Dive Review of Aggressor Fleet in
Indonesia/North Sulawesi to Raja Ampat

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Aggressor Fleet: "Great Trip from Bitung to Sorong", Oct, 2017, by Michael J. Millet, CA, US ( Top Contributor 96 reports with 60 Helpful votes). Report 9971 has 1 Helpful vote.
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Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	Boarded the Raja Ampat Aggressor in Bitung, North Sulawesi for a 12 night trip covering about 500 miles eastward to Sorong, West Papua. We experienced an excellent variety of dive locations, some of which are not usually on live-aboard itineraries. The diving started in Lembeh Strait then headed north to Bangka Island. We then headed east to Tifore island then across to Goriaci. From there, it was on to the west side of Halmahera Island where we dived the Pantienti Strait then Bacan Island. Next, we continued over to the Raja Ampat area where we dived Fam Penemu and Yangeffo. Then we continued east diving the Dampier Strait for 2 days before disembarking at Sorong. The Raja Ampat Aggressor (RAA) carries 16 divers who are divided into 3 dive groups of about equal #'s of divers and cameras. The dive guides and sequence into the water is rotated daily. Most dive days offered 4 dives, which included the night dive. Diving started at 7 AM with the night dive at 6:16 PM before dinner. The diving was done from skiffs with a back roll entry. The skiff drivers did a good job looking after the cameras. The dive deck is fairly spacious with each diver having an assigned dive station with a storage bin. There are 2 fresh water showers on the dive deck. There was no wet suit rinse on the dive deck. The camera table is adequate; at times could get a bit congested. There are 2 large camera rinse tanks on the dive deck. There is plenty of battery charging outlets inside the salon. We were always needing more dry camera clothes. The dive briefings were thorough with an emphasis on safety. Due to the full moon, we had a few dives with ripping current. The dive guides did an adequate job finding critters. The aquatic marine life encountered included: various shrimp, crabs and squat lobsters; the more common nudibranchs; various scorpionfish and frogfish; schooling barracuda and snapper; an occasional shark; various moray eels; banded sea snakes; pygmy sea horse; wunderpuss; decorated dart fish; wobbegongs I had a very spacious cabin with good lighting and A/C. At times the water pressure in the shower was a bit low. The dining area was arranged so that 2 long tables ran across the short width of the room instead of the longer length dimension. We sat on stools and benches with no backs. Seating 16 divers around these tables could get tight and awkward. The food was generally nicely prepared with an occasional over-cooked item. The galley crew was quite accommodating with special requests. Bitang beer was available along with drinkable wine at dinner. Coffee, cookies, fruit and soft drinks were always available. The cruise director was quite entertaining ("say hello to me little friend") and kept all well informed with a briefing after dinner. The crew did a good job recognizing special events such as a 60th birthday and milestone dives (1000 and 400). The crew was always friendly and helpful. This was a very good trip diving areas not normally visited although I did miss diving some favorite sites off Misool and Waigeo. This 12 day itinerary is scheduled infrequently but I certainly recommend it.
Websites	Aggressor Fleet
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	All over the Caribbean; Galapagos, Socorro, Fiji, Solomons, GBR, Vanuatu, PNG, Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, Yap, Kosrae
Closest Airport	Manado, North Sulawesi	Getting There	From west Coast USA, thru Singapore about 20 hours
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, rainy, cloudy, dry	Seas	calm, choppy, surge, currents
Water Temp	80-84°F / 27-29°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	30-100 Ft/ 9-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	No deco; 65 minute dives no deeper than 110'
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	1 or 2	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Fairly good accommodations for cameras. Dive guides OK at finding critters but bear in mind that many of the dive sites on this trip are not normally dived by this crew. Strong current made photography difficult on some dives.

Report currently has 1 Helpful vote

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Dive Review of Aggressor Fleet in Indonesia/North Sulawesi to Raja Ampat

Aggressor Fleet: "Great Trip from Bitung to Sorong", Oct, 2017,

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 Aggressor Fleet in
Indonesia/North Sulawesi to Raja Ampat