 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeArticlesDiving DestinationsLearning Scuba DivingMarine LifeMiscellaneousDiscussion GroupsGeneralScuba EquipmentScuba LocationsAustralian ScubaUK ScubaDirectoryScuba Clubs |
Scuba Forum / General / November 2005BNG goes to PNG
I have scuba dived in many exotic dive locations, besides Bali, Cocos Island, the Coral Sea and GBR, Palau, Rangiroa, and about a dozen islands in French Polynesia. I was even the only passenger on a cruise ship to dive at Easter Island where everyone else was gawking at the giant moai statues. I may be the only person in these newsgroups who have dived there, but I always wanted to be able to say, "BNG goes to PNG" where BNG is "Big Nassau Grouper", because travel from the East coast of the US to get to PNG is not the easiest travel to get to that dive location. Thanks to a post by Marco Polo in rec.travel.cruises, http://www.etravelblackboard.com/index.asp?id=44193&nav=5 "BNG goes to PNG" has suddenly taken a giant step toward reality. Getting to Cairn is trivial for a Continental Airline frequent flyer since it is the only city in Au CO to which CO flies. The cruise ship tab of $6000+ for a 10 day cruise is a bit on the steep side, even though it's in Oz dollars which put it close to the $4000 USD mark. I think this will be a cruise that may interest some of the scuba divers in the US and Canada who may be interested to see the top side of PNG besides the diving at the ports of call that are familiar to divers. -- Bob. Star Princess at Sea Day > $6000+ for a 10 day cruise is a bit on the steep side, even though > it's in Oz dollars which put it close to the $4000 USD mark. [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > PNG besides the diving at the ports of call that are familiar to > divers. Why would a real diver spend all that money for a handful of "excursion" dives when a 10-day trip on the Star Dancer is over $1,000 less? > > $6000+ for a 10 day cruise is a bit on the steep side, even though > > it's in Oz dollars which put it close to the $4000 USD mark. [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > Why would a real diver spend all that money for a handful of "excursion" Since you're a real diver NOT, Greg, you'll never know. Isn't it quite possible that SOME real divers like to see some things on the TOP side of travel, and they are not cheapskates like some unemployed lawyer who spends his entire days in rec.scuba and rec.scuba.locations? > dives when a 10-day trip on the Star Dancer is over $1,000 less? Non-sequitur. Suffices to observe that I've been on more Dancers, and to more Dancer locations you'll be able to afford, in your near or distant future in diving. -- Bob. > Since you're a real diver NOT, Greg, you'll never know. I guess not. Maybe I need to dive off a cruise ship excursion before I'm considered a real diver. > Isn't it quite possible that SOME real divers like to see some things > on the > TOP side of travel, and they are not cheapskates like some unemployed > lawyer who spends his entire days in rec.scuba and rec.scuba.locations? I'd imagine most real divers prefer to see things on their own, not from the CONFINES of a cruise ship and its excursions, but perhaps I'm wrong since I've never dove off a cruise ship excursion before and am therefore not a REAL diver. Personally, I draw two word associations with PNG: diving and headhunters. Since I have no desire to have my head hunted, I'd be going to PNG for the diving since I'm obviously not a real DIVER. Were I going to PNG for the diving, I wouldn't do it from the confines of a CRUISE ship, but instead from the dive deck or skiffs of a small diving liveboard like the Star Dancer, because as a NON-real DIVER, I'd be able to get in more and far superior dives than the real divers on the cruise ship EXCURSION. If I were truly unemployed, I'd do both a liveaboard and some self-guided land exploration. Since, not being unemployed, I don't have that kind of time, when I get out to PNG it will be on the Star Dancer with hopefully a few extra days to "see some things on the TOP side of travel". As I prefer sharks over headhunters, I'd sacrifice those few extra days in a heartbeat. As an un-real diver, however, I would never water down both my underwater and my land excursions by sitting in the confines of a cruise ship internet cafe all day. > Non-sequitur. Suffices to observe that I've been on more Dancers, and > to more Dancer locations you'll be able to afford, in your near or > distant > future in diving. It's only a matter of time. You had a lot of it, being a school teacher with summer vacations and sabbaticals and now retired, with no more responsibilities than copying over last year's lecture notes for this year's class and showing up three days a week for a couple hours to talk about something no one much cares about. But I'm young and have 30 years ahead of me, where you're obviously beyond doing any more liveaboard trips and are living on a fixed income in a slumping economy. I'll catch up in about five years, guaranteed. > "Reef Fish" <Large_Nassau_Grouper@Yahoo.com> wrote in message >> Non-sequitur. Suffices to observe that I've been on more Dancers, and >> to more Dancer locations you'll be able to afford, in your near or [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > and are living on a fixed income in a slumping economy. I'll catch up in > about five years, guaranteed. For instance: "We dived only a small portion of the possible dive sites in Bali, all in one small Nusa Penida Island area, so I am not even sure if the diving is representative of all diving in Bali. But since I am a Warm Water Wimp, and the kind of sudden-death currents are a bit too strenous for senile citizens like myself, and it's so far to get here, it's unlikely that I'll ever dive Bali again." -- Reef Fish, 4/26/04 I'm doing a 11-night Bali-Komodo liveaboard in July. By the end of this summer I'll have done three times as many dives there as you'll ever have done or will do in the remaining days of your life. And so it goes. (BTW, that was also the first time you ever saw a Mola Mola, something I've seen plenty of) > > "Reef Fish" <Large_Nassau_Grouper@Yahoo.com> wrote in message > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > year's class and showing up three days a week for a couple hours to talk > > about something no one much cares about. And you claim to be a LAWYER? With that kind of faulty LOGIC and inattention to details, no wonder you're unemployed. :^) You're correct that I am retired -- but why would I have the responsibility of copying over last year's or any year's lecture notes for any class any year? I gave plenty of lectures to statisticians in sci.stat.math this year without any reference books or journals because I had given them all to 10 libraries in China, and I can lecture on any of the more than 100 topics I lectured to that group this year from long-term comprehension memory that can be delivered at moment's notice. And when I was teaching FULL TIME the last decade or so, I only had to show up TWO half-days a week -- Tuesdays and Thursday mornings. You obvious missed dozens of those references in the archives. > > But I'm young and have 30 years > > ahead of me, where you're obviously beyond doing any more liveaboard trips > > and are living on a fixed income in a slumping economy. I'll catch up in > > about five years, guaranteed. You're youngER and much less experienced -- that's about all you can say. > For instance: > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > > -- Reef Fish, 4/26/04 Good pick. It shows my healthy sense of HUMOR and diving reality that goes with my ONLY scuba diving rule for anyone, "Know YOUR limit, and dive WITHIN it." I've dived in much more swift currents than those in Bali within the past five years. Bali diving is really no big deal. It's not worth all the TRAVEL hassle to get there just to do a few drift dives of mediocre quality. > I'm doing a 11-night Bali-Komodo liveaboard in July. That's a guarantee that you'll NOT be doing any really swift currents or the best dives. It's catered to the lowest common-denominator, such as yourself. :-) Just like the Tahiti Aggressor you were on, a few months after I dived on it. The 12-knot current of the passes were nothing but hype and f iction to scare off clueless newbies on board from diving them. You can dive another 30 years and you'll NOT have dived in as many islands of the French Polynesia as I've done within a period of about 4 years. About two dozen islands, because I was on FOUR different itineraries of the Tahitian (misnomer) cruises, and TWO of those four are no longer offered. Diving on some of those islands are much more exciting and rewarding than diving in Bali. > By the end of this > summer I'll have done three times as many dives there as you'll ever have > done or will do in the remaining days of your life. And so it goes. What about French Polynesia? How many of its islands will you do in the remaining days of you life? You were the "Anti-Aldora IDIOT" clueless newbie only a couple years ago. :-) You think you'll live long enough to do 1,000 dives in Cozumel, let alone the 1,200 at which I stopped counting in 2002? > (BTW, that was also the first time you ever saw a Mola Mola, something I've > seen plenty of) True. I have also seen DOZENS and DOZENS of other exotic marine life you've never seen and will never see. You think you'll live long enough to make a dive in Easter Island? :-) You're scuba talk only fools other newbies who are more clueless than you are. But at least you're talking SCUBA, unlike Ron Lee, Alan Street, and Lee Bell who are spewing only non-scuba nonsense. I have already given my assessment that Lee Bell's diving experience is not even in the same league as yours, even thought you've been diving only a few years -- based on the locations in which you've dived. You should ravel in that compliment of mine, and not exaggerate the limits of your diving experience. -- Bob. At Sea heading to Majahual, where diving is for Clueless Newbies and baby sardines. If you guys could quit having a pissing contest, i would be interested in the dives done in French Polynesia. I dove PNG in August on a land package at the Tawali, built by the owners of Oceanic. Great diving! thanx, shawn > If you guys could quit having a pissing contest, i would be interested > in the dives done in French Polynesia. I dove PNG in August on a land > package at the Tawali, built by the owners of Oceanic. Great diving! French Polynesia, aka "Tahiti", covers five large island groups spread over almost a million square miles of the Pacific. Therefore, your request is a bit broad. The "main" islands of FP are the Society Islands, which includes the Windward Islands (Tahiti, Moorea, etc.) and the Leeward Islands (Bora Bora, Huahine, etc.). The Tuamotu Atolls lie to the northeast. Most people arrive in Papeete, Tahiti by air, an 8 (+/- .5) hour flight from LAX. Travel to the other islands can be done by air or sea. Reef Fish has posted several times about the interisland cruising available there which you can easily Google. My experiences are limited to diving one of the Society Islands, Moorea, and diving several of the Tuamotu Atolls off the Tahiti Aggressor (I believe we hit five of them). The Aggressor is based on the largest of the Atolls, Rangiroa, accessed by a 2 hour flight from Papeete. Rangiroa has several hotels with their own dive operations, and is suitable for land-based diving. The Blue Dolphin dive shop at the Kia Ora hotel is rebreather-friendly as well, with rental Draegers and Inspirations in stock. The diving of Rangiroa, as is the case with the other atolls, some uninhabited, that the Aggressor visits, primarily features "diving the cut" - i.e., high speed drift diving through the gap in the reef during tidal changes. The Aggressor has termed this "pass flying" and offers a TDI specialty card for those who collect them. In addition to the adrenalin charge from the "flying", the atolls are teeming with reef sharks, and other big animals (turtles, various rays, Napolean wrasses, titan triggerfish) are frequently spotted. I had some issues with the boat and the French DM when we went, but I've spoken to others who have been on the boat more recently and had none of the problems I encountered. Moorea, like the atolls, is a hard coral reef. Like Hawaii, the FP islands are too remote for soft corals to have found their niche. Personally, I find this a bit monotonous. The Tuamotus make up for it in the diverse and prolific sea life. Moorea, on the other hand, being much more developed and probably much more fished out than the Atolls, lacks in marine life as well. Without much marine life and with monotonous coral, I found the diving there to be a bit boring. However, there are sharks. Locals feed the blacktips, so they're very plentiful especially if you get under a local boat when they're "chumming" with chicken. As harmless as the scavengers are, my heart skipped a few beats when I realized I was the centerpiece of a feeding frenzy as I was ascending to the wrong boat. The main attraction of Moorea is the large population of "tame" lemon sharks. Unlike other mean and vicious lemon sharks, these big guys apparently don't bite. They look like big fat grey reef sharks. I wasn't too impressed, but then we had just come from week of diving the Tuamotus so I was a bit jaded. I was asking from a blurb by Bob, about French Polynesia...broad or not... "You can dive another 30 years and you'll NOT have dived in as many islands of the French Polynesia as I've done within a period of about 4 years. About two dozen islands, because I was on FOUR different itineraries of the Tahitian (misnomer) cruises, and TWO of those four are no longer offered. Diving on some of those islands are much more exciting and rewarding than diving in Bali. " >I was asking from a blurb by Bob, about French Polynesia...broad or > not... Sorry. I thought you wanted facts, not statistics. > > If you guys could quit having a pissing contest, i would be interested > > in the dives done in French Polynesia. I dove PNG in August on a land [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > almost a million square miles of the Pacific. Therefore, your request is a > bit broad. That is incorrect. Tahiti is just one of the islands in the Society Islands group of French Polynesia. See the brief geographical description in the post "Cruising and Diving in French Polynesia (LONG)" I posted in 2003. > Reef Fish has posted > several times about the interisland cruising available there which you can > easily Google. http://tinyurl.com/buh53 The post describes specifically the Marquesus itinerary, which is, IMO, the best of the FIVE different itineraries I've dived the French Polynesian on the Princess Cruise line. Probably because of the lack of a market for some of the other itineraries (getting to Pepeete could cost more than the price of a 10-day cruise itself), the only itineraries that are still offered are the Marquesus and and Cook Islands. Marquesus is by far the better of the two. > My experiences are limited to diving one of the Society Islands, Moorea, and > diving several of the Tuamotu Atolls off the Tahiti Aggressor (I believe we [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > diving. The Blue Dolphin dive shop at the Kia Ora hotel is > rebreather-friendly as well, with rental Draegers and Inspirations in stock. For years, Rangiroa has been known as the place for "shark diving", and probably the best known of the FP islands besides Tahiti and Bora Bora. The Tahiti Aggressor based its itinerary on the Tuamotu island group in which Rangiroa belongs and for publicity reasons hypes the several passes it dives, to have currents up to 12 knots -- probably on Tuesday nights every leap year when there is blue moon. > The diving of Rangiroa, as is the case with the other atolls, some > uninhabited, that the Aggressor visits, primarily features "diving the [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > we went, but I've spoken to others who have been on the boat more recently > and had none of the problems I encountered. The problem was problem with Greg, as his problem in the first time he ever dived with Aldora. :-) The French DM is Pierre who is by far the most experienced of the DMs on the Tahiti Aggressor. He is a local who knows the ins and outs of the diving there, and is what I call a "crazy guy" when it comes to chasing sharks. Look up my Tahiti Aggressor report about my dives with Pierre. Never had any problem with him. In fact on several pass dives with current ripping up to about 6 knots (that was about tops), I was the only one who could stick with Pierre. But the Tuamotu diving, except for the thrill of the roller coster rides on a couple of passes, doesn't compare to many of the FP islands, even as far as SHARK diving is concerned. Both Moorea and Bora Bora have better shark dives (and more variety of sharks) than Rangiroa. > Moorea, like the atolls, is a hard coral reef. Like Hawaii, the FP islands > are too remote for soft corals to have found their niche. Personally, I [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > big fat grey reef sharks. I wasn't too impressed, but then we had just come > from week of diving the Tuamotus so I was a bit jaded. Moorea is one of the few dive locations in FP that you can count on seeing lemon sharks. They actually look more like bull sharks than grey reef sharks, and Greg probably couldn't tell the difference between them. :-) My favorite dive of the 20 or so ISLANDS in the French Polynesia was the dive in Nuku Hiva of the Marquesas group. Not only three hammerheads showed up, we spent the rest of the dive looking at huge mantas that were not regular visitors to that site. When I dived Coco's island in 1992, one of the divers was a famous Japanese photographer and scuba-magazine publisher. When asked what his favorite dive location was, he immediately said "French Polynesia". The significance of his assessment didn't sink in until I've dived the islands of FP, many of which would have been very inaccessible without being on the itinerary of Princess cruises. I am quite sure that French Polynesian diving is not nearly as well known as many other inferior dive locations is that it is not easy to GET THERE. I highly recommend French Polynesia diving to anyone -- whether diving from cruise ships (book your own) or from land. -- Bob. >> French Polynesia, aka "Tahiti", covers five large island groups spread >> over [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > the post "Cruising and Diving in French Polynesia (LONG)" I posted in > 2003. That is incorrect. Tahiti is the name commonly given (by Americans, at least) to the islands of French Polynesia, just like Hawaii is the name given to the group of Hawaiian islands, only one of which is actually named Hawaii. "aka" means "also known as". If you are claiming that French Polynesia is not also known as Tahiti then you couldn't be more incorrect as usual. For instance, the Tahiti Tourisme site covers all of French Polynesia, not just the island of Tahiti. www.tahiti-tourisme.com From Air Tahiti Nui, the national airline of French Polynesia (note that it's not called Air French Polynesia Nui): "Select from one of the all-inclusive packages offered by our Tahiti Vacations specialists for a fantastic travel experience to Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora and the other islands of the South Pacific. Whether you are planning for a honeymoon, cruise or diving trip, Tahiti and her islands are the perfect spot to unwind and spend your vacations." http://airtahitinui-usa.com/specials/tahitivacationspecials.asp?keyref=ov Why would anyone contact a Tahiti Vacations specialist if they were interested in Bora Bora unless Bora Bora was commonly considered part of "Tahiti"? I could go on and on in the same vein. You are clearly wrong. > For years, Rangiroa has been known as the place for "shark diving", and > probably the best known of the FP islands besides Tahiti and Bora Bora. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > passes it dives, to have currents up to 12 knots -- probably on Tuesday > nights every leap year when there is blue moon. How can they call it the Tahiti Aggressor when it doesn't go to Tahiti? Besides, I know accuracy isn't exactly your strong point, but where did you get that Aggressor hypes 12-knot currents? I had heard 5-6 knots maximum and we experienced what we guessed to be 5. The Aggressor website states: "The Tuamotu's strong currents, 3-5 knots, may not be suitable for beginner divers." 3-5 is much less than 12, even for a statistician. > The problem was problem with Greg, as his problem in the first time he > ever dived with Aldora. :-) The French DM is Pierre who is by far [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > several pass dives with current ripping up to about 6 knots (that was > about tops), I was the only one who could stick with Pierre. Funny that you think the problem was mine alone. I was on a fam trip with a group of primarily dive shop owners, many of whom had thousands of dives under their belts, and far more experience world-wide than you. Complaints about Pierre were uniform. The entire crew has changed since we were on the boat, including Pierre. When we were on the boat, several of the crew confided to us that Pierre was forced upon them because they were required to have at least one French divemaster aboard, even though Pierre's former diving experience was limited to commercial diving and he knew absolutely squat about the reefs. None of us had problems sticking with Pierre, if you like kicking against strong current half the dive to see absolutely nothing more, and usually much less, than what the other group would see sticking with one of the other DMs with much less effort. By the end of the trip, Pierre was diving alone. > But the Tuamotu diving, except for the thrill of the roller coster > rides on > a couple of passes, doesn't compare to many of the FP islands, even as > far as SHARK diving is concerned. Both Moorea and Bora Bora have > better shark dives (and more variety of sharks) than Rangiroa. You've admitted to missing the shark stampede at Apataki. Maybe that's because you were diving with Pierre. Any comparison between the sharks of the Moorea and the sharks of the Tuamotus is like comparing the dive at Disneyworld to real reef diving. > Moorea is one of the few dive locations in FP that you can count on > seeing lemon sharks. They actually look more like bull sharks than > grey reef sharks, and Greg probably couldn't tell the difference > between > them. :-) Probably not. Honestly, all sharks look alike to me. > >> French Polynesia, aka "Tahiti", covers five large island groups spread > >> over [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > That is incorrect. Tahiti is the name commonly given (by Americans, at > least) to the islands of French Polynesia, Ah, but people who know the place should know better. > just like Hawaii is the name > given to the group of Hawaiian islands, That's not the same! Hawaii is the name of the State of Hawaii. It happens to have an island that is also known as Hawaii, the Big Island. > only one of which is actually named > Hawaii. "aka" means "also known as". Only to the Clueless Newbies and travel agencies and travel organizations that target the Clueless Newbies clients. Enough of that. YOU knew what the correct designation should be, and all your examples are only misnomers for the reason I stated. > > For years, Rangiroa has been known as the place for "shark diving", and > > probably the best known of the FP islands besides Tahiti and Bora Bora. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > How can they call it the Tahiti Aggressor when it doesn't go to Tahiti? For Clueless Newbies just like Greg Mossman, who wouldn't know Tuamoto or French Polynesia if they kicked him in the shin. :^) > Besides, I know accuracy isn't exactly your strong point, but where did you > get that Aggressor hypes 12-knot currents? How about the DMs briefing divers when *I* was on the Tahiti Aggressor several months before you were. > I had heard 5-6 knots maximum > and we experienced what we guessed to be 5. You heard it from ME, that it was 5-6 knots max, and perhaps the Tahitian Aggressor crew saw my posting too (amidst a flamewar against some Aggressor haters flaming the entire Fleet because of an incidence elsewhere, so much so that a lawsuit against the villants was considered by the Fleet. So, by the time YOU went on the liveaboard, they had revised their briefing to the more realistic estimate -- which was the one *I* gave, in MY trip report. > > The problem was problem with Greg, as his problem in the first time he > > ever dived with Aldora. :-) The French DM is Pierre who is by far [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > > Funny that you think the problem was mine alone. It was you. Nobody in my chartered complained about Pierre except about the fact that they couldn't keep up with Pierre in the swift current. At at 5-knot current, hand-holding by a DM is not possible even if he wanted. Those who can't hack it should have stayed on the boat, and some did. > When we were on the boat, several of the crew > confided to us that Pierre was forced upon them because they were required > to have at least one French divemaster aboard, even though Pierre's former > diving experience was limited to commercial diving and he knew absolutely > squat about the reefs. If Pierre was no longer part of the crew, why should his name even came up, except for some whiner like Greg Mossman? Dive boat crew members know how to placate clueless whiners -- by telling what THEY like to hear, not that they knew anything about Pierre. > None of us had problems sticking with Pierre, How would YOU know, if you've never dived with Pierre? We were briefed about the 12 knot current (by an American DM) and was told we should NEVER get away from the edge of the pass. As soon as we got into the water, Pierre headed straight toward the middle of the pass because he saw an 18-foot tiger shark. Several of us followed, even though I didn't see the tiger shark. Near the end of that dive, I was the only diver who was still with Pierre. > By the end of the trip, Pierre was diving alone. You're just repeating 2nd or 3rd hand hearsay, Pierre was NEVER diving along on my charter. He always had ME with him, and often several other divers who are not clueless newbies like Greg Mossman was, at that time of Greg's beginner-diver status. > > But the Tuamotu diving, except for the thrill of the roller coster > > rides on [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > You've admitted to missing the shark stampede at Apataki. I didn't miss anything (except the 18-foot tiger shark on my trip). Apataki is not the swift drift pass. > > Moorea is one of the few dive locations in FP that you can count on > > seeing lemon sharks. They actually look more like bull sharks than [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Probably not. Honestly, all sharks look alike to me. You said it, and that's the only thing in your post with which I couldn't disagree. -- Bob. >> That is incorrect. Tahiti is the name commonly given (by Americans, at >> least) to the islands of French Polynesia, > > Ah, but people who know the place should know better. Perhaps that's why I put it in quotes and prefaced it with aka. > That's not the same! Hawaii is the name of the State of Hawaii. It > happens > to have an island that is also known as Hawaii, the Big Island. So what did we call Hawaii before it became a state or territory? Hawaii. > How about the DMs briefing divers when *I* was on the Tahiti Aggressor > several months before you were. Pierre again? No wonder. > You heard it from ME, that it was 5-6 knots max, and perhaps the > Tahitian [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > one > *I* gave, in MY trip report. You're exactly right. The entire crew were avid Reef Fish readers and couldn't wait each night to download your latest posts over the sat phone. > It was you. Nobody in my chartered complained about Pierre except > about > the fact that they couldn't keep up with Pierre in the swift current. > At at > 5-knot current, hand-holding by a DM is not possible even if he wanted. > Those who can't hack it should have stayed on the boat, and some did. If they couldn't keep up with him, they obviously didn't know what a waste of time it was to keep up with him. >> When we were on the boat, several of the crew >> confided to us that Pierre was forced upon them because they were [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > hear, > not that they knew anything about Pierre. Pierre was part of the crew when the rest of the crew confided in me about the reason why they couldn't get rid of him. > How would YOU know, if you've never dived with Pierre? We were briefed > about the 12 knot current (by an American DM) and was told we should > NEVER get away from the edge of the pass. Why would you say I've never dove with Pierre when I dove about 20 dives with Pierre? > As soon as we got into the water, Pierre headed straight toward the > middle of the pass because he saw an 18-foot tiger shark. Several of > us > followed, even though I didn't see the tiger shark. Near the end of > that > dive, I was the only diver who was still with Pierre. And you didn't see the tiger shark. Pierre imagined an 18-foot hammerhead on our trip. No one saw the hammerhead either. What a surprise. >> By the end of the trip, Pierre was diving alone. > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > divers who are not clueless newbies like Greg Mossman was, at that time > of Greg's beginner-diver status. Obviously I wasn't on your charter, I was on my charter. On my charter Pierre was diving alone by the last day since no one wanted to dive with him. We all preferred to dive with Mike instead. > I didn't miss anything (except the 18-foot tiger shark on my trip). > Apataki is > not the swift drift pass. We had 5 knots there, so it was swift enough for me and the fifty or so sharks that were stampeding. Greg, Give it up. Bob is incapable of admitting defeat. He challenged us and when he didn't like our answers he did what he did with you, he changed the rules. In our case he called us liars. When my daughter posted her IQ as 167 which embarrassed this moron, he repeated it as if she had said 1.67. f.cking moron. When I said that I had been admitted to Penn's Wharton School in 1951, this baboon called me a liar and suggested that my IQ was single digit. f.cking moron. Fight your fight, Greg. Bob still insists that he won his IQ challenge with you and rants that I am a liar when I suggest that he lost.  SignatureDick G in Cherry Hill, NJ -- /¯) /¯../ /..../ /¯'/....'/´¯¯`·¸ /'/.../..../......./¨_\ ('(...´...´.... ¯~/'...') \.................'...../ \............... _.·´ \..............( \.............\.. >>> That is incorrect. Tahiti is the name commonly given (by Americans, at >>> least) to the islands of French Polynesia, [quoted text clipped - 92 lines] > We had 5 knots there, so it was swift enough for me and the fifty or so > sharks that were stampeding. REALLY guys!!! TAKE YOUR PISSIN CONTEST ELSEWHERE, OFFLIST!!! > REALLY guys!!! TAKE YOUR PISSIN CONTEST ELSEWHERE, OFFLIST!!! There's no need to shout. This is a civil newsgroup and our "pissin contest" is extremely on-topic, unlike your rude one-sentence rant. Debating the merits of diving in French Polynesia and discussing the attributes of a certain divemaster there couldn't be more on-topic. In other words, f.ck off. Just proves that in this world there are people who actually live in another world in their mind that doesn't consider others. You can't seriously believe what you two have been "discussing" has been civilized??? Go crawl back under your rock and leave the civilized world alone. <not-sure-where-you're-from-so-crossposting-left> You really need to learn how to quote so that others will know to which message you're replying... > Go crawl back under your rock and leave the civilized > world alone. Civilized is entirely overated... > <not-sure-where-you're-from-so-crossposting-left> > > You really need to learn how to quote so that others will know to which > message you're replying... "shawn" was clueless in now quoting anything to identify the post to which he was replying. But Grummy, couldn't you have found from your newsreader that he was replying to <11n48uf6eis9o2e@corp.supernews.com> which was Greg telling him to "f.ck off"? I am sorta sympathetic with "shawn" and morgan -- in the respect that rec.scuba.locations is no longer a suitable place for any scuba discussions anymore. Just too many scuba-experience-deficient, yet always-noise- making idiots running around this group, trying to impress each other with their idiocy. -- Bob. > "shawn" was clueless in now quoting anything to identify the post to > which he was replying. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > <11n48uf6eis9o2e@corp.supernews.com> Yeah, it's in the headers, but one should not have to look there to see to whom someone is replying... In his case, it was just an issue of not knowing how to reply correctly from Google Groups... > > <not-sure-where-you're-from-so-crossposting-left> > > [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > discussions > anymore. So says the pot.... > > > <not-sure-where-you're-from-so-crossposting-left> > > > [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > So says the pot.... No, said I. Alan Street is BOTH the pot AND the kettle in the rec.scuba newsgroups who contribute NOTHING but NOISE. -- Bob. > Just proves that in this world there are people who actually live in > another world in their mind that doesn't consider others. You can't > seriously believe what you two have been "discussing" has been > civilized??? Go crawl back under your rock and leave the civilized > world alone. Mighty uncivilized of you. Like I said, f.ck off. > >> That is incorrect. Tahiti is the name commonly given (by Americans, at > >> least) to the islands of French Polynesia, > > > > Ah, but people who know the place should know better. Americans are well known for their cluelessness in world geography, the Greg Mossman proved to be no exception. > > That's not the same! Hawaii is the name of the State of Hawaii. It > > happens to have an island that is also known as Hawaii, the Big Island. Apparently that's too much for Greg to understand that his analogy of Tahiti to Hawaii was completely flawed. > > How about the DMs briefing divers when *I* was on the Tahiti Aggressor > > several months before you were. That was to answer your clueless question where the "12 knot current" idea came from. > Pierre again? No wonder. The 12-knot current briefing came from the 'Merkin DM, not Pierre. You should go back and re-read my trip report. > > You heard it from ME, that it was 5-6 knots max, and perhaps the > > Tahitian [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > You're exactly right. The entire crew were avid Reef Fish readers and > couldn't wait each night to download your latest posts over the sat phone. Pretty lame, having been shot down by facts surrounding your speculation about the Tahiti Aggressor DMs and Pierre. > > It was you. Nobody in my chartered complained about Pierre except > > about the fact that they couldn't keep up with Pierre in the swift current. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > If they couldn't keep up with him, they obviously didn't know what a waste > of time it was to keep up with him. That's what Clueless Newbies say about Cozumel currents too. Remember Cozumel, where you made your debut only a couple of years ago as the Anti-Aldora IDIOT? > >> When we were on the boat, several of the crew > >> confided to us that Pierre was forced upon them because they were [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Pierre was part of the crew when the rest of the crew confided in me about > the reason why they couldn't get rid of him. And why should the crew "confide" in Greg Mossman, an obvious newbie in diving, about a FORMER DM, except whiny Greg brought it up and they just want to say something Greg liked to hear to get a few more bucks of tips from Greg? You must have tipped them at least $5 for the week. eh? > > How would YOU know, if you've never dived with Pierre? We were briefed > > about the 12 knot current (by an American DM) and was told we should > > NEVER get away from the edge of the pass. > > Why would you say I've never dove with Pierre when I dove about 20 dives > with Pierre? You were the one who said Pierre was no longer a DM when you were on the charter. I dived with Pierre in Coco's Island too, but it was a different Pierre. There are even more Pierres in the world than Greg, and you are sounding more and more like Greg Morrow, Evelyn's (Divamanque) trolling partner of the "two trolls that pass in the night" fame. > > As soon as we got into the water, Pierre headed straight toward the > > middle of the pass because he saw an 18-foot tiger shark. Several of [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > And you didn't see the tiger shark. Pierre imagined an 18-foot hammerhead > on our trip. No one saw the hammerhead either. What a surprise. If I didn't see the tiger shark, even though Pierre saw it, it would have been the easiest thing for me to lie about having seen it, just like most scuba divers lie about their diving experience, like Greg Mossman. > >> By the end of the trip, Pierre was diving alone. > > [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Pierre was diving alone by the last day since no one wanted to dive with > him. We all preferred to dive with Mike instead. You didn't make it clear until now that Pierre was on YOUR charter. You kept saying he was no longer a DM by the time you were on the Tahiti Aggressor, at least several months after I dived with Pierre on it. > > I didn't miss anything (except the 18-foot tiger shark on my trip). > > Apataki is not the swift drift pass. > > We had 5 knots there, so it was swift enough for me and the fifty or so > sharks that were stampeding. Big deal. How do you know there weren't 80 or more sharks in my dives with Pierre? Just another dive with sharks. For someone like you who couldn't tell a grey reef, from a bullshark, from a lemon, your use of the word "stampede" was only symptomatic of your hyperbole of having seen 5 sharks and it was your "BULL", aka "bullshit" that was doing the stampede. -- Bob. > That's what Clueless Newbies say about Cozumel currents too. Remember > Cozumel, where you made your debut only a couple of years ago as the > Anti-Aldora IDIOT? I stand by my comments. Drift diving means drifting WITH the current, not AGAINST the current. It's a real easy concept to grasp. Those DMs that can't grasp it should stick to making coffee. I bet Pierre makes a fine cafe au lait. I did try one of his hand-rolled cigarettes, but they unfortunately weren't as good as the ones I've tried back home. > And why should the crew "confide" in Greg Mossman, an obvious newbie in > diving, about a FORMER DM, except whiny Greg brought it up and they > just want to say something Greg liked to hear to get a few more bucks > of > tips from Greg? You must have tipped them at least $5 for the week. > eh? Probably because he wasn't a former DM and they were getting sick of our grumbling about him and wanted to distance themselves from our ire. Isn't $5 what I'm supposed to tip on a liveaboard? > You were the one who said Pierre was no longer a DM when you were on > the charter. I dived with Pierre in Coco's Island too, but it was a [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > sounding more and more like Greg Morrow, Evelyn's (Divamanque) > trolling partner of the "two trolls that pass in the night" fame. No, I said that Pierre is no longer a DM since we'd been on the boat. He was the DM on our boat. He is no longer a DM on the boat, from what I've heard from others. Is that clearer now? But since your trip was only several months before mine, and your Pierre sounds just as incompetent as our Pierre, it's safe to say they were the same person. > If I didn't see the tiger shark, even though Pierre saw it, it would > have been > the easiest thing for me to lie about having seen it, just like most > scuba > divers lie about their diving experience, like Greg Mossman. Really? What lies have I told? > You didn't make it clear until now that Pierre was on YOUR charter. > You > kept saying he was no longer a DM by the time you were on the Tahiti > Aggressor, at least several months after I dived with Pierre on it. You should actually read what I said. It's very clear, especially to someone without ESL issues. > Big deal. How do you know there weren't 80 or more sharks in my dives > with Pierre? Just another dive with sharks. For someone like you who [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > 5 sharks and it was your "BULL", aka "bullshit" that was doing the > stampede. Just because all sharks look alike to me doesn't mean I can't count them. What's really asinine is that you can't even get simple details right, so either you made up the entire trip or you're very senile. For instance, when I mentioned the shark stampede at Apataki, you said "> I didn't miss anything (except the 18-foot tiger shark on my trip). > Apataki is > not the swift drift pass." I'll quote it again: "Apataki is not the swift drift pass" Now I'll quote the latest Aggressor log for Tahiti: "Day 4 found us waking up in the sleepy pearl farming atoll of Apataki, where we started off nice and slow with 2 corner dives, fish-holes and Anchor Point. These are great fish ID sites with Scorpionfish, lionfish, Schools of beautiful African Pompano, Blue Trevally Horse Eye Jacks, Emperors and Chevron Barracuda. After a filling Asian Buffet for lunch we headed out for two adrenaline dives in Tehere Pass, where we found a very strong current on the first run, about 5 knots, on both dives we saw hundreds of Grey Reef Sharks," What's that? Very strong current, about 5 knots, in Tehere Pass? Hundreds of Grey Reef Sharks? Obviously they didn't take you to Tehere Pass on your trip because they realized you couldn't handle it. > > That's what Clueless Newbies say about Cozumel currents too. Remember > > Cozumel, where you made your debut only a couple of years ago as the > > Anti-Aldora IDIOT? > > I stand by my comments. You can stand, or lie, or sleep on it all you want. This is a free country. But you have adequately established your inexperience in scuba diving and scuba locations. Wow, I am impressed how quickly you jumped on my reply. You must have stayed up all night waiting for it. Sorry for keeping you waiting. I didn't get up for breakfast till 9:30 am and the ship is not scheduled to arrive Grand Cayman till noon. You have just PROVED what I posted before I saw this latest post of yours. Read: "Why some lawyers and unemployed and unemployable". You fit the Answers PERFECTLY, Greg. Congratulations. -- Bob. So! Hey 'shawnabbtt'...got any more questions? >>>That's what Clueless Newbies say about Cozumel currents too. Remember >>>Cozumel, where you made your debut only a couple of years ago as the [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > > -- Bob. |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.