality. Oh well, we are on 'orange'
alert.
Guam to Chuuk was a quick flight, I was trying to pick out the individuals joining me for a week. Did not have that much luck. Odyssey guys where waiting for me at the airport including El Capitano Mike. Badabing before I knew it, I'm signing release forms on the boat. The trip from Aiport to Blue Lagoon resort was like driving through abandoned industrial zone, I'm not sure if the road had a any even surface on it. As far as I'm conserned, we are officially in the middle of nowhere, so I quess it is to be expected.
According to polls etc. Odyssey should be one of the better liveaboards in the world. Let's see if it will live up to the expectations! Read More...
Gavin parkkiin, matka jatkuu!
17-Dec-2007 14:37 Filed in: Suomeksi
| Philippines
Daven ja Samin vieraana aika kuluu äkkiä.
Filippiineillä laiskotti kirjoitella blogia, en juuri
päivitellyt saittia. Onneks oon lomalla, ei tarvi jos
ei jaksa
Kahden sukelluksen päivävauhtia edettiin. Skootterin, tupladecojen ja tuplien liikuttelu oli tietty oma ohjelmansa, sukellusten logistiikka ei juuri enempiä sukelluksia sallinutkaan. Muistin antaa venepojille kunnon tipin, äijät kun kanto kaikki kamat veneeseen ja takas joka päivä.
Kunnon ryminällä veteen, eli kaikki kamat päällä, decot ja skootteri klipattuna kiinni. Kuperkeikka laidan yli ja pudotus suunniteltuun syvyyteen. Alas mennessä oli hyvää aikaa tehdä valve check, tsekata että kamat on edelleen mukana ja vääntää skootterin propellin pitch oikeaan asentoon eli "vetämään".
Kaasuhomma toimi seuraavasti: Aamulla täyttö pikkusen yläkanttiin 21/38 selkään, 50% ja happi kainaloon. Eka sukellus ~50m ~25 minuutin pohja-ajalla, kehitettiin semmoset ~35 minsan decot, eli pikkusen yli tunnin veto. Iltapäivän sukellukselle topattiin selkään ilmaa 150bar asti eli saatiin 21/25ish ja täytettiin happi takas 100bar. Toinen sukellus pikkusen matalampi ~45m ja 25 minsaa pikkusen suuremmalla ENDillä. Tästä opittiin miten kannattaa sukeltaa pikkusen ekonomisemmin eli yhellä helium täytöllä kaks sukellusta. 50% (40cu) täytettiin 200bar ja se riitti kumpaankin sukellukseen, tosin aika pienillä varamarginaaleilla. Happi täytettiin joka sukellukselle 100bar asti.
Kaks päivää meni skootteriworkshopissa. Otettiin Gavin ja X-Scooter paloihin ja käytiin normihuoltotoimenpiteet läpi, niin ja sitten huollettiin "oma" skootteri, Tech Asialla on muutama asiakkaan omistama vuokraskootteri. Hyvä järjestelmä ja kaikki skootteri ovat erinomaisessa kunnossa. Puerto Galerassa kuultu viidakon sanonta: "Skootterista on vaikea luopua, kun siihen tottuu." Oisko kellään ylimääräistä USD 4k mun Gaviniin? Rahasto ottaa pienempiäkin lahjotuksia vastaan! Tiialle vinkki, arkilahja?
Read More...
Kahden sukelluksen päivävauhtia edettiin. Skootterin, tupladecojen ja tuplien liikuttelu oli tietty oma ohjelmansa, sukellusten logistiikka ei juuri enempiä sukelluksia sallinutkaan. Muistin antaa venepojille kunnon tipin, äijät kun kanto kaikki kamat veneeseen ja takas joka päivä.
Kunnon ryminällä veteen, eli kaikki kamat päällä, decot ja skootteri klipattuna kiinni. Kuperkeikka laidan yli ja pudotus suunniteltuun syvyyteen. Alas mennessä oli hyvää aikaa tehdä valve check, tsekata että kamat on edelleen mukana ja vääntää skootterin propellin pitch oikeaan asentoon eli "vetämään".
Kaasuhomma toimi seuraavasti: Aamulla täyttö pikkusen yläkanttiin 21/38 selkään, 50% ja happi kainaloon. Eka sukellus ~50m ~25 minuutin pohja-ajalla, kehitettiin semmoset ~35 minsan decot, eli pikkusen yli tunnin veto. Iltapäivän sukellukselle topattiin selkään ilmaa 150bar asti eli saatiin 21/25ish ja täytettiin happi takas 100bar. Toinen sukellus pikkusen matalampi ~45m ja 25 minsaa pikkusen suuremmalla ENDillä. Tästä opittiin miten kannattaa sukeltaa pikkusen ekonomisemmin eli yhellä helium täytöllä kaks sukellusta. 50% (40cu) täytettiin 200bar ja se riitti kumpaankin sukellukseen, tosin aika pienillä varamarginaaleilla. Happi täytettiin joka sukellukselle 100bar asti.
Kaks päivää meni skootteriworkshopissa. Otettiin Gavin ja X-Scooter paloihin ja käytiin normihuoltotoimenpiteet läpi, niin ja sitten huollettiin "oma" skootteri, Tech Asialla on muutama asiakkaan omistama vuokraskootteri. Hyvä järjestelmä ja kaikki skootteri ovat erinomaisessa kunnossa. Puerto Galerassa kuultu viidakon sanonta: "Skootterista on vaikea luopua, kun siihen tottuu." Oisko kellään ylimääräistä USD 4k mun Gaviniin? Rahasto ottaa pienempiäkin lahjotuksia vastaan! Tiialle vinkki, arkilahja?
Read More...
Puerto Galera
03-Dec-2007 09:54 Filed in: in English
| Philippines
After a brief stop for Christmas shopping in
Singapore, I continued my trip to Philippines to
visit Tech Asia guys in Puerto Galera. Dave was here
to welcome me and show me around. I got a ok place
near the shop for the duration and started to set my
gear up.
It did take few dive to get used to doubled and deco bottles, but now it's very confortable to dive. All good.
I'll be staying around until 15th, so plenty of time for me to get experience. Few surprises up my sleeve, but I write about the as and if they come along. Read More...
It did take few dive to get used to doubled and deco bottles, but now it's very confortable to dive. All good.
I'll be staying around until 15th, so plenty of time for me to get experience. Few surprises up my sleeve, but I write about the as and if they come along. Read More...
Raja Ampat
03-Dec-2007 09:54 Filed in: in English
| Indonesia
Last leg of my Papuan tour onboard MSY Seahorse. Raja
Ampat is a marine park. I'm not quite sure to what
rules and to what extend they are enforced guard this
area. All visitors are required to purchase and wear
a badge to dive here.
Over here we started to see other liveaboards as well. I sighted "Pindito" and "Raja Ampat". I must say that both of the boats looked a bit tool tall ie. like house boats. The back of the them where built pretty high and to my estetic eye (regards to Dr. Tuisku) they looked a lot uglier than Seahorse with it's sleek and low scooner charasterictics.
As I'm able to write this only about a week post-my-trip, I'm going to be very brief with the last West Papua update. Raja Ampat is already pretty established are to dive in. I was told that in 2008 season, there will be 24 liveaboards operating in the area. Give or take, that's quite a few, competition is getting stiff. As I understand, not too many are *yet* chartering all the way down to Kaimana. I hope CI and other similar NGO's get to protect the Triton Bay area and set ground rules for sustainable tourism before lot of other arrive.
All in all a very pleasant trip thanks to the efforts of the crew and company of other guests. The boat was spanking new, so not running quite as smooth as Stardancer in PNG, but then again that was compensated easily in other areas. It's hard to go wrong with here
Read More...
Over here we started to see other liveaboards as well. I sighted "Pindito" and "Raja Ampat". I must say that both of the boats looked a bit tool tall ie. like house boats. The back of the them where built pretty high and to my estetic eye (regards to Dr. Tuisku) they looked a lot uglier than Seahorse with it's sleek and low scooner charasterictics.
As I'm able to write this only about a week post-my-trip, I'm going to be very brief with the last West Papua update. Raja Ampat is already pretty established are to dive in. I was told that in 2008 season, there will be 24 liveaboards operating in the area. Give or take, that's quite a few, competition is getting stiff. As I understand, not too many are *yet* chartering all the way down to Kaimana. I hope CI and other similar NGO's get to protect the Triton Bay area and set ground rules for sustainable tourism before lot of other arrive.
All in all a very pleasant trip thanks to the efforts of the crew and company of other guests. The boat was spanking new, so not running quite as smooth as Stardancer in PNG, but then again that was compensated easily in other areas. It's hard to go wrong with here
Read More...