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Dive Review of Aggressor Fleet in
Micronesia/Palau, Yap

Aggressor Fleet, Mar, 2012,

by Jorge J. More, IL, US (Contributor Contributor 14 reports with 7 Helpful votes). Report 6485.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 5 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 4 stars
Beginners 2 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments Diving in Palau is nothing short of fantastic. Palau is in the same ball park as the Galapagos and Socorro.

The trip to Palau via Honolulu, then Guam, then Palau is long. Connection time in Guam is short (35 minutes) and this can be a concern. I missed the Guam to Palau flight so they sent me to Manila and then Palau. Instead of a 1+ hour flight, it became a 6 hour ordeal. The diving gear got lost. There is not a daily flight between Guam and Palau so do not count on getting your luggage the next day. I allowed 2 full days in Palau, and got my gear at the end of the second day.

The Aggressor crew picked me up at the hotel on Sunday afternoon. We had dinner, slept on the ship, and sailed early on Monday. Diving took place on Monday to Saturday, with 4-5 dives per day and two on Saturday.

The schedule is breakfast, dive, snack, dive, lunch, dive, snack, dive, dinner, night dive. After each dive you get a warm towel and a snack.

All the dives are good, many are outstanding, and some are unforgettable, like Siaes Tunnel, Blue Corner, Peleliu Corner, and Blue Holes. The quantity and diversity of the marine life is simply amazing. I was impressed by the schools of butterflyfish, angelfish, bannerfish, and humbugs, but there many others. The more memorable ones are the Clown and Picasso Triggerfish, the Humphead Parrotfish, and the Napoleon Wrasse.

Diving is not for beginners since there are stiff currents. Several of the dives require a reef hook. The technique is simple but requires attention. Once you do it, it is simple and a lot of fun. You get a great view and you do not destroy the coral. I was diving with a 3mm wetsuit but added a hooded vest after a while. Underwater time was usually a bit over an hour.

The diving setup was new to me. All the diving equipment is on the skiff and never leaves; all tanks are filled on the skiff. Divers get on the skiff which is then lowered to the sea. The skiff is on a cradle so the process is safe. You then do backflips. After the dive you board the skiff via the ladder; this is the only time that you carry your tanks. It was all very easy.

On one of the days you have the choice between a dive and a tour of the Peleliu battleground. I highly recommend this tour. If you do not know about the battle of Peleliu (operation Stalemate II), Wikepedia has a good summary. This was one of the bloodiest battles of WW II, with 10,000 Japanese and 2,000 Americans killed.

The crew was outstanding. There is a constant rotation of duties, so it looks like all crew members have a wide range of skills. I liked the fact that the captain shared in all duties. I saw him serving dinner, washing dishes, pouring drinks.

Meals were excellent. Beer and wine were complimentary. I appreciated, in particular, the treats after the dives. Yum.

The weather was not perfect, but it was good enough. I did not mind that it was raining buckets during the tour of the Rock Islands. This trip, with this crew, was just fantastic.
Websites Aggressor Fleet   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience 251-500 dives
Where else diving Key Largo, Socorro, Galapagos, Thailand, Coral Sea, Cozumel, Cayman Islands, Bahamas, Bermudas, Belize.
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather cloudy Seas calm, currents
Water Temp 84-82°F / 29-28°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 50-100 Ft/ 15-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions Dive times were restricted to 1 hour.
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available? yes

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles > 2 Whales None
Corals 4 stars Tropical Fish 5 stars
Small Critters 5 stars Large Fish 4 stars
Large Pelagics 4 stars

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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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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