Beware Kararu - Cheng Ho

[CritterHunter 0]

We just returned from an 11-day trip to Raja Ampat on Kararu’s recently purchased liveaboard Cheng Ho. This boat was converted from a day trip booze-cruise party boat to a liveaboard in 6 weeks and now replaces the Voyager liveaboard. We originally booked on the Voyager, but it has now been sent to dry dock, and the Cheng Ho is now being used.

 

Please be aware of the following issues:

 

1) Six guests were given Crew Quarter bunk beds when we had all paid for Deluxe Accommodations. After complaining, Kararu offered nothing but platitudes;

 

2) This dive boat had 2 dive masters and 1 trip director (who became a 3rd dive master) for 22 divers. The dive master assigned to checking currents had minimal knowledge of reading currents. For 11 days, they dropped all 22 divers on top of each other instead of attempting to spread us out; we were frequently dropped in dangerous down currents and turbulent currents that were avoidable;

 

3) The boat leaks terribly;

 

4) Kararu’s pre-departure announcement of the switching of the boats was nothing short of misleading, false and dishonest.

 

I will start with #4:

· Kararu’s email announcement of the Cheng Ho said, “The maximum amount of people will be the same as Voyager so that guests will enjoy even more space onboard.†In reality, instead of 18-20 divers booked on the Voyager, they crammed 22 on the Cheng Ho. The Cheng Ho only have 6 deluxe rooms and three staterooms, so the only rooms left were in the back of the boat beyond the “CREW ONLY†sign. That’s where 6 of us were put. As with all liveaboards, the crew quarters are usually separated from guest quarters. So too on Cheng Ho. The crew sat outside our room 24 hours a day eating, sleeping, smoking, talking and playing music. It IS their area and it WAS their sleeping quarters until the management kicked them out and put the 6 guests in their quarters. BTW, we could only take 2 showers in the room in 11 days; water was no more than a trickle. We took cold dive deck showers for 11 days. Half way through the trip, they stated that the RO capacity is 8000 pounds of water a day and that the 22 guests were using 10,000 pounds per day and to STOP USING WATER IF POSSIBLE.

 

· Kararu’s email also stated, “Your original cabin booking remains the same.†Obviously when you only have 6 DELUXE rooms, numerous people are going to be forced into crew quarter bunk beds. We contacted Kararu’s BALI management (Stein) twice requesting acknowledgement of the substandard bunk bed room. Stein’s response was, “We’re sorry you were unhappy.†His response is quite disturbing considering the promises laid forth in the pre-departure email.

· Kararu’s email also stated, “Your cabin on Cheng Ho is 3-4 meters larger than on the Voyager.†Our crew-quarter room was 3 meters x 3 meters – total! We visited our friends’ Deluxe room, who paid the same amount as we did (and got one of the 6 deluxe rooms). You could place 2-3 of our rooms in their room!!

 

A word about the leaky Cheng Ho: This would be just an annoyance, except for one aspect. They have a large charging table in the lounge/restaurant area. This table is covered with power strips (mostly 220 volt) for passengers to plug in battery chargers, laptops, etc. Every time it would rain (most every day), they would cover this area with a plastic sheet as the rain began coming through the ceiling. I still shudder to think of all that water running down onto the floor with all that 220 volt equipment around.

 

A final word on the dive operation: In addition to dumping 22 people on top of each other with 2 dive masters and a trip director, be cautious of the dive tender situation. The 3 tenders are quite small with no racks for tanks, BC’s, etc. They cram 10-11 people in each small tender. You must get into your gear on the main boat, and climb into the tender in slippery, sometimes heavy wave, conditions. Once you have finished your dive, you remove your gear in the water, hand it up and everything goes in a big PILE. Needless to say, many of us were having equipment problems, lost equipment, broken pieces, etc. TAKE CARE, OR YOUR GEAR WILL LIKELY BE DAMAGED.

 

ADDITIONAL WARNING: Do not believe their website’s ITINERARY! Day Two says, “Welcome to Kri Island. The reefs in this area are protected by Max Ammer from the Papua Dive Resort. If you would like to add some dive days before the cruise, you can just stay at his resort and join the boat right outside of the lagoon.†NOT! Four of us were denied this and lost two days of diving by having to leave Papua Dive Resort (Sorido Bay) and return to Sorong where we sat for Sunday and Monday. Sure enough, we left Sorong and went straight away to Papua Dive Resort!

the Lagoon.

You’ve been warned.

 

Critter Hunter

[echeng 0]

Sorry to hear that.

 

As much as I'd like to support the Kararu because they're such good friends of friends, I have to say that I had a less-than-stellar experience on the Voyager this last summer.

 

My camera was dropped off the table by crew. They said this was the first time it had ever happened, which may be true. But it happened, and I wasn't happy (even though I understand that accidents occur...).

 

I lost a bunch of stuff while it was drying. A passenger's Blackberry was stolen off the camera table when we docked the last day. He shouldn't have left it there, but normally, once considers the boat's boundaries safe from theft.

 

We were running on a backup generator -- which worked, but if it had gone down, we would have been screwed. The main generator had broken on the prior trip.

 

One person was left out after a dive -- twice. The second time, I was left out with him, as well, and the Voyager was tying tenders up before they realized our gear was still out. All the other minor problems didn't really matter, but this one was really unforgivable. They didn't have any routine for counting divers, and the managers then blamed it on the Indo crew and had one of them come apologize formally, which made all of us really uncomfortable. I didn't like that. I wanted the managers to take responsibility for the boat instead of avoiding it!

 

I hope they figure out how to get their operations running smoothly. I had heard many good things about Kararu before I went out there, and was surprised to encounter problems. I like that the Voyager was so big and has so much character. There was plenty of room for all of us to spread out.

 

Still, I had a really good time diving, and the crew and managers were friendly and likeable. We didn't have any catastrophic failures, but I didn't like being without a generator backup... and Indo is a remote place -- I'm sure that running a business there isn't without its challenges.

 

I would definitely go on the Voyager again, but only if a clear system was put in place for counting divers. I know that Kararu is reading this thread, and feedback has been received...

[cor 0]

It's really a shame, the Voyager could have been such a great boat. The same probably goes for the Cheng Ho. I was on the Voyager with Eric, and also the trip before, and I agree fully with Eric. At least on the second trip we had Nitrox, on the first trip we didnt (the nitrox generator died as well). Im not a boat person, but even I could see the Voyager was badly maintained.

 

Indeed, the worst of all was that they left divers behind, on both trips! So then you know it's not an incident but structural. One guy was left on a site that was 15 minutes away (so by the time the boat got there it was 30 minutes later), even though I, a guest, had told them that I was positive we were one short. "No, he's on the other boat". "I dont think so". "Yes he is". So ofcourse he wasnt. This was on an exposed divesite with heavy waves and cliffs.

 

I would have gone on the Voyager again because the diving was phenomenal, but I think I'll avoid the Cheng Ho for now until I see some good reviews. I think there is no excuse for dishonesty to paying guests.

 

Cor

[elbuzo 8]

Oooops

I had a reservation made for a trip next year . I will keep an eye on further reports.

[debersole 3]

I, too, was on the Voyager with Cor and Eric. I also took my wife and kids as well. The diving was great, but the boat and the operation left a little to be desired as outlined above. Most of the problems were minor (except Eric's camera!). However, when you've got your wife and teenage kids with you and the crew leaves divers out in the ocean, it definitely makes you concerned. I'd love to return to Indonesia, but I'll watch for future reports before booking with Kararu. Hopefully, they'll get their system worked out.

[Scuba_SI 39]

Not to be Pessimistic, especially as there are others who have had poor experiences...

 

But there have been dubious posts in other fora about Kararu, and as this appears to be the first and only post of this anonymous member. Whilst Anonymity is something that some regard as essential on the web these days i'm not sure how genuine this is. Most people join w/p to talk about cameras.....

 

I have no affiliation with Kararu, and have never been on their boat but just happened to cross reference this post with some posts on scubaboard.

 

This boat does appear to be having problems, most likely due to poor management. I hope it improves as they once had a good rep.

 

If i cause offence it is not intended.

[echeng 0]

I agree -- anonymous, new members definitely have less credibility than those of us who have identified ourselves. We should all take that into consideration...

[BoatMoney 0]

As much as I'd like to support the Kararu because they're such good friends of friends, I have to say that I had a less-than-stellar experience on the Voyager this last summer. Everyone who came with me agreed.

I believe that Tony Rhodes is no longer involved in the ownership or operation of Kararu Dive Voyages and his departure seems to coincide with the downward trend of service and competence reported since. So many of the companies operating in Indonesia are truly reliant on specific peoples' reputations and acumen and when they leave, things just fall apart. Evidence how quickly Adventure Komodo folded after Larry passed away. Sometimes these boats/operations are held together by nothing more than the sheer will and effort of a single competent and honest person. And often what we believe are systematic policies, procedures and operations are really nothing more than strict, unrelenting guidance and oversight imposed in real time by these same people. And is often lost when they depart.

[CritterHunter 0]

Regarding the anonymity comments, no offense taken. I'm new to forums as of yesterday, but an experienced Asian diver for the past 10 years. The frustration from the trip drove me to enroll in the forum and post this warning. I'm not sure what I need to do to not be 'anomymous', but I started by completing the profile information.

 

The four of us that dive together have had fabulous trips on both liveaboards and to land-based resorts during this past decade; we were stunned how poorly the boat was run and managed.

 

On another note, first dive - first day, my camera was mysteriously damaged between the camera table and the dive tender. We can't prove it, but it was fine 5 minutes before the dive and we believe they knocked it while carrying it to the tender.

[Scuba_SI 39]

Hi CritterHunter,

 

I wasn't trying to take anything away from your report, there have been some other comments that appeared to be fake and/or a bit of a hate campaign on other fora.

 

Regardless of posts elsewhere, there appears to be several poor reports from the Cheng Ho, sorry to hear that an expensive trip went badly.

 

From all the ones i've read it seems that the crew are either exhausted or dislike their new management, to the point where they don't really care anymore.

 

Was Steve on your trip?

[Spazm 0]

I agree -- anonymous, new members definitely have less credibility than those of us who have identified ourselves. We should all take that into consideration...

 

In light of this...am I considered to have less credibility too?..

[CritterHunter 0]

Yes, Steve Fish, the videographer, was on our trip. In fact I spent so much time with him that first few days after my camera mysteriously lost the strobe bulkhead on the 20 feet trip from the camera table to the dingy. Steve worked very hard trying to figure out a way to plug the lost metal part. By day 3 with Steve's help and a lot of JBWeld I was back in business!

[TheRealDrew 0]

One person was left out after a dive -- twice. The second time, I was left out with him, as well, and the Voyager was tying tenders up before they realized our gear was still out. All the other minor problems didn't really matter, but this one was really unforgivable.

 

Eric, very scary stuff indeed. Even with Open Water (and not discussing the movie itself, but more how it bought the issue to light) it is disturbing that this still happens.

 

Glad you made it out okay (and the camera also ).

[ChrisJ 0]

<-----\ Scratches Cheng Ho off list.

 

As for equipment getting dinged and nicked, THE most disturbing is the reports of divers being left behind. That is unforgivable. Kudos to Cor for notifying the crew.

 

We divers need to take care of each other.

[Steve Douglas 16]

I led a small group of 16 on the Voyager this past July. Like Eric said, the crew and staff were friendly and likeable. However, they did leave me sitting in the water with no one on deck looking for divers, for quite some time. On one of the night dives, I waited for all my guests to drop down first. When it was my turn they handed me a cam housing, but it wasn't my housing. My cam was handed down to another guest who didn't realize it until it was too late. I hand the strange housing back up, and started down. Get to the bottom and there is a huge whoosh of air escaping. Go back up, only to find that they had loosened the yoke on the regulator. Ok , mistakes happen but this was my wife's first night dive. The tender rushes me back to the boat, they do a hot fill on the tank and then bring me back to the spot. Never did see my wife down there, but at least Bruce Robison, my friend and partner, was taking care of her and she was ok. He also had my housing and, thank god it was safe.

That was the last voyage of the Voyager, I believe, before they moved over to the Cheng HO. I found the cabins were just fine and the service good, however, their dive operation definitely needs improvement.

 

Ps. Not one dragon did we see at the Komodo park they took us to. A couple of babies near their gift shop but none in the wild. And I took the long 2 hour hike tour. What a drag.

 

Steve B)

[RickM 0]

As someone who is attempting to plan a trip to the Indo area, it seems like there are so many operations that come and go (or fall apart) in a relatively short time that it's hard to nail down a choice.

 

Anybody have any advice on picking someone that will still be around when the trip comes up?

[Drew 0]

Rick

It's difficult to foresee the future since anything can happen. Look at the Pindito, an accident that left a few groups looking for boats (helped by the Pindito guys of course). Or as mentioned the Adventure Komodo boat and Larry. A lot can happen.

You also have many of these ops who go to DEMA or other dive travel shows and aggressively offer great deals to travel agents who then push them to clients WITHOUT ever being on the boat. Or those travel agencies who have vested interest in the boat,resort or business and promote them on that point.

Choosing a reputable operation isn't a guarantee (as in the case of Kararu). The Kararu has had problems over the last 2 years and there have been murmurs of incompetence since then too. The internet is a bit of a quagmire since the loud minority of unhappy people tend to be the most vocal.

It's almost to the point that if you don't hear anything about an ops, it's a good thing.

I would think choosing a boat which has been mentioned in places like Wetpixel in good terms. WP seems to have a good system of checks and balances for any kind of bad news. Do a search in the forums for Indonesia liveaboards and you'll see whenever there are disparaging reports, you'll see the other side as well. Good luck in your choice

PS I personally am using 7Seas right now. Just finished a charter in fact. The owners are friends of mine but my complaints keeps getting me uninvited for dinners.

[DiveCouple 0]

No Need to Beware of Kararu Cheng Ho

 

Recent posts across the web have been strongly negative about Kararu’s liveaboard, the Cheng Ho. While not perfect, there is NO need to BEWARE!

 

As with all web reviews it is best to ignore both the excessively good and aggressively bad posts. Often the bad are from an individual with an axe to grind, often starting with “one†disappointment or perceived injustice.

 

My wife and I just returned from Indonesia from a 12 day charter (Nov 18-30, 2007) on the Cheng Ho, Ambon to Sorong in the Banda Sea and Raja Ampat. This was possibly the trip following CritterHunter. Most of her comments seemed as though she was on a different boat all together!

 

We had 20 divers (total guests) all with rooms of either single or double occupancy with no one in the crew quarters. We heard not one complaint from any guest. One mention was made that the guitar playing crew could be heard just behind their room and he enjoyed them.

 

We had two cruise directors and were fortunate to have two of the best dive masters working Indonesia. Gusti with nearly 20 years of experience and Nyoman, who had worked with several operators diving the Nusa Penida area, which is known for extremely strong currents. Nyoman also made some skilled repairs on my regulator. Note – the crew did NOT break it. Currents were checked by a dive master before we entered the water prior to each briefing. Divers were advised of the conditions and were told about possible current changes by the time divers actually entered the water. Three tenders were used, so 3 dive briefings were given for each dive, because divers were dropped at different spots on the reef a few minutes apart. Therefore all divers didn’t hit the water at once in the same spot. At no time was any dive dangerous due to omissions of information. Remember this is not beginner territory!

Guests on a trip diving in regions of this caliber understand the challenges and skill set required and should need no hand holding.

 

The boat does indeed leak in heavy rains. We had a room on the bridge deck and had only a few minor wet spots. Comments were made from others as to leaks, NO serious griping. The charging area in the salon had a new custom fitted cover first used on our trip, which I believe replaced the plastic mentioned by CritterHunter. We only had rain a few times (heavy at times) so perhaps we missed some leaking. Cheng Ho was our first wooden boat, so we have no clue if wooden boats typically leak.

 

Voyager was originally the boat we booked as well. The change to Cheng Ho was announced to us a few months before the departure. We had been on Voyager last year on a Komodo itinerary and were looking forward to being aboard her again. Sascha, Hergen, Kerri, Gusti and Nyoman were onboard then. Skepticism was our initial reaction about the boat change. Voyager had some mechanical problems and the Cheng Ho is the replacement. We confirmed cabin assignments and looked forward to a cruise on a pinisi style boat.

 

Looking back we were more than satisfied. She is large, stable, SLOW (ouch), and comfortably spacious. Most operators use converted hulls that did not start life as a dive vessel (Wayne has used converted oil rig crew runners for years in a number of Aggressor fleet locations). The refit was done well. There are a few issues with the exhaust, wafting up on deck when there little wind, and when boarding the dive tenders.

I’m told the boat is to be dry docked in January to reroute the exhaust and address several upgrades. One can not find fault with an operation that is constantly trying to improve.

 

The dive tenders were more than adequate for the task and the driver/boatmen are exceptional (try sitting on a boat watching bubbles for an hour over and over), always there within moments of surfacing ready to hoist gear and (yes they took very reasonable care with gear). Very few operations have tenders with gear racks, especially inflatables. These are roomy and easy to climb upon. Of the 15 liveaboards we’ve chartered, only 3 had tenders with tank racks and some with no ladders. Details of this nature should be thoroughly researched before booking if this is a dealbreaker!

 

Hergen and Kerri were our cruise directors. They’ve “grown†and become more experienced in the past year. Hergen has a sense of humor not accepted by everyone. We got a kick out of him. While young, he has a college degree, a Captain’s license, as well as diving credentials, one sharp dude. Kerri is a sweetheart. Hergen and Kerri work hard and do a lot behind the scenes. They have a tremendous amount of responsibility. We feel they are doing a great job. They are dive instructors also, not only tour directors, so they’re very capable to lead dives. This gives all dive masters a break. Four dive masters for 20 people works for us.

 

That reminds me: kudos must be given to the land based part of the operation. They whisked us thru airport check ins with porters standing by, handling all airport arrangements for flights from Bali to Ujang Padang, Ujang Padang to Ambon, Sorong to Ambon, and Ambon to Bali. We never lifted a bag. And Kararu paid all overweight fees for 3 of these flights. (The 3rd flight was late, so nothing was weighed on the 4th flight. Luggage was taken directly from one plane to another on the runway). They made it all seem effortless and always with smiles. But we know what a nightmare these domestic flights can be. Cheng Ho allowed us to stay onboard the boat until 2:30 PM on our last day. They provided pre-ordered breakfast (as was the norm everyday), lunch and drinks. This was a first. On other boats, normally guests are booted off by 8 AM to deal with luggage, flights, etc. Very well done Kararu!

 

The most important part of any trip is “THE DIVING!†CritterHunter must not have spotted any critters, she did not mention diving. The diving in Indonesia is exceptional and this region is some of the best! Cheng Ho got us there, put us on great sites, shared our excitement and enthusiasm, fed us quite well, with pre-ordered breakfast each day from a menu, theme dinners (Japanese, Thai, Greek, Italian, Asian, etc), snacks and gave us a well appointed cabin. My wife said they were the highest thread count sheets of any boat we’ve been on, and with no stains. We love the fresh drinking water Cheng Ho provided – many, many 5 gallon bottles of fresh water. We have never been fond of drinking desalinated water, so fresh water was a big plus for us.

 

NO we’re not affiliated with Kararu in any way, only satisfied guests. Sadly happy guests don’t often take the time to write reviews and this is our FIRST. We felt compelled!

While it is true we’ve been world wide on 15 live aboard cruises and also on too many to mention land based sites - we keep reasonable expectations.

 

NO NEED TO BEWARE – you will not make a mistake going with Kararu.

 

DrBob aka “Paco†and JoAnn Kobus

[jeffyo1 0]

In defense of Kararu Cheng Ho:

 

Just to establish that I have experience from which I can make what I believe to be objective and fair judgment about the Cheng Ho, I submit that I have made an average of 3 or 4 liveaboard trips in the IndoPacific in each of the last 11 years on almost 20 different liveaboards. I have never posted any comments---negative or positive---to this forum before, nor have I ever posted anything to Undercurrent, or any other such forum. I have no business connection with Kararu, or any other liveaboard or dive resort.

 

After reading some of the earlier comments in this thread, I felt that, in this case, Kararu deserved a review from a different, more current, and perhaps more objective perspective.

 

I just returned this week from having spend 20 days on board Cheng Ho from 14 dec to 3 jan and offer the following:

 

The only truly negative thing I can say about the boat is that it is relatively slow compared to a modern style vessel. This, of course, can be said about all pinisi style vessels, which most of the boats in Indonesia are. What it lacks in speed, it more than makes up for in space and charm.

 

1. Yes, the boat leaks when it is raining hard. It is a wooden boat. At no time, however, was there significant amount of water on the floor of the salon. Additionally, the charging area is very well protected by a covering that is heavy fabric on the top side of it, and thick plastic underneath. There were absolutely no problems with this setup, despite VERY heavy rains and seas.

 

2. During the 21 days on board, to my knowledge, not a single piece of any guests' equipment (photo, video, dive gear, etc.) was lost, mishandled, damaged, stolen, etc.

 

3. There were no problems with ample fresh water supply. The showers in the cabins had plenty of hot water. The deck showers, indeed, were not heated, but ran consistently at the same temperature as the ambient air (80-85). Not hot certainly, but hardly cold.

 

4. We had no less than 3 dive masters in the water on all dives, unless there were fewer guests choosing to make a specific dive. This is in addition to the photo/video pro.

 

5. Great care was taken to do multiple head counts after every dive. This system may have been instituted recently, but it was indeed in place. No one was left at any dive site, other than for 5 minutes while the tenders shuttled divers that surfaced earlier.

 

6. There were no problems with the generators, compressor, etc. Everything worked just fine. Whatever problems existed earlier in the year have been dealt with, and done so effectively.

 

7. The dive tenders are not atypical of other locally owned liveaboards in Indonesia, PNG, Thailand, Solomons, Fiji, etc. They are not fancy, they don’t have tank racks, but they are seaworthy, they have twin 40hp outboards that functioned properly on every dive, and they served their purpose quite satisfactorily.

 

7. We had very uncomfortable weather (Cyclone Melanie) for 2nd half of the trip. Very high winds, currents, heavy rain and high seas. Yes, it sucked. The boat pitched, rocked, rolled, and moved every which way possible. Because we were fighting uphill in the open Banda Sea for most of this time, we lost many days of diving, and completed less than 1/2 the itinerary that was planned. Everyone was very disappointed, most were seasick at some point (including crew----we renamed the boat the "Heave Ho" for a portion of the trip), and the potential for morale problems and conflict was very high.

 

The crew and cruise directors stopped at nothing to make sure that everyone was as safe and comfortable as absolutely possible. Despite the rather potentially dangerous, and unfortunately unavoidable conditions, not a single person was injured, nor any personal equipment lost or damaged. They worked as a cohesive unit to ensure that we all were as happy as we could be with the unfortunate conditions, while, behind the scenes, they worked to give us something to smile about after all was said and done.

 

Without our making any complaints or demands (these were discussed amongst us, but we never had to even begin to put it into motion), Kararu took it upon themselves to pay for the entire group (15 guests and 3 crew) to be flown from a town on Alor to Kupang, put us all up in a hotel, then fly onward to Bali the next day. In addition, because we never made it that far, despite that being one of the main reasons we had all booked that charter, they gave each one of us a voucher for a free 7 day komodo trip for 2008 or 2009.

 

This, in my experience, goes above and beyond what I have experienced with other operators in the past who have faced issues like this. While it would not have been popular, and they would have gotten some pretty unpleasant feedback, they could easily have said that this was weather related, and therefore, not their responsibility. I have heard many instances from close friends in the business of other operators hanging guests completely out to dry, despite worse experiences.

 

I am already planning to use our free trip later this year, and have no reservations whatsoever with being back onboard the Cheng Ho again. In fact, we are very much looking forward to it.

 

Jeff Yonover

Portland, OR

jeff@jeffyonover.com

[Drew 0]

Jeff and Divecouple

thanks for signing up just to tell us of your positive trip. It's always good to hear positive experiences. Jeff perhaps this report benefitted your trip since it was made before your trip and possibly served as a wakeup call.

[jeffyo1 0]

Jeff and Divecouple

thanks for signing up just to tell us of your positive trip. It's always good to hear positive experiences. Jeff perhaps this report benefitted your trip since it was made before your trip and possibly served as a wakeup call.

 

 

 

Drew,

 

You're welcome, and good point.

 

Jeff

[ronscuba 4]

I just got back from a great trip aboard the Cheng Ho. We did the Ambon to Sorong itinerary. You can add me to the list of happy customers.

 

The diving was awesome as was the service by the very attentive crew.

 

If anyone has any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

[joycecychan 0]

My husband, Michael, was the diver that Eric and Cor mentioned that was left behind on their joint Kararu experience. Surprisingly, he still wants to go with the Kararu again. And he's trying to convince me to go too. I've only done one liveaboard in Thailand. Anyone with recent experiences with the Cheng Ho? Much thanks, Joyce

[Steve Douglas 16]

For those who have been on these boats, you may not be aware that Sascha was sadly killed in a motorcycle accident last winter. I met up with him again at the past DEMA show and he was his likeable and friendly self, a real people person. He had been unhappy about some of the negative reports that were made, including my own criticisms but took it as simply a new focus for improvement. He was one fine person and I am sure that Kararu Dive operations miss him tremendously.

Steve

[SphyrnaLewini 0]

Hi all !!

 

I'm planning on diving with Kararu onboard the Cheng Ho in September this year and I'm wondering if anyone went with them recently ?

I would be more than happy to hear your feedback as I'm wondering if it wouldn't be "safer" to go on the Komodo Dancer or Paradise dancer....

 

Thanks guys !