"How To" Page ... or Dialogue of a 'Virtual Diving Tour'
Your
adventure begins at this tropic Paradise with an airport greeting by our smiling
representative and baggage crew. After receiving traditional Chuukese flower 'mwar
mwars' over your head, we'll depart by mini bus to waiting dive launches for transfer
over lagoon waters to the big dive ship S.S.'Thorfinn'.
Upon greetings
by Captain and crew at arrival deck, we'll gather in main guest lounge for refreshments
and an orientation talk on Truk Lagoon, the Thorfinn, and our careful diving procedures.
Later, after completing release forms and a check of certifications, take a provided
drawstring dive gear bag to your new home room afloat where personal baggage will
be waiting. Most guests first stow their active gear in the dive bags and then
prepare for a well earned restful sleep.
First morning begins by delivering
the gear bag to your assigned dive deck for dive crew to manage and mount your
gear on a tank, ready for the coming dive. Valet service for this gear will continue
throughout your visit. Camera equipment should next be taken to camera service
tables at lounge deck for early set up. Coffee and hot tea are ready at lounge
bar along with delicious early morning baking for a starting snack. A complete
and full American style breakfast will be served a la carte at ship's 'D' deck
dining lounge by 7:00 AM.
Your attentive dive crew will be at departure
deck ready to set up personal weight belts, and bring cameras from tables to your
hands after seating in launch. A first departure at 8:00 AM will be followed by
others timed to the schedule in guest lounge. An average 10 minute ride in early
sunlight will precede a mooring to nearby dive sites, where we will pass and assist
you into tank and mounted B/C when ready. We open your tank valve, but always
check with several strong breaths to ensure all is OK.
A back flip overside
and cameras and lights will be passed over when comfortable, followed by a descent
with guide and others down the mooring line if on a fixed site, or to nearby reef
wall on a drift dive. Your dive guide will have provided a dive plan in boat before
commencing dive.
Incredible visions of a past battle fleet will greet the
eyes within Truk Lagoon, along with myriads of beautiful coral draped artifacts
surrounded by some of the most brilliantly colored fish known. Ocean reefs will
present gin clear views of virgin wall life beyond most visitor's dreams.
Divers are requested to ascend from depth with a minimum 1,000 psi or 70 bar reserve
air pressure on a 3 point basis. Stops at 18 m. for 2 minutes, are followed by
a second stop at 9 m. for 3 minutes, and then a final 10 minute stop between 4
to 5 m. before ascending to boarding ladder. Dive gear is passed up before mounting
ladder. A safety hang tank is always suspended at 6 meters for possible problems,
and Nitrox will be provided on request for licensees. Warm dry towels are distributed
for return trip to ship. Boat crew will handle, rinse and stow all dive and photo
gear without need for guest assistance. Warm water deck showers on both sides
of ship will serve to freshen up before proceeding to 'C' deck.
Snacks
and refreshments are waiting in guest lounge or at aft deck spa, and after a suitable
rest, diving will continue with a total of 4 day dives, and an evening night dive
for diving connoisseurs.
Videos and movies are available from a central
library for all TV/VCR's in lounge and guest rooms. Diving videos can be played
back at any of these many sets also. A ship's store/boatique offers many items
of interest in books, handicrafts, postcards, T shirts, hats, and cosmetics.
Spacious
sun decks and lounging furniture afford great tanning locations or a cool place
under awnings to read a book and enjoy refreshments. After dark, great views of
heavenly bodies are seen by star gazers sitting out or laying back with a refreshment
in the big jacuzzi spa. Guest towels are always ready at camera table racks for
use on chairs or from spa.
Each day follows with similar patterns, as your
ship moves between favored anchorages close and central to scheduled diving attractions
for any given time. Ocean dive tour moves are conducted overnight with new reef
island destinations occurring every second day for average 2 day visits.
Visitors
braving engine room warmths to view huge steam machinery in operation, will be
mesmerized by observing great shiny pistons driving a massive open crankshaft.
This ship's entire propulsive equipment is driven with steam supplied from two
U.S. built Foster Wheeler water tube boilers. Numerous pumps and other engines
run whisper quiet in comparison to noise from diesel power.
The final dive
day is concluded with a Saturday evening aft deck barbecue party, after which
our pretty crew ladies perform their version of 'local motions', and finally turn
to lively party music to get all 'chair flowers' into motion through balance of
evening. Lasting impressions of happy times and good people will linger, of this
fine tropic ocean world.
Visits to neighboring islands for a view of lagoon
island life, and observe many items left from the Japanese era are available any
time on request.
A normal weekly stay will end with fond farewells and
disembarkation after lunch on Saturday afternoon.
