Dive Review of
Chertan in
Papua New Guinea/Milne Bay

Sipadan, Coral Sea, Palau, Truk, Yap, Pohnpei,
Papua New Guinea (Kimbe), Cocos, Cortez, Socorro, Galapagos, Solomons,
Hawaii, California, and many Caribbean sites

Dive Conditions

15 ft safety stop  

Work area would be cramped with a full load of divers. 
  

Overall Rating

MV Chertan is a first-class dive operation run by Rob van Der Loos.  He's
authored a book on Milne bay creatures and is a wizard at finding them. The
winds were a bit blusterous so most of our dives were on the north shore 
where we did quite a bit of muck diving (many dives at Lauadi).  We
photographed  a large assortment of critters: many kinds of nudibranchs,
ghost pipefish, popcorn shrimp, cuttle fish, lion fish, a coral head
teeming with Mandarin fish, and Nautilus.   We did get to one of the outer
reefs where Rob found a pygmy seahorse for us.  On the way back, we were
intercepted by a pod of Orcas -- 6-7 adults and 2 calves.  The rode the bow
wave and cruised along under the dinghy, apparently playing in  the prop
cavitation, for half an hour.  For one of our land excursions, one of  the
crew escorted us to a skull cave.  We also visited the Tawali resort both 
during the day and during the evening.  Tawali is an amazing venture put
together by Rob, members of his family, and other partners.  It was being
finished while we were there and some fast boats were on order for day
trips to outer reefs as well as muck  dives.  The resort is well-situated
so that the more popular dive sites are minutes  away.  (See 
www.tawali.com and believe it all!)  The Chertan is quite comfortable.  
However, there were only 3 divers on board.  We suspect it could get
crowded with a full complement of 12 divers (the boat is on the small side
with only 2 on-deck heads).   The food prepared by Rob's family members,
Peo and Malle, was very good.  (If you have to overnight in Port Morseby,
we recommend the Airways hotel and a visit to PNGarts.)
 

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