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We're booked in April for La Chevrerie. It looks like this resort uses a contract/freelance operation based upon my contact with the resort and scouring forums. I have two questions: Any experiences with the dive operation. Specifically, what spotters/guides to request? Any experience/recommendations for other freelance guides to use ?

Oh, I see that now. I will consider it. Thank you.

This bag can hold water; in fact, there's a picture of it with water inside on their website.

The zippers are an excellent point. I had not thought about that. I think I am going to return the AO Cooler bag and get the Kraken Rinse Bag just for that reason. I appreciate that. However, from what I read, that bag will not hold water, and I want it to serve as a rinse tank.

Maybe it could be useful for you, I use an Yellow sub Mega tote bag from S&S for local dives. This bag can also be used as a rinsing bucket. S&S bag

Thanks all, I think I'll be bringing the MFO-1 over the SMC-3.

I didn't know the Grouper was no longer available from CineBags. But, yeah, the Kraken seems pretty much the same thing. Filling a soft rinse tank with clothes sounds a good idea. I don't know AO coolers. The only thing I think to watch out for is the quality of the zips. They need to resist salt and not jam with salt build-up. And not leak of course! The CineBag was good for that although the internal pocket zips need work to prevent them jamming.

Although I do understand Dave's point of view, I lean more in your direction. It's too easy for me to get distracted and leave my gear in a big rinse tank. I've done it at dive shops before. I'm probably better off keeping it as close to me as possible. I looked at the CineBags, but it's not available anymore, is it? The Kraken Rinse Bag looks similar. I went with the AO because it's significantly cheaper and I don't think I need all the pockets, etc. Now, I just need to decide on the logistics, keeping in mind I need to take care of my back while traveling. I might just stuff it full of clothes and then stuff the bag in a suitcase. I already have a spinner carry-on camera bag for the most critical camera gear.

Hi folks Packing for my trip next week to Raja Ampat. It will be a live aboard. I bring my 2 housings, one equipped with UWA (12-24mm), one with 100mm Macro that i can switch very easily to the 20mm Macro 1:2 for close focus wide angle. Why 2 housings? because it is not so easy to switch a 12-24 set-up to a mcro set-up in 10' on a live aboard, between 2 dives. Yet, a big part of my equipment (strobes, float arms, port etc...) travl in a checked bag, i am using as carry-on a Lowepro Pro Trekker 650 AW II to travel with 2 housing and everything needed as a safety set-up in case the cjecked bag does not make it. This bag includes non only the housing but camera, lenses , 1 strobe, the smallest port (my 100mm for the 20mm 1:2) etc... Here the photo. Wanted also to share my cchec list before travelling. It helps a lot Looking for comments

Hmmmm... I'm always super wary of rinse tanks. Dave is dead right of course - they are for rinsing not leaving gear unattended. That said, I would not mind a 1p for every time I've seen masks/computers/GoPros lobbed into the Cameras Only rinse tank; big systems dumped in without a second thought, cables tangled blah blah.... And the good few times I've been distracted whillst rinsing my camera system and had to leave it for a few minutes to come back and find gear dumped on top of it. I now travel with some of my camera gear packed in a CineBags Grouper bag. One we get to the liveaboard, I unpack it and it's then my own personal rinse tank. I can usually find some discrete corner where it sits out of the way and holds my camera - wet or dry. "Abandon Hope All Ye Who Enter the Dreaded Rinse Tank". I think Danté said that.

A padded cooler will not be very useful on a liveaboard. And the boat rinse tank is fine to use. Just remember the tank is for rinsing, not dumping your camera and leaving it in there unattended.

Hi everyone, I’m heading out on my first liveaboard this August—the Nautilus Under Sea in the Sea of Cortez. While I know they have dedicated communal camera rinse tanks, I’m debating if I should still bring my own personal container. I bought a 36-can AO padded cooler to use as a dedicated rinse/protection station, but I’m hesitating because of the weight and bulk. For those with liveaboard experience: Is a personal rinse bag/cooler worth the luggage space, or are communal tanks generally safe enough for a mirrorless rig (OM-1 in an AOI housing)? Is there enough deck space for everyone to have their own "tank," or will I just be in the way? I'd love to hear your thoughts on whether to pack the AO cooler or switch to a lighter, more collapsible setup. Thanks!

Hi Fabian, If you go a bit further south into Tuscany, you will find Argentario Divers, where I usually dive. They do not just promote standard diving; they have dozens of technical divers with rebreathers who visit daily. It is open every day and has Trimix refills and everything else you might need. It is perhaps the largest diving center in Italy. Argentario DiversArgentario Divers: Scuba Diving Center in Porto Ercole, T...Argentario Divers: scuba diving courses, recreational dives, technical dives, snorkeling. Diving at the Giannutri and Giglio Islands. Otherwise in Genoa try to contact them: TECHDIVETechdive Haven - Diving center Arenzano - TECHDIVETechdive Haven è il diving center di riferimento per le immersioni in Liguria. Il diving è aperto tutto l'anno e offre immersioni tecniche e ricreative sia naturalistiche che sui numerosi relitti del

It's barely dived non war days. I wonder how much more wild it'll be post shenanigans. Last we were there was in October.

Hi all, Can anyone recommend a solo friendly diving center in France or Italy? Looking for something that is reacheable from southern Germany by car, so preferably the regions of Marseille or Genoa or around there would be great. I prefer CCR diving, it would be great if diving from the shore is feasible for nice spots. Unfortunately, so far most shore diving in the med was inferior to boat diving, so not a must. I prefer dive centers for technical diving and longer run times with experienced and independent guests, not a fan of group diving. Alternatively, if someone can recommend dive sites for shore diving that are not the usual 10-20m in the med, but allow me to go deeper, that would also work, then I can bring all the infrastructure needed and just go as I want. Thanks!

Activities in Iran/The Gulf and flights permitting (we're booked to travel through Doha!), I'm in the same position. I'm planning to take a 10-17 Tokina for my D500 with a 100mm domeport - plus a 60mm macro. I've used both there before successfully. The 10-17 worked very well for manta shots.

Will be visiting Maldives for the first time. Emperor Virgo liveaboard. I am shooting a Canon 70d in Ikelite stuff. I wont be able to take every single lens and port I own, so I want to make an informed decision which ones to take. For Wide Angle I have both a compact port and large port, with either 10-22mm or the 10-17 tokina. I am not really expecting any over unders so i am thinking just to take the smaller dome (5 inch precision dome). I am guessing the tokina is best (I used it for blue sharks in the azores as well on the longer end) . I really have some doubts about taking a macro lens as well because of currents mentioned, and the chance that something big pops up when I am at 1:1 Same about strobes : wont be any use on the larger subjects, but on the blue sharks, i did use them as a fill light which worked ok. Gerard

Thanks! So, if I want to dive in search of nudibranch, I should go to HK? Do you know any good dive center with spotters?

Price drop to $3,900 incl. insured shipping

I'd contact him again to let him know the retailer was not helpful and see if he will confirm that this requires a return.

If this is the case it seems the HF-1 has built in protection circuits probably a low voltage cutout as the voltage will drop as the charging circuit tries to draw in 20A. This would be protect you from drawing too much current from the battery. I had a look at the link for the lishen battery at Lion wholesale and the the only 20A plus rated 21700 battery listed was specced at 3700 mAhr and out of stock. The actual battery linked was a 9.6A which is not suitable for these high draw flashes. I agree better to go with a known good battery. Also agree that mAhr figure is probably not relevant, the quoted figures are probably a little rubbery.

Thanks Chriss, I did before posting here ! Pavel send me back to my retailer whom was not able to apprehend the problem without the gear. Before sending back the TTL converter for an exchange, I wanted to be sur there was no other fix or that the error message was the sign of a defective unit.

There is very little to nothing in northern China. You can dive near Dalian, but they have absolutely pillaged the near shore animal life in this area. In the south you can dive Hainan island (somewhat akin to the "Hawaii of China") but you will be diving with lots of other divers, and the average diver is much more likely to be on the reef than cruising over the top of it. This is changing slowly, but there are now more artificial reefs in Hainan than healthy natural reefs left because of this. Go see the Great Wall from Beijing (I was there again about two months ago) - still a very good experience. For your time in the south, if you really want to get wet, after having experienced Hainan, I would recommend traveling to HK, and trying the diving there. It's not excellent, but it's not horrible either. And you will be able to find experienced dive shops that will show you some of unique diving available.

I'd suggest to PM Pavel, he's on this forum.

Hey everyone I'll be visiting China in May for work, and I'll have 2 free days in Beijing and 3 free days in Shenzhen. Does anyone have recommendations for dive centers in those areas?