Truk Lagoon Trip Debrief.
If you’re going to do something, then do it properly! Save your pennies, save your cents, cut back on the beer and the tobacco.
Twenty one of us did just that….saved our cash and booked on the trip of 2004. Seven days aboard the SS Thorfinn at Truk Lagoon, Micronesia. If you have never heard of it and don’t know the history, then pull your finger out, because you’re missing out! If you’re into wrecks, get amongst it; Too many to list or describe.
The group arrived in cairns over a number of hours; frequent flyer points have never been so popular. Marky Mark from Brisbane was petitioning for the review of the Georgian calendar and wanted September to have 31 days and not thirty. Unfortunately he lost and was left to wave us goodbye from Brisvegas. Thank god for travel insurance hey mark. Don’t worry mate, you didn’t miss much.
Richie, Rob and I had a quick sprint from the domestic to the international in Cairns (to make our connection). Upon arriving at the departure gate in Cairns, I was met by a group of eager divers who had obviously found the bar. A midnight flight to Guam, with hopefully a few hours sleep to put me in good stead for the next afternoons diving. Julie decided she needed a nap, and thought the aisle was the best place for this, the cabin attendant thought otherwise. I was relegated to sitting beside a snoring German person. What was a man to do when he gets to the end of his tether? “Two bourbons please.”
We arrived in Guam, around 5am, with a few hours in lay over between that and our next flight. It resembled purgatory. People asleep everywhere, with the constant recorded message of not leaving your bag unattended ringing in our ears. Truk lagoon couldn’t come soon enough. The heat, the sights, the smell. None of us could wait to get into the water. We climbed aboard the Thorfinn, found our rooms, were made welcome by lance, a quick history of the lagoon, followed by lunch, then it was dive time.
A sight to behold, as twenty divers head off in four separate tenders to dive 60 year old wrecks. This was the taste of the week ahead of us, five dives a day. No dive repeated. A different wreck each dive. Dolphins, Sharks, Rays, Hard and soft corals. Anything your after, it's here! The ultimate dive destination! With five dives a day, three meals a day, not to mention the odd occasional nap, it was agreed that we were very busy (Oh, did I mention the hot tub, or the extensive video library, or the god send called air conditioning).
Mornings were spent with an early awakening with coffee and buns on the back deck, watching the sun rise. Then a numbered breakfast. Dive one, usually a deepy. Cakes and buns on the deck. Dive two. Lunch. Dive three. Afternoon delights. Dive four, then a twig light dive. Fit dinner in there somewhere (if anyone was up for it). A night dive. Back on deck by about 10.30pm. Nothing like a night cap of the local brew. Two choices. ‘Colt 45’ or ‘beer na beer’….a couple of drinks which we will sadly miss (Oh did I mention that all alcohol was included as well).
As the week drew to a close. Dives were added up, I think the most anyone fitted in was about 28 or 29 dives in the five dive days. A bloody lot, which ever way you look at it. A thought that not many people were looking forward to was, heading home. Although the thought of the woolshed in Cairns on a Friday night, quickly put a smile on everyone’s faces. As we waved goodbye to the Thorfinn and the tremendous staff (including the beer Nazi), we all agreed that the week spent aboard diving what Truk had to offer was money well spent. Thanks to everyone that attended.
Shaughan, Aaron, Lindsay, Ziggy, Hubert, Rob, Scott, Brian, Richie, Marco, Dennis, Mick, John, Julie, Craig, Darryl, Mick, Claire, Andrew, Bernie and Marky mark (in spirit).
Final thoughts….
Hubert returned the five computers he borrowed; they are still yet to come out of deco error.
Michael and Darryl have decided to open up a dive store in Perth with all the gear they flogged from us.
Ziggy was last seen walking into the Commonwealth Bank with that hood on.
The stock price of colt 45 and beer na beer has made an unmistakable rise.
Julie is seeking therapy for her sleeping disorder.
Shaughan is currently seeing a speech therapist. Learning other words than ‘40% mix’ and ‘deep’
Aaron finally worked on how to turn his torch on.
Scott has learnt to stand still while he talks
Marco continues to piss everyone off with his new found photographic expertise.
Dennis was last seen under a pile of compact discs that had fallen on him. Pictures