Main Menu
Join Undercurrent on Facebook

The Private, Exclusive Guide for Serious Divers Since 1975 | |
For Divers since 1975
The Private, Exclusive Guide for Serious Divers Since 1975
"Best of the Web: scuba tips no other
source dares to publish" -- Forbes
X
 

Dive Review of Kararu Tours on Sea Safari III in
Indonesia/Komodo Islands

Kararu Tours on Sea Safari III, Aug, 2005,

by Bill Lord Butcher, ca, US . Report 1936.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 2 stars Food 1 stars
Service and Attitude 2 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 1 stars Shore Diving 3 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 1 stars
Advanced 1 stars
Comments Described as perhaps the best diving in the world in Undercurrent a couple of years ago, and it may have been then, this was a major disappointment. The dive planning was dreadful, with fixed times for an area with heavy currents--meaning that instead of planning the dives to the times when dive sites should be visited they were 7:30 AM, 10:30 AM, 2:30 PM and 6 PM REGARDLESS OF WHEN the sites were at their best or, in some cases, even diveable. One dive was near live threatening in current, my buddy and I aborted that one and three others as just being miserable. The sites themselves, on the days and times when the conditions happened to meet the fixed dive times, ranged from poor to good, but never great. The boat itself was in poor condition, with heads and water pipes breaking in staterooms and elsewhere regularly, including the engine which needed parts and tools flown in and caused an day long wait. The dive master said the company has ten boats and saves money my having one set of tools to share among them--an interesting plan when the boat is as much as three days travel time from the parts! Perhaps the worst was anchoring in a raging current with three large rocks close and directly behind the boat in the middle of a wide channel. Had the anchor failed the boat would still be on those rocks without doubt...and the anchor did fail the very next day, luckily in a place where it was safe to lose the anchor. The food was near tasteless. My wife went to the galley to try and cook something tasty and had some success for two meals (and the galley staff welcomed her and helped her,) but she said it was dirty and she was uncomfortable cooking in it. At least one passenger reported being ill from what she was certain was spoiled food. It is the only live aboard I have been on that had no fruit, snacks, or anything else other than coffee and tea available 24/7. Lindsay the dive master and his wife were nice but seemed very inexperieced and either locked into a company policy on dive times and sites or in over their heads or both. Three day dives was the limit, which is enough for me but several passengers commented and I agree that four could have easily been planned. At no time were we anywhere near decompression limits on our computers. The one good thing was the very experieced and lovely people who shared the trip, the best group with whom I have ever shared a trip. Not one of whom spoke of anything but disappointment in the trip, boat and dive planning. The good part of the complaints is that this well educated and experieced group articulated their gripes in creative and colorful words and stories!

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving Been everywhere, over 1500 dives worldwide, certified 1976 been active diver ever since.
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, dry Seas calm, currents
Water Temp 23-32°C / 73-90°F Wetsuit Thickness 0
Water Visibility 10-100 Ft/ 3-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Only no diving afer drinking
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas 1 or 2
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 2 stars Tropical Fish 3 stars
Small Critters 3 stars Large Fish 1 stars
Large Pelagics 1 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter N/A Boat Facilities N/A
Overall rating for UWP's N/A Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments [None]
Was this report helpful to you?
Leave a comment (Subscribers only -- 200 words max)
Subscribers can comment here
 

Subscribe Now
Subscribers can post comments, ask the reviewer questions, as well as getting immediate and complete access to ALL 1386 dive reviews of Indonesia and all other dive destinations. Complete access to all issues and Chapbooks is also included.

 
Featured Links from Our Sponsors
Interested in becoming a sponsor?
Reef & Rainforest, Let our experience be your guide -- Reef and Rainforest
Reef & Rainforest
is an agency for travelers that scuba dive. Looking for Biodiversity, critters, Komodo, Raja Ampat, temples? We specialize in adventures to Indonesia.

Want to assemble your own collection of Indonesia reports in one place?
Use the Mini Chapbook Facility to create your personalized collection.

Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

Undercurrent Home


Get more dive info like these and other important scuba updates sent monthly to your email.
And a FREE Recent Issue of Undercurrent

Free Undercurrent Issue
Get a free
monthly email and
a sample issue!


Find in  

| Home | Online Members Area | My Account | Login | Join |
| Travel Index | Dive Resort & Liveaboard Reviews | Featured Reports | Recent Issues | Back Issues |
| Dive Gear Index | Health/Safety Index | Environment & Misc. Index | Seasonal Planner | Blogs | Free Articles | Book Picks | News |
| Special Offers | RSS | FAQ | About Us | Contact Us | Links |

Copyright © 1996-2024 Undercurrent (www.undercurrent.org)
3020 Bridgeway, Ste 102, Sausalito, Ca 94965
All rights reserved.

Page computed and displayed in 0.13 seconds