Pacific Master - Truk Lagoon

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. 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.

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. Wetsuits are only available for hire on Truk Lagoon itineraries. Technical diving equipment can also be hired in advance including Tec regulators, Stage regulators, backplates, harnesses and wings.

Sofnolime, CCR cylinders are available on Truk Lagoon itineraries, along with Nitrox. Oxygen and helium are available for hire in advance.

DIVING

Up to 4 recreational dives a day are offered on Truk Lagoon itineraries, either as 4 day dives, or 3 day dives and a night dive. Many of the wrecks visited are within recreational diving depth limits, however others are only suitable for divers with technical diving certifications. The Pacific Master has facilities on board for those with the training and experience.

Conditions in Truk Lagoon are very pleasant for diving, with water temperatures consistently around 28°C throughout the year, with visibility generally in excess of 30 metres.

Schedules & prices

Dive info

Chuuk State consists of 11 mangrove fringed islands in the Chuuk Lagoon – known to divers worldwide as Truk Lagoon. There is also a further series of 14 outlying atolls and low islands.

Truk Lagoon is enclosed by a 225 kilometre barrier reef, covering more than 2,000 square kilometres, and is home to an entire Japanese fleet, sunk in 1944. Frozen in time, complete with sake cups, a submarine, jeeps, tanks and fighter planes still waiting in the hangars, all encrusted with coral, the area has been declared an underwater museum.

Nowhere else in the world are there so many wrecks tightly packed into a coral reef lagoon and with many situated in shallow water, so perfectly visible for snorkelling.  Incredible corals in a kaleidoscope of colours and shapes attract divers of all levels. Schooling tropical fish smother the ships, with grey reef sharks, common octopus, spotted eagle rays, Pacific blue-fin tuna and black-tip reef sharks. Excellent coral pinnacles and deep channels with schooling pelagics too

Enjoy Truk Lagoon by liveaboard to experience the best diving in this unique dive destination, with quite simply, the finest wreck diving in the world!

BEST TIMES TO DIVE

Truk Lagoon is fortunate to have great diving conditions all year-round!

CLIMATE, WATER TEMPERATURE AND VISIBILITY

Truk, as part of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) is a tropical country and the climate is fairly even all year round. The average high is 30°C whilst the average low is 25°C throughout the year. The more humid climate is during in the summer months (Jun-Sep) whilst trade winds come mainly from the northeast between December and June.

You are in a lagoon, so visibility is good but not excellent, 40-60ft is the norm and 30ft visibility would be a bad day. Sometimes visibility can reach 80ft or more, especially if it hasn't been raining (Nov - Feb).

Dry season: November to April

Wet season: May to October - higher humidity and more rainfall. July to October has the highest rainfall.

FLIGHT INFORMATION

For Truk Lagoon, you will need to first fly from the UK into Manila International Airport (MNL) and there are various airlines to choose from. You will then take another flight from Manila to Chuuk (TKK) with United Airlines. Please note that the United Airlines flights operate via Guam (GUM) both ways. Guam is an unincorporated and organized territory of the United States, and as such, all passengers travelling via Guam 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.

All travellers wishing to enter the US under the VWP now need to hold a passport with an integrated chip (an ePassport).

All passengers must clear US immigration in Guam and this can take several hours! With this in mind, we like to see a decent lay-over period before your take a connecting flight from Guam to Truk. With this in mind, we normally recommend you take a day room at an airport hotel, so you can freshen up and relax for a couple of hours, before taking a late afternoon / evening flight from Guam to Truk.

We can of course discuss these options with you at quote stage.

We can arrange hotel stays and local transfers in Manila, if required, and we can book your room at Blue Lagoon Dive Resort (Truk Lagoon) as required, to fit in with domestic flights and the operation of the liveaboard.

PASSPORTS & VISAS

Manila
As a tourist you need to be able to show the immigration officers that your passport is valid for at least another six months. You also have to hand over your duly filled-in arrival card. This arrival card is issued during your flight. Often you have to show an onward international flight ticket, that allows you to leave the country. If you meet these requirements, then you will be automatically allowed entry for up to 30 days without a visa. This is called a tourist visa-waver. It can be extended to 59 days directly at the airport.

Guam
Guam is a territory of the United States. All passengers travelling via Guam need to apply online for an Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). This must be done at least 14 days before UK departure and it is easy to apply for online at the following website: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/

In addition to the ESTA, all visitors arriving in the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) (i.e. Guam / Truk) must have and present proof of citizenship or nationality, by possessing a valid passport or other travel document issued by the government of the country of citizenship or nationality. The document must be valid for at least 120 days beyond the date of entry into the FSM.

Citizens and nationals of the FSM, Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the United States may prove citizenship or nationality by possessing a passport, birth certificate or FSM entry permit.

Upon arrival, all non-citizens without a valid entry permit must present a completed 'FSM Immigration Arrival and Departure Record.' This form is provided by the airline carrier prior to arrival at the point of entry. Those wishing to visit the FSM for a period exceeding 30 days, must also complete an entry permit. A permit is not required for a person visiting the FSM for 30 days or less.

Every visitor must demonstrate the ability to travel onward beyond the FSM and to leave the FSM at the end of the visit. This can be shown by possession of a return or onward ticket to a destination outside of the FSM to a place where his or her travel documents will allow entry. At the discretion of Immigration, in lieu of a ticket, the visitor may present any other form of proof to show that the non-citizen will be able to leave the FSM upon expiration of the visit or otherwise.

Citizens and nationals of the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the United States may be issued an entry permit for the duration of the visit which shall not exceed one year.

All other noncitizens may be issued an entry permit for an additional period not to exceed 60 days.

All non-citizens, other than visitors must have their entry permits applied for prior to arrival in the FSM. The Entry Permit application can be downloaded here. Other restrictions apply for these categories. For more information, see the General Guide below or contact the FSM agencies (Government office) in the list provided.

http://www.visit-micronesia.fm/permit.pdf

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

Truk Lagoon

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