Diving with Grand Komodo/MV TemuKira in
Indonesia/IRIAN, far eastern Indonesia in 2003/04:
an Instant Reader Report

 [Unspecified]  Maldives, Sipadan, Hawaii, Costa Rica, Philipines, Thailand,
Malaysia, Bonaire, Belize, Cozumel 

Dive Conditions

[Unspecified]  Use own Computer; virtually no restrictions, took one 90
minute dive.  

[None]  

Overall Rating

[None]  This is our second trip with Grand Komodo since the service and
diving are exceptional, first one in 2001.  The TemuKira only holds 12
divers and we only had five for the 9 day trip in an area where we never
saw another dive boat, hardly any other people, Irian Jaya north to the
equator, diving reefs, seamounts, and coastal areas.  The food is
Indonesian, plentyful and great.  The crew is outstanding, helpful and
friendly.  We had three divemasters for five divers for nine days.  The
other divers were from Sweden, two DMs and one instructor, and they took
professional digital photography which we watch after dinner with cold
beers.  By the first day the crew knew everyone's equipment and you never
touched your gear until you packed to leave.  Three long dives during the
day, and we would anchor behind an island in the evening and take a long
night dive.  We even took a 5 am dive to watch the sea come alive with
sunrise.  Just ask the crew; no problem.  And the Criters!  We saw more
than a dozen species we never had seen in over 300 each dives in Carribean,
Pacific, or Indian Ocean.  Pigmay seahorse, harlequin ghost pipefish,
spanish dancer, ocellated frogfish, slipper lobster, electric clams,
Randall's goby, mandiran fish, numerous wobbegong sharks, and epaulette and
bamboo sharks.  That besides the usual crocodile fish, scorpion and lion
fish, manta rays, reef sharks and hawkbill turtles.  One day we saw a
school of a thousand dolphins.  This is for the adverturous, the curious,
and advanced divers.  My fifth livaboard, and never been treated better: 
Grand Komodo even picked us up at Bali airport since there had been a
tragic bombing six months earlier.  Then we flew to Irian Jaya; they set up
all arrangments.  Look up Grand Komodo Tours on the web; about $1800 for 9
days on the liveaboard, plus your flights.  We definately will return. 
Terry Anderson, Bryan, Texas     

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