I've just been hanging around, checking out the island, getting over the last bit of jetlag. The nights are not as hot as in Bangkok. But the humidity is pretty high here too. It's been kind of cloudy until now with a tropical shower every now and then.
The food is great (and cheap at 40-80 THB): green or red coconut curries, chicken with cashew nuts, fried ginger porc, sweet & sour porc, ... And they make excellent shakes with whatever fruit you may fancy (20-30 THB). Not to mention the banana pancakes sold by small street stall vendors (25 THB)!
I met Jamie yesterday at the Tattoo bar. He's the owner of the M/V Trident, together with Stuwart. Wednesday evening we'll be sailing out for a one week technical live-aboard trip. To do some deep dives on known but rarely dived wrecks in the Gulf of Thailand and we'll also try to find some new ones. I'm quite curious and looking forward to be out at sea.
Monday, April 10, 2006
Sunday, April 9, 2006
Koh Tao
I don't know what I imagined it would be like. But it's worse than I expected. Something between Puerto Galera and Kuta beach. Long gone are the peaceful days by the beach. As a matter of fact I can't recognize anything from my first visit. With Songkran -the Thai new year- coming up the 13th, the place is packed. Luckily I should be out at sea by then.
The good news is that there are ATMs on the island now. And plenty of internet cafes. And whatever you may wish for. Like a paintball warshop. 7-11 stores. Scooter rental places. And more dive shops than I care to count. It's also still possible to have a Thai meal at a reasonable price: fried rice with porc (40 THB) and coconut shake (20 THB) at Yang's.
The good news is that there are ATMs on the island now. And plenty of internet cafes. And whatever you may wish for. Like a paintball warshop. 7-11 stores. Scooter rental places. And more dive shops than I care to count. It's also still possible to have a Thai meal at a reasonable price: fried rice with porc (40 THB) and coconut shake (20 THB) at Yang's.
Saturday, April 8, 2006
from Bangkok to Koh Tao
17:30 - After a cheap but very tasty early supper in an Indian restaurant (50 THB/person), we check out of the guesthouse and hail a taxi. The driver does not want to do the ride by meter and demands 100 THB! Maybe because it's rush hour, maybe because we're there with all our bags and need a ride now. Anyways we cough up the money. It's not worth the hassle of arguing about it.
18:30 - We arrive at the station in good time. The train is already waiting and we're allowed to board immediately. Departure however is delayed half an hour for some unknown reason. It's a no smoking train, which is pretty cool.
21:00 - Bed time. The seats are converted into comfortable beds, with pillow, sheet and blanket. Sleep is cut up in short naps, as I'm worried about missing my stop at 04:00.
04:55 - Arrival in Chumporn. No need to be nervous. Somebody actually comes by to tell you your stop is next. And the train actually remains in the station quite a while.
06:20 - It's possible to buy ferry tickets (550 THB) right in the train station. And an AC bus brings you to the ferry pier. A 25' ride. At least for the fast catamaran which departs from a pier out of town.
07:10 - The catamaran sails smoothly to Koh Tao in about 2h15 over a flat sea, including a stop at the Nang-Yuan resort.
09:45 - Master Divers is located close to the disembarkation pier on the right side. So I just drop my dive gear there and check out the place they recommend, called "Save bungalows". A stone bungalow up the hill, with fan, private toilet and cold water shower. No view to speak of, but it seems quiet. 400 THB/night, to be paid up front.
18:30 - We arrive at the station in good time. The train is already waiting and we're allowed to board immediately. Departure however is delayed half an hour for some unknown reason. It's a no smoking train, which is pretty cool.
21:00 - Bed time. The seats are converted into comfortable beds, with pillow, sheet and blanket. Sleep is cut up in short naps, as I'm worried about missing my stop at 04:00.
04:55 - Arrival in Chumporn. No need to be nervous. Somebody actually comes by to tell you your stop is next. And the train actually remains in the station quite a while.
06:20 - It's possible to buy ferry tickets (550 THB) right in the train station. And an AC bus brings you to the ferry pier. A 25' ride. At least for the fast catamaran which departs from a pier out of town.
07:10 - The catamaran sails smoothly to Koh Tao in about 2h15 over a flat sea, including a stop at the Nang-Yuan resort.
09:45 - Master Divers is located close to the disembarkation pier on the right side. So I just drop my dive gear there and check out the place they recommend, called "Save bungalows". A stone bungalow up the hill, with fan, private toilet and cold water shower. No view to speak of, but it seems quiet. 400 THB/night, to be paid up front.
Friday, April 7, 2006
Bangkok: Copy bag
I need two cups of coffee to wake up, then head for the railway station (an 8' ride by taxi from the guesthouse, for 40 THB) to buy a train ticket to Chumporn for Marianne (2nd class fan sleeper, 420 THB).
Express river bus from stop #1 to stop #13 (18 THB). With all those travellers, there are plenty of bag and suitcase shops around Khao San road. My dive bag not having survived my last trip to Mexico, I buy myself a 110l Lowe Alpine copy bag for 1100 THB. It's got backpack style shoulder and hip straps, trolley wheels, an extra 10l zip-on city backpack and even a fanny pack... An unresistable offer. Probably too good to be true, but it's worth a try. Let's see now if it can handle the weight I'm lugging around. The test starts tonight as I finally head south towards Koh Tao!
Express river bus from stop #1 to stop #13 (18 THB). With all those travellers, there are plenty of bag and suitcase shops around Khao San road. My dive bag not having survived my last trip to Mexico, I buy myself a 110l Lowe Alpine copy bag for 1100 THB. It's got backpack style shoulder and hip straps, trolley wheels, an extra 10l zip-on city backpack and even a fanny pack... An unresistable offer. Probably too good to be true, but it's worth a try. Let's see now if it can handle the weight I'm lugging around. The test starts tonight as I finally head south towards Koh Tao!
Thursday, April 6, 2006
Bangkok: A bit of sightseeing
River bus from stop #2 to stop #13 (11 THB). From where we head for Khao San road, the world's most famous traveller's hangout. And it's as busy as ever, besides having expanded quite a lot to neighbouring streets over the last 10 years.
After lunch we walk towards the Royal Palace, but just before getting there we get intercepted by a friendly young Thai man, who says we won't be allowed in in shorts and suggests some other interesting places to see. He even arranges for a trustworthy and at 40 THB very reasonably priced yellow-blue government tuktuk to do the tour. Smells fishy? Maybe, but we go for it anyway. First stop: a big sitting buddha in a very nicely decorated temple. A monk is teaching some students. Another one is meditating.
Second stop: a tailor. To please the driver because he gets a gasoline voucher for every tourist he brings in. Third stop: a TAT office. If we stay more than 5' he gets another gasoline voucher. We aren't too interested, but give in. The tourist office is 100% a travel booking office with no information whatsoever. The agent knows we don't want to be there. We're loosing our time. He's loosing his. We last 1'. The driver is disappointed. Fourth stop: a very tall standing buddha. When we get back to the street, our tuktuk is gone... He's not getting any commissions with us as we're not buying anything. So he's probably off to find some better clients. We don't really mind. It's only a short walk anyway to Khao San road and the river bus pier.
After lunch we walk towards the Royal Palace, but just before getting there we get intercepted by a friendly young Thai man, who says we won't be allowed in in shorts and suggests some other interesting places to see. He even arranges for a trustworthy and at 40 THB very reasonably priced yellow-blue government tuktuk to do the tour. Smells fishy? Maybe, but we go for it anyway. First stop: a big sitting buddha in a very nicely decorated temple. A monk is teaching some students. Another one is meditating.
Second stop: a tailor. To please the driver because he gets a gasoline voucher for every tourist he brings in. Third stop: a TAT office. If we stay more than 5' he gets another gasoline voucher. We aren't too interested, but give in. The tourist office is 100% a travel booking office with no information whatsoever. The agent knows we don't want to be there. We're loosing our time. He's loosing his. We last 1'. The driver is disappointed. Fourth stop: a very tall standing buddha. When we get back to the street, our tuktuk is gone... He's not getting any commissions with us as we're not buying anything. So he's probably off to find some better clients. We don't really mind. It's only a short walk anyway to Khao San road and the river bus pier.
Wednesday, April 5, 2006
Bangkok: Day 3
02:00 - I can't sleep. So I drink some water, eat some fruit, chat via sms, do some exercices...
03:00 - Still awake.
10:30 - I wake up with a start by a knock on the door. It's the cleaning maid. I guess I fell asleep at some point... Bio-ritme is a powerfull thing. And it looks like my bio-clock just refuses to accept reality, stubbornly sticking to its own time, pretending the world is wrong and it is right. Two time zone shifts in short succession must have upset it.
11:00 - Metered taxi to Pantip plaza (65 THB), a rather chaotic hardware & electronics mall. Green curry brunch at one of the point-and-pay-with-voucher food stalls (30 THB). Sweaty walk to MBK, a huge multi-level mega shopping complex.
14:30 - Just for the fun of it I take a tuktuk back to the guesthouse (60 THB). But to be honest, a taxi is probably cheaper, less hassle and more comfortable. The driver of course offered to take me to a special massage place.
17:30 - Arrival at the guesthouse of Marianne, Bjarne & Annedorte.
03:00 - Still awake.
10:30 - I wake up with a start by a knock on the door. It's the cleaning maid. I guess I fell asleep at some point... Bio-ritme is a powerfull thing. And it looks like my bio-clock just refuses to accept reality, stubbornly sticking to its own time, pretending the world is wrong and it is right. Two time zone shifts in short succession must have upset it.
11:00 - Metered taxi to Pantip plaza (65 THB), a rather chaotic hardware & electronics mall. Green curry brunch at one of the point-and-pay-with-voucher food stalls (30 THB). Sweaty walk to MBK, a huge multi-level mega shopping complex.
14:30 - Just for the fun of it I take a tuktuk back to the guesthouse (60 THB). But to be honest, a taxi is probably cheaper, less hassle and more comfortable. The driver of course offered to take me to a special massage place.
17:30 - Arrival at the guesthouse of Marianne, Bjarne & Annedorte.
Tuesday, April 4, 2006
Bangkok: Day 2
09:00 - While I had trouble staying awake yesterday, I just couldn't fall asleep last night... and then barely managed to get out of bed this morning. That's jetlag for you.
10:15 - 25' walk to Hua Lam Phong, Bangkok's railway station, where, in the advance booking office, for 600 THB, I bought a 2nd class AC sleeper ticket for the night train to Chumphon (leaving Friday 07/04 at 19:15 and arriving the next day at 03:58). Fruit stall vendors sell bags of freshly cut up jackfruit (20 THB for 300gr) and pineapple (10 THB).
14:30 - Another stroll around.
19:30 - Buffet dinner in the guesthouse (150 THB). Though I'm not that hungry, the food is so tasty it revs up my appetite: the fried rice with shrimps is excellent, the sweet & sour sauce delicious and the chicken wings are just yummy.
10:15 - 25' walk to Hua Lam Phong, Bangkok's railway station, where, in the advance booking office, for 600 THB, I bought a 2nd class AC sleeper ticket for the night train to Chumphon (leaving Friday 07/04 at 19:15 and arriving the next day at 03:58). Fruit stall vendors sell bags of freshly cut up jackfruit (20 THB for 300gr) and pineapple (10 THB).
14:30 - Another stroll around.
19:30 - Buffet dinner in the guesthouse (150 THB). Though I'm not that hungry, the food is so tasty it revs up my appetite: the fried rice with shrimps is excellent, the sweet & sour sauce delicious and the chicken wings are just yummy.
Monday, April 3, 2006
Bangkok: Day 1
05:30 - It's still dark outside when the Thai airways jumbo touches down after a short 9,5 hours flight. But by the time I get stamped in by immigration, have picked up my heavy bag and have walked through customs the sun is already shining brightly.
06:15 - Outside the airport terminal I grab a taxi -read: a cab driver grabs me- and give him the address of the New Road Guest House. Despite a big sticker on the window proclaiming 'We speak english' the driver only speaks Thai. It being pretty early, there's barely any traffic, and we make it to Charoen Krung road in less than half an hour. After which the driver slows down so I can look out for a sign of the guest house... which amazingly enough I do spot! (fare: 360 THB, incl. the 60 THB toll way fee)
07:00 - The guest house being owned by Jysk rejsebureau, it's basically a hang-out for Danish travellers. I've gotten the key to a basic fan room, with private Danish style hot water shower & toilet 2-in-1 and minibar fridge (370 THB for one or two persons/night). Not having slept at all on the plane I allow myself a short nap.
10:30 - I finally manage to get up. All groggy, my brain just refusing to boot up. As I step out of the air conditioned guesthouse, Bangkok's humid warmth hits me full force, like walking into a wall. This is so great! The street's bustling now. It's a short 8' stroll to the Robinson mall where I do some shopping for toiletries and have an almost milkless iced cafe latte at Black Canyon Coffee (65 THB) and a spicy porc salad (65 THB). Luckily the waiter advised me to order it 'little spicy', so it only came with a handfull of red hot chillies. On the way back a tuktuk driver offers me a one hour city tour for only 40 THB. But I decline. It's probably a commisioned shopping scam anyway.
14:00 - Getting my e-fix for today. It only costs 1 THB per minute to get plugged right into the WWW from the guesthouse's terminals.
16:00 - Afternoon walk along Charoen Krung road, which seems to be the street for jewelry vendors (silver & gems), and down some of the side streets, one of which leads to the Chao Phraya river.
19:00 - Dinner in the guesthouse: rice with chili basil chicken (70 THB). That's the second time today I forget I'm in Thailand and that the chilies here are live! Result: burning lips.
Visum
Belgian citizens automatically get a four week visum upon entry. For longer stays a visum must be requested beforehand. In Copenhagen, a two month visum can be obtained from the Thai embassy within a week. Besides your passport you must bring two pictures, a copy of your Danish residence permit & travel documents, fill in an application, and pay 175 DKK.
Time
Bangkok time = Copenhagen summer time + 5 hours.
Weather
Air temperature's around 35°C, very humid with occasional tropical showers. Water temperature is a balmy 29°C.
Currency
1 Euro = 46 THB , 1 USD = 37 THB
06:15 - Outside the airport terminal I grab a taxi -read: a cab driver grabs me- and give him the address of the New Road Guest House. Despite a big sticker on the window proclaiming 'We speak english' the driver only speaks Thai. It being pretty early, there's barely any traffic, and we make it to Charoen Krung road in less than half an hour. After which the driver slows down so I can look out for a sign of the guest house... which amazingly enough I do spot! (fare: 360 THB, incl. the 60 THB toll way fee)
07:00 - The guest house being owned by Jysk rejsebureau, it's basically a hang-out for Danish travellers. I've gotten the key to a basic fan room, with private Danish style hot water shower & toilet 2-in-1 and minibar fridge (370 THB for one or two persons/night). Not having slept at all on the plane I allow myself a short nap.
10:30 - I finally manage to get up. All groggy, my brain just refusing to boot up. As I step out of the air conditioned guesthouse, Bangkok's humid warmth hits me full force, like walking into a wall. This is so great! The street's bustling now. It's a short 8' stroll to the Robinson mall where I do some shopping for toiletries and have an almost milkless iced cafe latte at Black Canyon Coffee (65 THB) and a spicy porc salad (65 THB). Luckily the waiter advised me to order it 'little spicy', so it only came with a handfull of red hot chillies. On the way back a tuktuk driver offers me a one hour city tour for only 40 THB. But I decline. It's probably a commisioned shopping scam anyway.
14:00 - Getting my e-fix for today. It only costs 1 THB per minute to get plugged right into the WWW from the guesthouse's terminals.
16:00 - Afternoon walk along Charoen Krung road, which seems to be the street for jewelry vendors (silver & gems), and down some of the side streets, one of which leads to the Chao Phraya river.
19:00 - Dinner in the guesthouse: rice with chili basil chicken (70 THB). That's the second time today I forget I'm in Thailand and that the chilies here are live! Result: burning lips.
Visum
Belgian citizens automatically get a four week visum upon entry. For longer stays a visum must be requested beforehand. In Copenhagen, a two month visum can be obtained from the Thai embassy within a week. Besides your passport you must bring two pictures, a copy of your Danish residence permit & travel documents, fill in an application, and pay 175 DKK.
Time
Bangkok time = Copenhagen summer time + 5 hours.
Weather
Air temperature's around 35°C, very humid with occasional tropical showers. Water temperature is a balmy 29°C.
Currency
1 Euro = 46 THB , 1 USD = 37 THB
Sunday, April 2, 2006
Repacked
Not having the same allowance as for Mexico, I had to re-evaluate my packing list and managed to drop 10kg. Resulting in an 8kg city backpack and a 25kg gear bag.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Yucatan, Mexico, March 2006
In March 1997, when I first stepped off the bus in a sleepy little town known as Tulum, I knew nothing about Yucatan's hidden underworld.
But as soon as I did, I was spellbound and remained until September 1998, working as a dive instructor and cavern guide for Aktun dive center, to earn my keep and be able to submerge into darkness as often as possible.
Ever since, Mexico for me is Tulum, its endless beach and its sacred cenotes. I can still feel the blazing Caribbean sun, see the Mayas going about their business, taste the fajitas, caldo de pollo, mole, quesadillas, guacamole, frijoles, naranjadas, dos equis, ...
I can still hear the stillness of the caves. And whenever I remember, I want to gear up, strap on some double tanks, route the long hose, check the primary light & back-ups, clip on some reels, jump in a cenote's refreshing waters, perform a bubble check, tie-off, do some jumps & close some gaps, dive through restrictions, turn around according to the rule of thirds, and experience the always magnificent return to the blessing of light...
Despite all these fond memories, or maybe exactly because of them, it took more than five years before I returned for a short two weeks holiday. Tulum by then had finally awakened and lost its drowsy charm. Tourism had arrived. But, while relatively popular above ground, its underworld luckily remained unvisited by most, a privilege for the few that dare leave the daylight behind.
After that short re-reconnaissance trip in April 2004 I knew I had to go back for more...
travel blog
But as soon as I did, I was spellbound and remained until September 1998, working as a dive instructor and cavern guide for Aktun dive center, to earn my keep and be able to submerge into darkness as often as possible.
Ever since, Mexico for me is Tulum, its endless beach and its sacred cenotes. I can still feel the blazing Caribbean sun, see the Mayas going about their business, taste the fajitas, caldo de pollo, mole, quesadillas, guacamole, frijoles, naranjadas, dos equis, ...
I can still hear the stillness of the caves. And whenever I remember, I want to gear up, strap on some double tanks, route the long hose, check the primary light & back-ups, clip on some reels, jump in a cenote's refreshing waters, perform a bubble check, tie-off, do some jumps & close some gaps, dive through restrictions, turn around according to the rule of thirds, and experience the always magnificent return to the blessing of light...
Despite all these fond memories, or maybe exactly because of them, it took more than five years before I returned for a short two weeks holiday. Tulum by then had finally awakened and lost its drowsy charm. Tourism had arrived. But, while relatively popular above ground, its underworld luckily remained unvisited by most, a privilege for the few that dare leave the daylight behind.
After that short re-reconnaissance trip in April 2004 I knew I had to go back for more...
travel blog
Friday, January 27, 2006
TillyTec HID 35 underwater light
I met Tilly at Boot 2006. He's one of the original men behind Green Force. Until he went his way and formed his own company. TillyTec's modular lights are fully compatible with Green Force's components.
Disappointed by Green Force's misinformation and lack of improved models, and having some reservations about their HID lights, Tilly had no trouble convincing me to try out one of his new power lights.
⊕ Modularity & expandability. Not to mention compatibility with my Green Force set-up, i.e. umbilical cable & Flexi II battery pack.
⊕ Power: with an output equivalent to a 125W halogen bulb, this High Intensity Discharge light shines very brightly indeed (5500°K).
⊕ Burn time: combined with my Green Force Flexi II NiMh battery, TillyTec's HID 35 burns for about 90'. Coupled with a TT 3 battery pack, it can shine for up to 200': enough for long exploration dives.
⊕ Robustness is a critical requirement when cave or wreck diving. Luckily this light head is build so as to withstand some rough treatment. Meaning the bulb shouldn't burst just because you bump or dump it. And supposedly it will even keep burning should the light head get flooded for some reason.
⊕ Great light for technical diving purposes.
⊕ A HID bulb's lifetime is primarily measured in number of times one can power it on & off. With an expected 2000 switches, this one should last for a while.
∅ HIDs have a warm-up & cool-down delay, meaning they can't just be switched on & off at will.
∅ It is not possible to dim the light's output, nor change the beam's angle from spot to flood. Remark that while you can slightly adjust the beam's focus while underwater, it's not really recommended to do so, due to the risk of flooding should any dirt have lodged itself on the lens's o-ring.
⊕ You can choose from two reflectors and two glass types depending on your lighting needs. The standard light head comes with a 10° reflector and clear glass lens providing a nicely focused beam.
⊕ For use with my digital camera, I also bought an 80° flood reflector and frosted glass lens, in order to reduce, if not avoid, any hotspot. The frosted glass spreads out the light more evenly, further increasing the flood reflector's beam angle to about 100°, thereby however also reducing its intensity. Note that while adequate, this solution's not quite optimal yet for videography. Compared to a dedicated video light head though, it's a very affordable alternative.
⊕ A Goodman handle is available as optional accessory, and highly recommended for e.g. cave or wreck diving, where having one's hands free for other tasks may be crucial.
Disappointed by Green Force's misinformation and lack of improved models, and having some reservations about their HID lights, Tilly had no trouble convincing me to try out one of his new power lights.
⊕ Modularity & expandability. Not to mention compatibility with my Green Force set-up, i.e. umbilical cable & Flexi II battery pack.
⊕ Power: with an output equivalent to a 125W halogen bulb, this High Intensity Discharge light shines very brightly indeed (5500°K).
⊕ Burn time: combined with my Green Force Flexi II NiMh battery, TillyTec's HID 35 burns for about 90'. Coupled with a TT 3 battery pack, it can shine for up to 200': enough for long exploration dives.
⊕ Robustness is a critical requirement when cave or wreck diving. Luckily this light head is build so as to withstand some rough treatment. Meaning the bulb shouldn't burst just because you bump or dump it. And supposedly it will even keep burning should the light head get flooded for some reason.
⊕ Great light for technical diving purposes.
⊕ A HID bulb's lifetime is primarily measured in number of times one can power it on & off. With an expected 2000 switches, this one should last for a while.
∅ HIDs have a warm-up & cool-down delay, meaning they can't just be switched on & off at will.
∅ It is not possible to dim the light's output, nor change the beam's angle from spot to flood. Remark that while you can slightly adjust the beam's focus while underwater, it's not really recommended to do so, due to the risk of flooding should any dirt have lodged itself on the lens's o-ring.
⊕ You can choose from two reflectors and two glass types depending on your lighting needs. The standard light head comes with a 10° reflector and clear glass lens providing a nicely focused beam.
⊕ For use with my digital camera, I also bought an 80° flood reflector and frosted glass lens, in order to reduce, if not avoid, any hotspot. The frosted glass spreads out the light more evenly, further increasing the flood reflector's beam angle to about 100°, thereby however also reducing its intensity. Note that while adequate, this solution's not quite optimal yet for videography. Compared to a dedicated video light head though, it's a very affordable alternative.
⊕ A Goodman handle is available as optional accessory, and highly recommended for e.g. cave or wreck diving, where having one's hands free for other tasks may be crucial.
Saturday, September 10, 2005
Croatia - info sheet
| Visum | A valid passport is required. |
|---|---|
| Transport | • Charter flight from Copenhagen to Split: 2½h. • Bus transfer from Split airport to Split city: ½h • Fast ferry from Split harbor to Stari Grad: ¾h • Bus transfer from Stari Grad to Hvar town: ½h |
| Time | Croatian time = Danish time |
| Weather | Air temperature: 25-30°C. Sunny except for the last two days. Water temperature: 20-23°C. |
| Currency | 1 Euro = 7,35 Kuna |
| Language | English, besides German & Italian, is spoken by most - at least in the tourist places. |
Thursday, September 8, 2005
Dive safari to Brac & Solta
It takes about two hours to cross from Hvar to Brac on the spacious but rather slow boat, loaded with twelve divers, and after a short translated breefing upon arrival, we’re pretty eager to get wet.
The water's 23°C fresh as I giant-step into it from the stern of the boat, but several short swims the previous days have somewhat prepared me and my snugly fitting 6+4mm rental suit does an excellent thermal insulation job.
Barely 3m deep two relatively small holes in the slightly sloping bottom allow easy one-diver-at-a-time access to a vast dome-like cavern. As usual, you can't see anything upon entry, as the eyes need time to adjust from bright daylight to twilight, but then, slowly, the cavern takes shape as its encrusted walls start looming out of the dark.
We’re supposed to spiral down and up along the walls, but my elderly Austrian buddy just keeps dropping down all the way until he hits the floor, after which he just stays there on his knees, silt bellowing around him. The cavern's also known as the church, so maybe he feels like praying. Luckily for him, right below the entrance holes, a mount of rubble rises up from the bottom at 42m to about a not-that-deep 25m. After a questioning look at the guide, we both drop towards the mesmerized diver. He doesn't seem to recognize the guide however, nor does he react to the guide's signals. So I firmly grab him by the arm, establish eye contact, and signal him to stick by my side and follow me. Which, surprisingly enough, he does for the remainder of the dive. Though in a rather trance-like state.
Supposedly there's some stalactites on one side of the cavern and a few stalagmites down below. But as there are several inexperienced divers in the group and the water being rather murky below 25m, the guide wisely chooses not to go that deep.
The cavern's large enough that two groups can dive it without really being aware of each other. Below us, several big tuna fish endlessly keep circling the cavern, but otherwise there's not really much to see and the whole experience only takes 35'.
After boarding the boat, the captain takes us to the next dive site, about one hour away near Solta island, this time for a wreck dive on a sunken fishing boat.
The water's noticeably cooler here, about 20°C. But it's a nice wooden wreck, lying between 18-22m, about 15-20m long I'd say, leaning slightly to one side, with some super-structure still remaining and giving it character. Too bad I don't have my camera with me as there's some neat wide-angle shots to be taken.
There's not too much fish life here either and the one nudibranch I notice, clinging on a rope, is lost the next moment in the tumult caused by a bunch of Polish divers, apparently not caring too much about marine life. The bottom though seems to be covered with sea cucumbers.
After the second dive it takes us a rather long three hours to sail back to Hvar.
The water's 23°C fresh as I giant-step into it from the stern of the boat, but several short swims the previous days have somewhat prepared me and my snugly fitting 6+4mm rental suit does an excellent thermal insulation job.
Barely 3m deep two relatively small holes in the slightly sloping bottom allow easy one-diver-at-a-time access to a vast dome-like cavern. As usual, you can't see anything upon entry, as the eyes need time to adjust from bright daylight to twilight, but then, slowly, the cavern takes shape as its encrusted walls start looming out of the dark.
We’re supposed to spiral down and up along the walls, but my elderly Austrian buddy just keeps dropping down all the way until he hits the floor, after which he just stays there on his knees, silt bellowing around him. The cavern's also known as the church, so maybe he feels like praying. Luckily for him, right below the entrance holes, a mount of rubble rises up from the bottom at 42m to about a not-that-deep 25m. After a questioning look at the guide, we both drop towards the mesmerized diver. He doesn't seem to recognize the guide however, nor does he react to the guide's signals. So I firmly grab him by the arm, establish eye contact, and signal him to stick by my side and follow me. Which, surprisingly enough, he does for the remainder of the dive. Though in a rather trance-like state.
Supposedly there's some stalactites on one side of the cavern and a few stalagmites down below. But as there are several inexperienced divers in the group and the water being rather murky below 25m, the guide wisely chooses not to go that deep.
The cavern's large enough that two groups can dive it without really being aware of each other. Below us, several big tuna fish endlessly keep circling the cavern, but otherwise there's not really much to see and the whole experience only takes 35'.
After boarding the boat, the captain takes us to the next dive site, about one hour away near Solta island, this time for a wreck dive on a sunken fishing boat.
The water's noticeably cooler here, about 20°C. But it's a nice wooden wreck, lying between 18-22m, about 15-20m long I'd say, leaning slightly to one side, with some super-structure still remaining and giving it character. Too bad I don't have my camera with me as there's some neat wide-angle shots to be taken.
There's not too much fish life here either and the one nudibranch I notice, clinging on a rope, is lost the next moment in the tumult caused by a bunch of Polish divers, apparently not caring too much about marine life. The bottom though seems to be covered with sea cucumbers.
After the second dive it takes us a rather long three hours to sail back to Hvar.
Wednesday, September 7, 2005
Nautica dive center
Nautica is a Polish dive center located right below the Sirena hotel. Most of their customers being -you'll never guess- Polish, only a few of the staff actually speak English. The service is adequate, but you're expected to take care of your own gear & yourself. That includes making sure you've got another tank on board the boat for the second dive!
The dive season runs from May to September.
Prices
• 15 Euro for a mandatory Croatian dive permit (valid one year)
• 25 Euro/dive (tank, weights, boat-ride to nearby site & guide)
• 15 Euro/day for full gear rental (Technisub mask, Mares full-foot-fins, Eques 6+4mm suit, Scubapro jacket & regulator)
• plus 35 Euro to join a dive safari to Brac & Solta (1 cavern + 1 wreck dive)
• plus 40 Euro to join a dive safari to Vis (2 wreck dives)
The dive season runs from May to September.
Prices
• 15 Euro for a mandatory Croatian dive permit (valid one year)
• 25 Euro/dive (tank, weights, boat-ride to nearby site & guide)
• 15 Euro/day for full gear rental (Technisub mask, Mares full-foot-fins, Eques 6+4mm suit, Scubapro jacket & regulator)
• plus 35 Euro to join a dive safari to Brac & Solta (1 cavern + 1 wreck dive)
• plus 40 Euro to join a dive safari to Vis (2 wreck dives)
Saturday, September 3, 2005
Hvar
Hvar is a nice little coastal town that attracts both charter tourists and super-yacht owners. Overlooking the town and harbour is an old restaurated fortress offering some great views. It's a fairly easy walk up. The entrance fee is 10 Kuna.
There's plenty of restaurants to choose from (e.g. Pape, Junior, Paradise garden, Macondo), most of them serving decent seafood.
Prices vary from 20 Kuna for a sandwich & 40-60 Kuna for a pizza or spaghetti to 120 Kuna for a fish plate. And at 15-20 Kuna for 1/2l of good Croatian beer or about 30 Kuna for 1/2l of decent Croatian white wine, you won't leave thursty. To seal the meal, many restaurants offer a glass of grappa on the house. A can of Coca-Cola costs about 5,25 Kuna in a supermarket. Tap water is potable (= free).
Sirena, our communist era hotel, is located in a perfect little bay, just a 30' stroll from town.
There's plenty of restaurants to choose from (e.g. Pape, Junior, Paradise garden, Macondo), most of them serving decent seafood.
Prices vary from 20 Kuna for a sandwich & 40-60 Kuna for a pizza or spaghetti to 120 Kuna for a fish plate. And at 15-20 Kuna for 1/2l of good Croatian beer or about 30 Kuna for 1/2l of decent Croatian white wine, you won't leave thursty. To seal the meal, many restaurants offer a glass of grappa on the house. A can of Coca-Cola costs about 5,25 Kuna in a supermarket. Tap water is potable (= free).
Sirena, our communist era hotel, is located in a perfect little bay, just a 30' stroll from town.
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Indonesia - info sheet
| Visum | A visum is required for Belgian citizens! And there's a departure tax of 75000 Rp. In Copenhagen, a one month visum can be obtained from the Indonesian embassy within 2 weeks. Besides your passport you must bring two pictures, a copy of your travel documents, fill in an application, and pay 350 DKK. |
|---|---|
| Transport | • Flight from Copenhagen to Frankfurt: 80' • Flight from Frankfurt to Singapore: 12h • Flight from Singapore to Manado: 3½h • Taxi from Manado airport to Manado city: ½h. • Boat transfer from Manado harbour to Bunaken: 25' |
| Time | N-Sulawesi time = Copenhagen summer time + 6 hours |
| Weather | Air temperature: 30°C. Often overcast with some downpours every couple of days. Water temperature: 28°C. |
| Currency | 1 USD = 9000 Rp (Indonesian Rupiah) |
| Language | English is spoken by some. |
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Singapore
It's a 45' ride from Murex Manado to the airport. Followed by a 3,5 hours flight to Singapore. The airport's left-luggage charges about 5 SGD/bag/day. Not cheap, but very convenient. The MRT to Bugis takes about half an hour or so. We've got 24h to shop, before continuing our journey back to reality.
After previously having tried trendy Japanese conveyor-belt sushi (3-6 SGD/plate) and popular food court Chinese noodles, we now choose for a no-nonsense dinner served on banana leaves in an Indian eatery (4,5 SGD).
From Little India to China Town only takes 5', thanks to Singapore's speedy MRT. Most of the smaller stores are closed on Sunday, but not the big shopping centers like Sim-Lim Square, Funan Digital-Life Mall or Raffles Shopping Arcade. In Singapore, to shop is to be. And with the bargains to be done here, it's hard to resist the urge to acquire a few things just to confirm your existence. In my case: Arena & Speedo swimming trunks (35 SGD/piece), 'Shadow divers' by Robert Kurson (20 SGD), 'An essential guide to digital underwater photography' by Michael Aw (25 SGD) and a pair of Merrel walking shoes (50 SGD). I managed not to buy an ultra-portable Sony Vaio laptop (3700 SGD) for writing my reports while on the go, a Suunto Mosquito dive computer (500 SGD) as back-up for my Vyper, and a lot of other things.
Before you know it, time's up, and you've got to head back. From City Hall to Changi airport, 45' by MRT (1,5 SGD).
After previously having tried trendy Japanese conveyor-belt sushi (3-6 SGD/plate) and popular food court Chinese noodles, we now choose for a no-nonsense dinner served on banana leaves in an Indian eatery (4,5 SGD).
From Little India to China Town only takes 5', thanks to Singapore's speedy MRT. Most of the smaller stores are closed on Sunday, but not the big shopping centers like Sim-Lim Square, Funan Digital-Life Mall or Raffles Shopping Arcade. In Singapore, to shop is to be. And with the bargains to be done here, it's hard to resist the urge to acquire a few things just to confirm your existence. In my case: Arena & Speedo swimming trunks (35 SGD/piece), 'Shadow divers' by Robert Kurson (20 SGD), 'An essential guide to digital underwater photography' by Michael Aw (25 SGD) and a pair of Merrel walking shoes (50 SGD). I managed not to buy an ultra-portable Sony Vaio laptop (3700 SGD) for writing my reports while on the go, a Suunto Mosquito dive computer (500 SGD) as back-up for my Vyper, and a lot of other things.
Before you know it, time's up, and you've got to head back. From City Hall to Changi airport, 45' by MRT (1,5 SGD).
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Murex dive resort outside Manado
While aboard the Liburan, a headline in a dive magazine jumped out at me: 'Betlehem, better than Lembeh'. Betlehem being pretty near to Manado, we decide to leave Bangka a day earlier, to check it out.
From Bangka we're first transferred to the mainland, stepping off the boat onto the black sand beach of a small fishermen's settlement. Our pick-up arrives soon afterwards and drives us to Murex's dive resort just outside of Manado. A long 1,5 hour ride, through the city's maze of lanes. Once there we're given a nice bungalow with a remarkable sense of privacy, thanks to lush vegetation and cascading water, creating a double wall of green & white noise.
The next day we're on our way to Betlehem. Hoping to see a rhinopia scorpionfish. But they're here no more. Still, it's an enjoyable muck dive with four seahorses, a weedy spider crab, some anemone crabs, several nudibranchs, a line of sharp looking razorfish and a school of small barracudas.
From Bangka we're first transferred to the mainland, stepping off the boat onto the black sand beach of a small fishermen's settlement. Our pick-up arrives soon afterwards and drives us to Murex's dive resort just outside of Manado. A long 1,5 hour ride, through the city's maze of lanes. Once there we're given a nice bungalow with a remarkable sense of privacy, thanks to lush vegetation and cascading water, creating a double wall of green & white noise.
The next day we're on our way to Betlehem. Hoping to see a rhinopia scorpionfish. But they're here no more. Still, it's an enjoyable muck dive with four seahorses, a weedy spider crab, some anemone crabs, several nudibranchs, a line of sharp looking razorfish and a school of small barracudas.
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