Diving in Chuuk

I am in Chuuk 7-18 March, was supposed to be on the Thorfinn which recently hit a reef, but now hotel based. Could do with a buddy and help us both reduce the single supplement. If you want any further info, let me know.
Thanks

Welcome to the forum, and best on luck finding a buddy.

I heard that Truk was a German mispronunciation of the local word for the area....so I see you are up to speed on the correct word!

We have photos of the grounded Thorfinn. Pretty sad.....we haven't heard if they ever got it off the bottom, but I heard there were lots of unresolved liability issues in the event that it came off the bottom and sank or spilled oil.....I hope they get it worked iout, they have an excellent well earned reputation in the dive community.

They did get it off the bottom and it is back in dry dock for repairs. They said it will be a while as they are going to update the entire boat.

The Australian dive operator gave me the option of 'waiting' to see when Thorfinn would be back in action, but thought it best to opt for the hotel, as I am sure the few there will get fully booked up fairly soon. Should be an opportunity of a lifetime - but could not get a dive buddy from home to come along with me. It's not one of the cheapest dive destinations.

I was told it is going to be years before the ship is ready for diving again. You still do have options though. You could stay at a hotel/resort and do boat/beach diving. The other option is to look into another live aboard dive operation. I know the Agressor fleet has a live aboard there that is still running.

Maybe you could do a return trip in a few years to try out the rebuilt boat and compair it to the agressor boat.

Thanks. I checked the other live-aboards and they were fully booked up. I am sorted, staying at the Truk Stop Hotel - and will do 2 dives a day. So all is not lost - as I said previously, the Australian travel co have been brilliant. Should be great, as I am a very keen wreck diver.

Now that is a funny name for a place to stay! Really funny.

Anyway, please let us know all about your trip and share your photos with us when you get back.

Have a great time.

Ace

Thanks Ace - ALL of them. Kind of twisted my employers arm to give me three months off work; as a UK BSAC instructor doing a PADI instructor conversion with unlimited diving in Thailand... then Hong Kong..yes, there is diving there, and finially Chuuk. Will be pretty much dived out - but what the heck, you only live once.

Based in the Channel Islands - UK, just had a weekend in Plymouth, where we dived some fab WW2 wrecks. Viz was out this world.. think it was the best UK diving I had done.

Cheers
Fred

Nice!

I think UK diving is very similar to the type of diving over here. Cold water, heavy currents, large waves, etc.

I am sure once you get back, you will suddenly miss the diving. Dived out.....nay...!