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Scuba Forum / Scuba Locations / July 2007SS Thorfinn runs aground (8 June 07) in Pohnpei
The SS Thorfinn was in Pohnpei at the beginning of June, to take on (lots of) fuel, other supplies, etc. Apparently, as she was leaving, she stranded herself near the harbor's entrance. The ship is reportedly out of service until completing restorative repairs "at a suitable repair facility", which are expected to take until October (07). Probably most cruises scheduled for before mid- November (call it 'before Thanksgiving') are in doubt. More info will likely be forthcoming over the next few weeks for those affected. -hh > The SS Thorfinn was in Pohnpei at the beginning of June, to take on > (lots of) fuel, other supplies, etc. Apparently, as she was leaving, [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > More info will likely be forthcoming over the next few weeks for those > affected. Maybe that's a good thing. I've always heard some negatives about the boat, but a recent (March '07) report on Undercurrent absolutely trashed it. I can't see why someone would travel all that way and not go on the Odyssey. > > The SS Thorfinn was in Pohnpei at the beginning of June, to take on > > (lots of) fuel, other supplies, etc. Apparently, as she was leaving, [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > trashed it. I can't see why someone would travel all that way and not > go on the Odyssey. We spent 2 weeks aboard and had a great experience...we to had doubts until we made the trip...plan another 2 weeks in '08,'09 etc. The Odyssey is nice and glitzy but we are there to dive and not stay at a fancy hotel.If you want upscale that is the way to go but if you want to be on a 'real steamship' and have the best unlimited diving and like a bit of roughing it the Thorfinn is the best value.We will return with our groups for many years...get it up Capt. Lance! Carl in Michigan I am booked in for 3 weeks time :-( Any more details would be appriciated...... On Jun 22, 5:16 pm, macrubi...@gmail.com wrote: > I am booked in for 3 weeks time :-( > > Any more details would be appriciated...... Contact the company directly. -hh > On Jun 22, 5:16 pm, macrubi...@gmail.com wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > -hh I have been ( well... via my travel co. ) but the details they have given out through the "official" channels are rather scarse.... On Jun 21, 4:48 am, carlet...@gmail.com wrote: > > > The SS Thorfinn was in Pohnpei at the beginning of June, to take on > > > (lots of) fuel, other supplies, etc. Apparently, as she was leaving, [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > return with our groups for many years...get it up Capt. Lance! Carl > in Michigan The Undercurrent report said that the food was inedible, water undrinkable, problems with practically every element of the liveaboard "experience". The reports ends thus: "In general, the entire "Thorfinn" experience was just awful. It was so bad that it sounds like fiction but this essay is the truth." The Odyssey was hardly "glitzy" or a "fancy hotel", but it was practically flawless due to an incredibly hard-working captain and crew. Why would anyone want to be on a antique "real steamship" on a dive trip when you could be a boat that actually works? > On Jun 21, 4:48 am, carlet...@gmail.com wrote: > [quoted text clipped - 34 lines] > crew. Why would anyone want to be on a antique "real steamship" on a > dive trip when you could be a boat that actually works? A person can go to Epcot or MGM and have a bad experience...I guess it is like everything else in life...sometimes it is great and other times it is ...well ,you know! The food situation was unusual but that has been changed for the better,the H2O was fine,unlimited soda and juice,comfortable cabins and I (and all the clients we took along)got along just fine with Capt.Higgs.I will admit that he is rather intolerant when it comes to snivlers but he owns and mans the helm...I have run my own company for 30 years and met many challenges...one can only imagine what it must take to run and keep an operation like the Thorfinn up and going.Some people just expect too much from life when they are in the middle of nowhere! As far as steamships go, I guess it is the appreciation of ageless machinery still performing as it was designed around 200 years ago...please don't misunderstand, we enjoy 1st Class dive boats also,Ocean Rover,Deep Blue,Undersea Hunter and the Archipelago boats in Indonesia are but a few we frequentwith our customers.It is too bad the folks did not have a good time-always research and read as many testimonials as possible...even then there can be surprises! Why would anyone want to be on a antique "real steamship" on a > dive trip when you could be a boat that actually works? The ANSWER: The diving. Sorry, but it's all about the diving. The Odyssey is essentially a (very nice) cattle boat which dumps a couple dozen divers on a dive site while anchored to the wreck (in many cases) pulling it apart. With the Thorfinn, you jump into these superfast, super comfy RIB enclosed divetenders (you and maybe 7 other people) and zip out to the site (before the Odyssey gets there and their horde stirs up all the muck inside the wrecks). the Thorfinn has *THE* best dive guides I have ever been with. Unbelievable dive guides for wreck penetration. They will show you stuff you've never seen or read about in any dive guidebook. Another added plus is that if you do get to a wreck and the Odyssey is already anchored (because you all stayed up too late listening to Capt. Lance telling his old stories about his hippie cruising days back in the 70's), you just zip off to another wreck, dive that, come back 2 hrs later to the first and dive that one. Then you can dive 3 more wrecks after THAT! The Odyssey can't turn on a dime like that. The rooms are perfectly fine. the water is perfectly fine. The food is decent, and I will agree that the quantity is such that we all lost weight on what we called the "Thorfinn Diet", LOL! But the superior diving and ambiance of the Thorfinn really makes this an absolutely unforgettable trip. I'm so glad to hear that the Thorfinn is in port now and arranging for repair and refit. There is literally nothing else in the dive world to compare to diving Chuuk wrecks with the guides from the Thorfinn. On Jul 17, 7:22 pm, Metr...@gmail.com wrote: > The Odyssey is essentially a (very nice) cattle boat which dumps a > couple dozen divers on a dive site while anchored to the wreck (in [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > guides for wreck penetration. They will show you stuff you've never > seen or read about in any dive guidebook. Hmmm. A comfortable RIB for a long ride to the dive site, versus a comfortable place to eat and sleep for a week with no long ride out to the dive site. Do you get to sleep in the RIB? You're comparing 8 people with 16 people, on huge wrecks. Most of the wrecks were extensive enough that they warranted multiple dives. My buddy and I dove without a guide and rarely saw other divers during our explorations. It's practically a non-issue. Less time spent in a RIB traveling to and from the sites means more time spent on important stuff like fiddling with camera gear. A boat that seems to lack care and maintenance is asking for trouble. I'd hate to be stuck on a boat for a week when something worse than the big-screen TV crapped out (literally). With all the reports of bugs and bad food and water, it's a wonder more people don't get sick, and getting sick is no way to enjoy a dive trip. > I'm so glad to hear that the Thorfinn is in port now and arranging for > repair and refit. There is literally nothing else in the dive world > to compare to diving Chuuk wrecks with the guides from the > Thorfinn. I'm glad too, since without the Thorfinn, the Odyssey would be the only liveaboard there and make booking a future trip even more difficult. When divers are suckered onto the Thorfinn, it frees up space on the Odyssey for those of us who know better. Well Greg, you haven't been on the Thorfinn, so you really don't know what you're talking about, now, do ya? No. So rather than formulate an opinion based on hearsay, if you had the same opinion after being on the boat yourself, then I'd be more inclined to listen to you. > Well Greg, you haven't been on the Thorfinn, so you really don't know > what you're talking about, now, do ya? No. It's sort of a catch-22 there. I haven't been on the Thorfinn because of all the terrible things I've heard about the Thorfinn. > So rather than formulate an opinion based on hearsay, if you had the > same opinion after being on the boat yourself, then I'd be more > inclined to listen to you. But my hearsay is directly listening to people who have been on the boat. That's why I haven't been on the boat. Here's an open letter written by the Captain of the Thorfinn on 7/18/07: To all near endless well wishers and interested parties, ... especially the speculators and various others displaying our agonies on the so public World Wide Web... To everyone we pass the following good news ..... Our beloved and incredibly tough little ship is now safely afloat at berth in Pohnpei. Our relief at being off the rocky exposed perch we've occupied for last 37 days is beyond words or description. Its difficult to describe the frustrations and exasperating delays of our salvage work, with a ship barely touched under the circumstances, but truly unable to organize even the most basic needs such as towing off vessels, barges and suitable pumping gear. An immense amount of determination from all souls involved in this mission... from a most dedicated crew, to a local construction company persevering at their task in face of formidable odds and unavailable equipment, to our amazingly strong and resilient vessel that took the strains with virtual tossings of a thoroughbred's head, to an office staff that worked so diligently to keep all booked persons and past guests informed and on line.... we can only say the greatest of Kini Sou Chapurs, Kalahngans, and immense thanks from those of us who strained so hard to reach this course back to normalcy. Our personal challenges are clearly focused to speedy returns to full and even more enhanced normalcy than before this incident. Subtle enhancements are planned with the work after racing to full and complete resurrections at a favored large repair facility. A full-on, non-stop work program is expected to have us back to full operating status at home station, Chuuk within just a few months time. For those persons currently booked while ship is being serviced, we're setting up our two fine new RIB dive tenders to operate from our shore office site providing all dives originally booked and promised. Our very experienced dive staff will conduct your personalized dive requests until our ship's returns from repairs/refit. We again personally thank all so faithful friends and past guests that have sent their prayers and well wishes for a safe return to active status. Perhaps their influence caused the weather to turn so fine for us yesterday with near nil ocean swells during our belated floating off process. We also thank the FSM National Transportation Office for loaning us the services of their fine ship and especially good crew of the Caroline Voyager, which added immensely to our successful operation. Once again... count us in and running soonest. Many thanks to everyone from all connected with this great ship. Lance Higgs, Capt. SS THORFINN |
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