Pacific Master - Bikini Atoll

Overview

This steel-hulled expedition vessel is ideally suited to adventure. Built in 2004, and formerly sailing the waters of Australia and the Solomon Islands, the Pacific Master will operate diving itineraries to Truk Lagoon and Bikini Atoll from October 2022.

ACCOMMODATION

This 30 metre liveaboard has 12 guest cabins, providing accommodation for up to 20 divers (limited to 16 for Bikini itineraries). She features a range of cabin options to choose from. One premium en-suite cabin features only a double bed, while a further five premium en-suite cabins can be double or twin. There are two standard twin cabins and a further four single cabins, all of which share bathroom facilities.

OTHER FACILITIES

The main deck is given over to a spacious air-conditioned lounge and dining area where guests can relax and enjoy their meals.

The extensive dive deck provides spacious individual dive stations complete with storage for dive gear. The dive deck also benefits from freshwater showers, rinse tanks and individual toilets. Photographers are also well catered for with a dedicated camera workstation. The Pacific Master caters for both recreational and technical divers. Bikini Atoll itineraries are only suitable for those with suitable technical diving qualifications.

SPECIFICATION

• Length: 30m, Breadth: 8m, Draft: 3m.
• Construction: Steel
• Engines: twin 1x 2000V12 / 1800 total hp. Cruising Speed: 11 knots.   
• 3 Generators
• Available Voltage: 220 VAC, Australian type 1 power outlets
• Water Storage: 16 tons
• Tenders: 2
• Smoke detector, heat & CO2 detectors. CO2 fire-fighting system, fire extinguishers. 
• 2 x 25 person life rafts

EQUIPMENT

A full range of diving equipment is available to be requested in advance. Technical diving equipment can also be hired in advance including Tec regulators, Stage regulators, backplates, harnesses and wings.

Oxygen and helium are available for hire in advance.

BIKINI ATOLL DIVING

Liveaboard departures to Bikini Atoll are for those with suitable technical and wreck diving qualifications. As the wrecks of Bikini Atoll are at depths beyond recognised recreational diving, limits they are only suited for extended range diving.  The Pacific Master will offer 2 technical dives on each full diving day, allowing up to 13 dives in total on a 10 night liveaboard itinerary. Divers are responsible for planning their own dives, with the assistance of the Cruise Director who has dived the wrecks of Bikini many times already.

For safety, the minimum surface interval between dives is 4 hours and, it is mandatory to take an afternoon off from diving mid-trip. An optional land tour of Bikini Island and beach BBQ will be offered in place of diving on this day.

Schedules & prices

Dive info

Bikini Lagoon is the first UNESCO World Heritage site for the Marshall Islands archipelago and is undisputedly ranked first on any serious wreck diver’s bucket-list.

After the end of WWII, the Americans amassed a fleet of ships comprising of both Japanese and American vessels. Two nuclear bombs were then unleashed, one from the air and one from underwater, unleashing untold devastation. More than 75 years on, the area is now considered safe enough to dive, with liveaboard expeditions offers to suitably qualified technical divers to explore the legendary Ghost Fleet. Wreck highlights here include USS Saratoga, HIJMS Nagato and USS Arkansas. Choose from 10, 11 or 13 night itineraries and explore this shipwreck graveyard.

Best time to dive bikini lagoon

Bikini Lagoon is best dived from May to September, when conditions are calm and visibility excellent. It is only during these months that liveaboards make expeditions to this region.

CLIMATE, WATER TEMPERATURE AND VISIBILITY

Temperatures on land range from 25 to 30°C, while water temperatures are consistently around 28°C

FLIGHT INFORMATION

For Bikini Atoll, you will need to first fly from the UK into Honolulu and overnight here. The following day you continue to the Marshall Islands, crossing the International Date Line before landing in Kwajalein Airport. Flights typically take up two days.

All passengers travelling via Honolulu need to complete an ESTA. This must be done online in advance of UK departure. The Visa Waiver Programme (VWP) allows most British Citizen passport holders to visit the US for up to 90 days. The types of journey allowed under the VWP include tourism, certain types of business visit and transit to another country.

PASSPORTS & VISAS

You can obtain the mandatory 30 day visa on arrival at the airport. Your passport must be valid for a minimum period of six months from the date of entry into the Marshall Islands.

Please always check for last minute changes in entry requirements at the Foreign & Commonwealth website. Nationalities other than British citizens should check with their own consular office.  Please always check your own entry requirements, regardless of your nationality.

AIRPORT TAX

There is currently a departure tax of USD 20 when leaving the country by air. Please make sure you have cash available as credit cards are not accepted and ATM machines are not available at the airports.

VACCINATIONS & HEALTH INFORMATION

There are no compulsory vaccinations, but we do recommend protection against typhoid, tetanus, hepatitis A, polio and rabies. The risk of malaria in Australasia is generally very low and therefore anti-malarials are not immediately recommended.

Vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before departure. For the most up to date advice please consult your local travel clinic. 

Current information regarding vaccinations for travel to this country can be found at www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk and from your local healthcare provider.

Itineraries

Please note that liveaboard itineraries can change without notice. The itinerary will depend on several local factors including, but not limited to, weather, diving ability of guests & the number of other boats already present at the various dive sites. All dive sites visited are subject to weather conditions and are at the discretion of your dive guides and vessel captain.

SAMPLE ITINERARIES

Bikini Atoll

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