Vintage Double Hose

Rob and I have been discussing a trip to Chuuk for a number of years. We are both interested in WWII Pacific Theatre history, and this would be the ultimate wreck diving trip in that regard. Our thoughts are that we spend at least 10 days in the lagoon diving from a live aboard. The dry season is during our winter months, December through March. We are looking at 2018, as the booking for the top live aboards are at least a year in advance.

This should be the dive trip of a lifetime. Bryan, along with some others whom I know, that have made the trip were highly impressed. The entire trip will take at least 14 days, as the travel time is intensive.

A boat full of VDH divers would be icing on the cake. If you are seriously interested, let's get some preliminary plans together.

Greg

I missed my Truk trip last month as work schedule interfered. It's a trip I'd be very interested in trying again in 2018

Price of Argonaut Kraken regulators just doubled.....I'm GOING
In 40 some years of diving I have never been to a place that compares to it. The getting to and from there is EXHAUSTING but words nor pictures cannot do justice to the wonders you see. It is a very humbling experience diving there when you consider what went on 70 plus years ago at the wreck sites.

Our local shop has trip booked with a week in Chuk (Truk) and a week in Palau in 2017 and they are reaching out of the area to fill it as the price is steep - in the $7,500 range.

There's a time when I wanted to go, but that was about 30 years ago when the wrecks were younger and the diving a bit more adventurous. Now.. I think of all the other stuff I could do and all the other dives I can make with the $15,000 it would cost me and my wife to go.

When I was a brand new diver, I was working a little bit at Ken Seybold's rather successful dive travel company - Bay Travel in Corona del Mar, California.

I walked in one day and Ken was poring over 8X10 glossies taken by himself and Al Giddings (who was there too, along with Sylvia Earle) of the San Francisco Maru.

Ken was also the photo editor of Skin Diver mag. So from that day I have always wanted to go to Truk. It would be the trip of a lifetime to dive with Blue Lagoon or my trip last month was supposed to be from some liveaboard.

I'm not interested in warm towels or candy on my pillows or people assembling my rig in the morning while I take coffee and crumpets in my stateroom. I like to sleep on the deck and dive my ass off.

It's always been on my bucket list since seeing a NatGeo back in the 1970s. Put me down for a tentative spot.

Going to be eating a lot of ramen for the next couple of years.

We have a lot of people showing interest i this adventure. I think it would be fantastic if we could fill or almost fill a 16 diver boat with Kraken divers. We would be in control of what wrecks we dove and everything else. Greg is working really hard on the details right now and we are doing a lot of research with people that have gone before us. Don't be shy and you dont have to be a double hose diver to join us.
I have always been a student of WW 2 history and this is a dream trip for me. The cost is not small but some day I will be dead and I can't take it with me.

Keep me on the maybe list. I dove Truk extensively back in the late 70s and through 1981 leading dive tours. I lived in Guam in 1988-89 and dove Truk quite a bit then too. I would return in a heartbeat. It's only a matter of time and finances. Mark.

Truk was the trip if my lifetime so far. I dove there in the late 80ies off the Thorfinn. The boat was anchored in the middle of the lagoon so small boats were used to ferry divers (5 or 6 plus a guide) to the various wrecks. This way, we did not have the entire liveaboard load of divers crowding the wrecks, and one could choose 1 of 4 sites to visit at dive time. The Thorfinn is probably a bit more spartan than the more high end liveaboards, but getting five dives in a day was no problem.

If you've never dived Truk, put it on your bucket list and prepare to be awed.

Rob, Bryan, and myself all have stuff for sale on eBay right now.......just saying.

Couv

I am already working on the special t shirt for this event!

At this point, I am planning to correspond with the various companies offering liveaboard services in Truk. While the land based operations have their merits, my thoughts are that by going with the liveaboard venue, we will be able to dive a larger area of dive sites. Considering the expense of such a trip, I am in favor of 10 days rather than 7.

A ballpark estimate of the total cost will be around $7,000. I realize that is a considerable amount, but for what is described by many, as the "dive trip of a lifetime", it promises to be worth every dollar.

Micronesia has the best diving conditions, and least amount of rain, during December through March. My thoughts are February or March 2018, as that avoids the holiday season. The final decision will be made on the availability of ship cabins.

If we can get enough VDH divers on board, we should be able to collectively make dive site decisions. It will also allow me to get a price for each diver.

So, at this point, I need to get a pretty accurate number of those interested in going. After getting such a number, I will contact each individual with the available dates for the trip. Of course, that may be from one time slot to several. If you prefer to email me privately, feel free to do so at my Yahoo address, [email protected].

Greg

Im a maybe. Depends on the total cost. I have a wedding coming up most likely and if so then i will have to say no. Ill know more this winter.

Does Connie know you plan on getting married again.....I think that's against the rules or something even in Ohio.

Some pictures from Truk:

Really cool thanks for the pictures