|
|
|
Customized,
Personalized
Dive Odysseys
What's HOT |
 |
|
|
|
Hot Dives Newsletter
|
|
|
|
A Note from Dom |
|
We send out a newsletter around 5 - 6 times per
year. Sometimes it has super
promotions, sometimes it contains
exciting news from the dive
industry, often just great ideas for
fantastic diving. If you would like to
receive the newsletter in your mail,
please sign up on our
Newsletter
page.
We also produce extensive
availability lists,
which are now live on
the website and we endeavor to
update weekly. If you want the
most current availability, you can
contact us for the latest list.
Below you will find our current Hot
Dives favorites. But don't
forget, you can find
more
great trips on our other
popular pages: Last Minute
Options,
Special Expeditions
and
Great Deals.
Now, sit back, scroll down . .
. and dream !
Cheers, Dom
|
|
|
Cenderawasih Bay, Indonesia |
|
|
|
The latest discovery in the Raja Ampat
region of Indonesia is the exciting
diving in Cenderawasih Bay. We've had
rave reviews! A few months ago, we
introduced Scubasigns
Foundation's very low-key
eco-resort, Ahe Dive Resort.
At that time it was the only
infrastructure in place for diving in
this region.
We're pleased to be able to tell you
that you have additional options now for
diving in this region. In
2012
Damai,
Aurora,
Seahorse,
Ondina
and
Dewi Nusantara
(ex Paradise Dancer)
will each offer cruises to Cenderawasih Bay.
The geological isolation of this bay
from the flow of the Pacific tides and
has blessed Cenderawasih Bay with a wide
variety of endemic species. Guests may
even find that some normally
deep-dwelling fish species can be found
here in relatively shallow waters.
The species you'll encounter include
countless critters and superb corals,
but the bay also offers some excellent
wreck-diving and to top it all off,
there is the allure of the magnificent
Whale Sharks for whom, it’s been
recently discovered, Cenderawasih Bay is
a year-round home.
The Whale Sharks here have
a long-term relationship with the local
fishermen, who feed and protect them,
and that these gentle, giant creatures
have little or no fear of humans in the
water, allowing awesomely intimate
interactions between shark and diver.
For adventure divers, this is an
incredible opportunity to dive with a
large community of whale sharks along
with the other typical Raja Ampat
marine life.
Contact us for additional
information or see
Indonesia Availability for
liveaboards with spaces on their trips
to Cenderawasih. |
|
BAHAMAS TIGER SHARKS
2012
In November 2009 & 2010 I was diving with the Tigers in the
Bahamas aboard the
Dolphin Dream.
Suffice
it to say that the experience was
breathtaking!
2012 will be our 4th
year chartering
Dolphin Dream
for this extraordinary contact
with giant tigers and the trips
will once again be accompanied
by well-known tiger shark photographer,
Wolfgang Leander.
2012 trips
Nov 10-16
Nov 17-23
7days/6
nights
at $2495
First, check out the fabulous
video
shot on the 2008 trip
by David Ulloa of
Valleo Films
. Then, for details about the Tiger Shark trips, click
here.
|
|
TIGER BEACH
BAHAMAS
Thanks to David Ulloa for this beautiful Tiger Shark image
|
|
Let's
try an assortment of rather exotic temptations - just to get you thinking about
the possibilities
These destinations &
liveaboards unquestionably represent some of the World's Finest
Diving
For available dates &
spaces visit our
Availability pages or
contact us for details |
|
|
|
ANTARCTICA 2012
with WATERPROOF EXPEDITIONS
- Feb 6-17,
2012
aboard the
modern Polar research vessel POLAR PIONEER. A
unique Antarctic experience with only a small group of divers
exploring the South Western Antarctic Peninsula – giving flexibility
to take advantage of incredible wildlife opportunities and the most
beautiful light for amazing photography. From 4880 euros + 825 euros
dive package in triple cabin. A few spaces remaining.
Contact us at Dive
Advice.
WHALES of the SILVER BANK
EXPEDITIONS 2012
-
Join Humpback Whale expert Tom Conlin of Aquatic Adventures late
January through mid-April for one of his unique "Whales of the
Silver Bank” expeditions aboard Turks & Caicos Explorer II. Now in
his 21st year, this is a must do for big animal lovers,
truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to get up close and personal
with these friendly giant behemoths.
|
|
|
|
DAMAI I –
SOUTH KOMODO SPECIAL EXPEDITION
March 2-13, 2012
- 11 night expedition from Bima
to Labuan Bajo to dive the very best
of South Komodo – when there are few
boats, the sea temperature is warmer
and visibility is better.
At a special 30% discount
rate all inclusive.
GALAPAGOS ISLANDS
aboard DEEP BLUE
10 nts extended itinerary April 26-May 6, 2012 - the spacious 106ft
Deep Blue offers superb itineraries with full four days at the
northern islands of Darwin+Wolf. Low season rates from $3995 pp
until end of May. Newly refitted. No fuel surcharge.
|
|
|
|
SOCORRO PHOTO TOUR aboard SOLMAR V April 12-20, 2012
–
space available for this 8 nights pelagics spectacular with giant
mantas, sharks, dolphins, and plethora of large species. Ideal time
for whales and all. See other dates under Socorro above.
SOCORRO/SEA OF CORTEZ COMBO aboard NAUTILUS EXPLORER
- May 11-21, 2012 –
space on this 10 nights pelagics adventure with giant mantas,
sharks, dolphins, schooling hammerheads, sea-lions and maybe the
elusive whale shark. May is the time the waters start warming again
after the cooler winter months and promises good conditions for big
fish encounters.
GUADALUPE GREAT WHITES / SAN BENITOS 10-night Combination aboard the
NAUTILUS EXPLORER
2012 – August 18-28, Sep 12-22, October 22-November 1, 2012 -
10
nights Great Whites + San Benitos -
special trip aboard the fabulous
Nautilus Explorer for amazing diving to remote San Benitos combined
with cage diving with the Ocean’s most awesome predator in clear
blue waters of Guadalupe. See dates above under Socorro.
See
Availability
for all these trips. |
|
|
|
SEYCHELLES WHALE SHARK EXPEDITIONS aboard MAYA’S DUGONG
2012 – September 1-8 & September
8-15 . . . and in 2013 – August 31- September 7 &
September 7-14
–
Join the
Sea Star and Sea Bird
in their
work with
scientists & researchers for their very special whale shark
expeditions. 7 night trips
with
microlite aircraft on board.
Contact us for details or to book. |
|
|
|
HOLBOX ISLAND, MEXICO
– WHALE SHARKS 2012 - July
is the prime month for encounters with the spectacular whale shark
population on this island in the Yucatan. On this years trip they
filmed what may have been the largest conflagration of whale sharks
ever recorded, with an averaged over 100 sharks per day for four
days, feeding at the surface in blue water. A typical day maybe
upward of 10-15 whale sharks and 20-30 manta rays. Join us in 2012.
Contact
us for details or to book. |
|
|
|
RAJA AMPAT on
PINDITO 2012
- November 26-December 7, 2012 – join Dom on this
amazing 11 night adventure from
Ambon to Sorong on the classic
Phinisi Pindito. Edi knows these
waters better than most as he was
the pioneers of dive cruises to
these remote areas of Indonesia. He
is also a renowned videographer so
you can be sure that you will get to
share « Edi’s
Paradise »
for yourself on this adventure.
Contact us for details or to
book |
|
|
|
MALDIVES
on Carpe Vita
– Southern Expedition Feb 3-14, 2013
-
11 nights,
"Deep South Route Past the Equator"
for experienced and adventurous
Shark Lovers! North Male - South
Ari - Meemu - Thaa-Laamu - Huvadhoo
- Fuahmullah - Addu. One-way trip
featuring sharks (good possibility
of whale sharks, hammerheads, grey
reef, white tips, tiger and treasure
sharks- some in the hundreds!),
mantas, big schools of fish, mola,
soft coral, channel dives &British
Loyalty wreck.
Up to 3 dives a day; additional
$250pp fuel surcharge; requires a
one-way domestic flight.
February 14-21, 2013 – 7 nights
with flights from Male - Addu -Fuahmullah
- Huvadhoo - One-way trip featuring
sharks (good possibility of tiger
and treasure sharks- some in the
hundreds!), mantas, eagle rays, mola,
unspoiled reefs, hard corals and
British Loyalty wreck.
February 21-March 3, 2013
– 10 nights - Huvadhoo-Laamu -
Thaa-Meemu -
South
Ari - South Male - One-way trip
featuring sharks (good possibility
of whale sharks, hammerheads, grey
reef, white tips - some in the
hundreds!), mantas, big schools of
fish, soft coral and channel dives.
Up to 4 dives a day; additional $200
per person fuel surcharge; requires
a one-way domestic flight. See
Availability. |
|
|
|
|
OUR "FOREVER" FAVORITES |
|
|
|
GALAPAGOS
An Old
Favorite We Never Tire Of
|
|
TWO NEW BOATS JOIN THE
GALAPAGOS FAVORITES
IN 2012
The new
Darwin Buddy
&
Wolf Buddy,
120-foot state-of-the-art liveaboards,
joined the
group in September 2011.
Still providing
excellent diving
in the
highly sought-after northern islands of
Darwin & Wolf:
Deep
Blue
-
Galapagos Sky -
Humboldt Explorer
Aggressor I & II
- Wolf Buddy
& Darwin Buddy
And last, but certainly not
least, the 85 foot
SY Nautilus
dives the southern islands
of the Galapagos
archipelago.
Each
night you stay on a
different island
in lovely
ocean-front hotel
accommodation.
Visit
our
Galapagos page for
details of the diving & links the
boats
View
What's New -
Last
Minute Options -
Great Deals
Check our
Availability pages for dates
& availability of all the
boats.
|
|
|
COCOS |
|
|
On my last trip to Cocos,
we dove amongst large schools of hammerheads at almost every site, encountered whale sharks and huge silvertips, even some tiger sharks, rare at Cocos but seen occasionally.
Night dives were equally as dramatic with a few hammerheads and silkies, along with hoards of hunting white tips, almost bumping into you in the excitement of the hunt!
In short, I'd have to say that few dive destinations seem to get better and better, but Cocos is one that keeps rocking and never fails to impress, with each trip better than the last !
Visit our
Cocos pages, check
Availability and
contact us to reserve a space.
Also, check our
Great Deals
page to see if we have
specials currently running. |
|
|
|
|
FIJI & TONGA |
|
|
Every year
since 1996
NAI'A
has voyaged
to Tonga to
conduct
expeditions
among the
humpback
whales who
have
traveled
north from
the
Antarctic to
mate and
give birth
in Tonga's
warm
tropical
waters.
NAI'A's
10-day trips
begin in
Tonga's
capital
"city" of
Nuku'alofa
and extend
north into
the coral
atoll
wilderness
of the
Ha'apai
Group, where
the greatest
number of
humpback
whale pods
are found --
but almost
no other
boats, save
the fishing
canoes of
villagers.
Sailing
throughout
this maze of
islands and
reefs, the
location and
activity of
the whales
largely
determines
the precise
course of
each new
day.
Experience
has proven
the mornings
to be the
best time
for whale
spotting and
swimming
encounters.
Later in the
afternoon
NAI'A finds
a safe
evening
anchorage
near a dive
site & the
plan is
always to do
at least one
and
sometimes
more dives
each day.
Night dives
are also a
spectacular
option on
coral reefs.
The 10-day
itinerary
includes
time for
Whales,
Volcanoes &
Virgin Coral
Reefs and
the daily
schedule is
very
flexible. Trips
for 2012 are
already
virtually
sold out.
Contact us
to get your
spaces for
2013.
Click for more info
on the boat, see dates on our
Availability page or
check with us for details. |
|
|
|
|
MALDIVES
|
For most divers, the Maldives
conjures up images of swimming & flirting with swarms of
great Manta Rays.
But diving in the Maldives is definitely more
than that.
For starters, rising from the atoll floor,
usually in the
middle of
channels, are ‘thilas’ or submerged reefs,
which can be as shallow as 8-10 meters below the
surface. Thilas make great dive sites as they are often
small enough to swim around during one dive and have
their own compact ecosystems, such as caves,
overhangs, steep walls or cracks and crevices. Many are
pinnacle formations.
While teeming with "the big guys" of the ocean
-
the rays, the
barracudas, the Napoleon wrasse, and a wide variety of
sharks, including whale
sharks in certain seasons - the waters here
also contain an abundant diversity of colorful species
such as triggerfish, morays, sweetlips, angelfish, anthias, Moorish Idols, snappers, jacks, fusiliers,
batfish, gobies and fabulous turtles.
You'll experience gentle
dives & strong currents and even a couple
of very good wreck dives.
The Maldives has diving for everyone from the beginner
to the advanced diver and is a destination ideal for
divers and snorklers alike.
See detailed information
on our
Maldives pages and
check for available
spaces
on
our
Availability page.
Or
contact us with
questions or to book. |
|
|
|
|
INDONESIA - LIVEABOARDS |
|
|
|
Still absolutely in the forefront of the
world's finest diving, from Komodo to
Ambon from Manado to Raja Ampat,
with Bali in the mix, too, Indonesia
offers a dizzying array of live-aboard
options and some of the all-time finest
first class resorts.
The diving is an exhilarating a mix of
pelagics, corals and incredible macro
critters.
We represent the top vessels including:
Siren,
Arenui,
Damai,
Tambora,
Pindito, Pelagian, Komodo Dancer &
Dewi Nusantara (ex Paradise Dancer)
and several other excellent choices.
Indonesia is a year-round
destination. Check our
Availability
page for dates & spaces.
But first, a few of the highlights . .
.
|
|
|
INDONESIA - RESORTS |
|
|
|
|
Misool Eco Resort |
|
Dom had the opportunity
to visit the incredibly
special
Misool Eco Resort,
in March of this year.
It's
located on the tiny
island of Batbitim in a
huge new protected
marine reserve in
southern Raja Ampat, and is
a diver's dream and a
true eco-resort.
This is
about as remote as you
can get, but they have
worked long & hard to
create an oasis of
beautiful
accommodations,
surrounded by world
class diving.
The bungalows are
spacious and
comfortable, with
hammocks built into the
deck, dangling just
above the waterline!
Their internationally
trained chef creates
fine fare for guests,
including organic dishes
made with local produce.
And, with their high
speed jet boat, they
are able to
comfortably transfer
guests from Sorong to
the resort in a little
over 4 hours. October
through May.
For
details, click
here. |
|
|
Wakatobi Resort |
|
Another of Indonesia's handful of
truly extraordinary dive resort
experiences is situated in a
remote paradise region at the southern
tips of Sulawesi in
Indonesia,
Wakatobi
Resort
sports many
claims to fame amongst amateur and
professional divers alike. This is
a distinctly first-class experience.
Here you find the elegance and
luxury of a world-class hotel in a
setting which is paradise for divers
and snorklers alike. The
island is surrounded by one of the
most pristine reefs found anywhere
and is easily accessible to other
fabulous diving.
To top it all off, this is the home
of the beautiful Pelagian
liveaboard.
You may want to combine a cruise
with a stay at the resort to enjoy
the best of both worlds.
In addition, the resort is offering
responsible tourism, an economic
boon for the local economy and is
participating in funding local
education.
For details and a report on our
recent trip there, see our Wakatobi page
by clicking here
>>>
or
contact us to book.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lembeh Resort |
|
Lembeh Resort
is a stunningly
spectacular boutique style resort
located on Lembeh Island, overlooking
the Lembeh Strait.
The spacious guest cottages, all
sporting huge verandas, most with views
of the Strait & the impressive
volcano on the opposite side, are set in
lush tropical
vegetation. The staff , largely
from the local villages, will welcome you
warmly to your heavenly home away from
home.
The diving facilities
are simply amongst the
best, giving you access
to what is probably the
most magical critter
world in the oceans.
For details, click
here. |
|
|
|
PAPUA NEW GUINEA
|
FeBrina
/ Walindi
10 nights in
the Bismark Sea from Walindi Resort, diving Fathers
Reef and Witu Islands and the best of Kimbe Bay.
With maximum 12 divers, this is the pro's choice in
PNG – an intimate boat and the most experienced,
knowledgeable captain and guides in PNG.
Of course, combining a stay at
Walindi Plantation Resort,
home of FeBrina, with a cruise on the FeBrina is the
perfect dive vacation. Diving doesn't get
better.
For details of both click here
>>> |
|
Golden Dawn
Craig de Witt
still offers some of the most
exciting diving in Papua New Guinea on the Golden
Dawn
and is
tempting all of us with some
exceptional trips in 2010 -
completely new itineraries and
exploratory voyages.
He currently has a few spaces remaining on
several 14 night Eastern Fields trips
in 2012. Check our
PNG Availability page or click
here to send us an email requesting additional details.
|
|
Star
Dancer
Since
February of 2011 the
Star Dancer's
home port has been at the
Driftwood Resort
and she offers explorations of the
wonders of the Milne Bay area throughout the
year, an area renowned over many years for
incredible macro.
There
are plane wrecks, shipwrecks, pristine coral
reefs of interesting shapes and sizes,
underwater volcanic vents, caves and various
species of fish including manta rays and
whales.
The diving conditions will range from quiet
mill pond dives to drift dives along
spectacular walls, but you will find that
the majority of diving will be done on sea
mounts (or “bommies”). And, the reefs
are a photographer’s paradise.
Check our
PNG Availability page or click
here to send us an email requesting additional details.
|
|
|
|
|
| |
%20Shipwreck.jpg)
.jpg)
