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Dive Review of Odyssey in
Micronesia/Truk

Odyssey, Nov, 2007,

by Richard Sziede, VA, USA (Reviewer Reviewer 4 reports). Report 3743.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 5 stars Food 4 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving 3 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 1 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments Undercurrent readers must be weary of rave reviews for the Truk Odyssey. This is another rave, so I'll try to hit points the others missed.

Think of the Odyssey as a 4-star hotel that floats over the best wreck dives in the world. The crew gives better service than the staff of any 4-star in which I've stayed. The Chuukeese members of the crew have faces out of a Gauguin painting. Charm on charm.

Cabins, food, facilities: what the others said. Just great.

The house blend of Nitrox is 30%. This avoids O2 toxicity for most dives. Crew mixed up whatever gas blends the tech divers wanted. (Shaken, not stirred.) Dives are guided if you wish. Especially deep penetrations. Or dive your own profile. To quote Jeff, "We treat you like grownups until you show us that's a bad idea".

I wish I had taken a Nitrox computer. Dives are so deep that my habit of diving an air profile on Nitrox limited my bottom time 5-8 minutes shorter than a Nitrox profile. Except for masts and king posts there were no shallows in which to finish a dive when the N2 bar got within one pixel of busting my deco cherry.

I quickly learned to wear gloves when penetrating wrecks. Blood appears green at 120 ft.

I had wanted a dry season trip, but schedule sent me at the tail-end of rainy season. The equatorial sun peeped through occasionally. Then I became glad for rainy season clouds. The season also made the second afternoon dive end after dusk. Got to see the sundown "shift change" among the lagoon critters. The shade-loving coral that "blooms" at dusk came out. I've only seen it previously under the municipal pier in Bonaire.

84 degree water means plankton, limiting visibility. Extended the arm of my video light all the way to minimize backscatter. The long light extension led to clumsy, lurching progress penetrating wrecks. Water was crystal clear out on the reef, where we went for a shark encounter. I am so glad a reef white-tip is different from an oceanic white-tip! Videoed a very bold Sargent Major shadow-stalking a Gray Reef shark.

What beautiful hard corals! Huge anemones hosted shrimp and anemone fish. There were Neon Anemones glowing red at 100 feet. Bright red stonefish on a night dive.

Despite their abysmal reputation, Continental made every connection and didn't lose my dive gear. Only late once. There was a Continental President's Club a short distance from every gate. This made the layovers easier. The Boeing 767 eliminates the individual AC control. Every seat was cooled to "arctic wasteland." Glad I took a warm fleece.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving Caribbean
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather rainy Seas calm
Water Temp 83-84°F / 28-29°C Wetsuit Thickness 0
Water Visibility 60-100 Ft/ 18-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions To quote Jeff, "We treat you like grownups until you show us that's a bad idea".
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas 1 or 2
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles None Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 4 stars
Small Critters 4 stars Large Fish 3 stars
Large Pelagics 4 stars

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

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities 5 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 5 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments Warm water = plankton. Wreck diving = silt. Back-scatter from lights is a problem.
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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.

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