|
|
||
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
I've just returned from one of the most pleasant dive trips I've taken. Five enthusiatic divers from Guam went and were greeted by great weather...flat seas, sunny skies, and the water conditions were superb. Visibility was far better than 2 months ago, and from the boat I was looking at the top of the mast and fish life on the Hoki Maru 60' below me!
KUOP: The atoll at Kuop (kuuu-op) begins about 2 miles south of the southern end of Truk atoll and is quite large. It takes about an hour by boat to get to the entrance, and we entered inside the atoll and drove for another 25 minutes to a pass exiting the atoll on the west side.
Descending, I was immediately greeted by 2 very inquisitive white-tips that stayed with me for about 2 minutes. As the other divers entered the water from the boat I realized just how good the vis was, as I was at 100' and was looking diagonally up at them and they were at least 150' from me. The pass we were in was about 100 yards wide, and sloped down on both sides to a bottom that has a varying depth of 70-100 feet. Obviously, when you get outside the pass it drops dramaticlly to well over 300 feet.
The pass had a slight-to-moderate outflow of current and was filled with all of the critters that love currents....schools of pacific barrcuda, jacks, Nigre triggerfish, bluefin travelly, and lots of needlefish schools. Most of the group was able to get about 5' from the schools, and at times were surrounded by them.
There wasn't great activity or grouping among the sharks, but I always had at least 2 within view during the entire time I was diving. Most of em' are white tips and these are the most inquisitive and will cautiously approach until they get about 15' away, and then swim away. We also saw a few grey reef sharks.
Between dives we visited a pristine "lush tropical islet" surrounded by white sand and birds. On the trip to the island we were literally surrounded by over 150 spinner dolphin and they stayed with the boat for over 1/2 an hour!
WRECK & CORAL DIVING: I always find it fascinating to listen to divers who haven't been to Truk describe their first impressions of the wrecks, and they ALWAYS talk about the fish life and beautiful corals...and then talk about the wreck. All of the group did exactly the same! We were blessed with really good vis, and all of the wrecks had schools of thousands of small baitfish and larger jacks all over them. On the FUJIKAWA, SHINKOKU, AND NIPPO maru's we saw 4-6 eagle rays that apparently have claimed each of the wrecks as their home. The night dive on the YAMIGIRI rivals any night dive anywhere in the world for color and coral!
I really believe that the artifacts on the wrecks, although very interesting to lots of divers, have now taken a distant "second place" to the beauty of life on the wrecks.
THE HOTEL: What a change from a year ago!! The "new" Truk Blue Lagoon Resort is actually the old Truk Continental, but is undergoing a complete renovation which is about 75% complete. The rooms have been completely stripped and now have new furniture, refrigerators, tv/vcr units, and bathroom facilities. The main restaurant has been completed, and they are putting the finishing touches on the snack bar. The food is both reasonably priced and very good, thanks to "Fiji Steve", the F&B manager.
The grounds are simply one of those slices of real estate that most people dream about having...green grass, palm & coconut trees, white sandy beach, birds singing, and a lagoon view that is breath-taking. Oh yeah, and a bar at the beach that seems to be the true meeting place for everyone in the afternoon. Story-telling takes on a new meaning here!
Lots of divers want to compare Truk to Palau. You can't...both are very different, but for those that want a combination of totaly relaxation and what I call "brainless" diving (meaning very easy) you gotta' go to Truk.
All in all, this was a great trip.
Last edited on June 29, 2002
