Dive Review of Ocean Rover in
India/Andaman Sea

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Ocean Rover, Mar, 2008, by jean, ca, US ( 2 reports). Report 3976.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity	N/A
Dive Operation		Shore Diving
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$	N/A
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	This was my first trip to the Andaman Sea, the fourth trip aboard the Ocean Rover; the usual standard of excellence applies, cabins, food, crew--except for the two divemasters. They offered little or no help. When I complained to the owner, which I did with tact, he became defensive and told me the divemasters were there only to point out critters, that if I felt I would need one I should have made arrangements prior to the dive. That would have sufficed had I antipicated the current at the end of the dive. Kicking against it used up most of the air I always keep in reserve. Good thing my buddy was handy. Getting to Port Blair, the pickup point for the Ocean Rover, requires a determined adventurer; India does so love its forms, in duplicate and triplicate. But the Andamans beckoned. We were out to sea for nine days. When the diving was good, it was excellent, manta, big sea snakes, huge schools of snapper and trevally at Barren Island, so named because its a live volcano, its slopes barren of vegetation, smoke curling from the crater. During the trip I saw two pairs of mating octopus. We were eyeball to eyeball, a thrill-of-a-lifetime. But many other dives were less then thrilling. Although most of the diving was easy and the dive sights offered healthy hard and soft coral, the lack of creatures coupled with bad visability often made the diving tedious. All of us grew tired of the oft uttered phrase, "last year we saw...." Sadly, almost all the sharks are gone. We saw a couple of very small white tips. I suspect lots of other species are gone as well. FYI: The Ocean Rover is due to change owners in June of 08. Hopefully, it will maintain its overall excellence.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Rajah Ampat, Papua New Guinea, Lembah Straight, Sulawesi, Red Sea, Palau, Cocos, Galapagos
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	dry	Seas	calm
Water Temp	80-84°F / 27-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	5
Water Visibility	15-100 Ft/ 5-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	No restrictions
Liveaboard?	no	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
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]

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Dive Review of Ocean Rover in India/Andaman Sea

Ocean Rover, Mar, 2008,

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Dive Review of Ocean Rover in
India/Andaman Sea