JC Scuba's Dive Log and Welcome to It: Palau Has Got To Be Close to the Top

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Palau Has Got To Be Close to the Top

The Rock Islands of Palau, offer some of the most diverse diving conditions, as well as, sea life, of any place in the world.

Several signature dives include the Blue Corner, (with others listed below) where the currents can be found ripping. During these times, grab your reef hook and prepare to fly like a kite. These are the times when you will see a greater diversity of shark species.

Dive operations I've used are the Aggressor, and Peter Hughes. Enough has been written about both operations to know that you will get excellent food, great dive masters, and excellent accommodations. Recently I stayed at Cliffside and used Neco Marine. A land based diver operation, they offered a more diverse selection of dive sites than the live-aboard experience. Neco Marine, an excellent operation, let our dive travel co-coordinator Joe Liburdi, pick and choose the sites that we knew would love.

These included diving, Peleliu Express, Orange and Pink Beach, Peleliu Wall, New Drop Off, Blue Corner and Blue Holes, Turtle Cove, Jelly Fish Lake, Clam City, and virtually all the Maru Class Ships sunk during WWII. How cold I forget the sea plane and Devil Fish City, a cleaning station for Manta Rays, Ulong Channel famous for the T.V. Program Survivor.

Palau is truly an underwater photographer's and diver's paradise.

The soft corals are back in abundance. Everyone enjoyed this trip.

At the end of it, we said as we always say, " Joe and Cara, this was the best trip ever" Myself, as an underwater photographer, I prefer the live aboard experience. No boat rides to the dive site, and you are traveling to the next location at night, and are usually the first there. Four to five dives per day are available on a live aboard. Return to Home Page

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Welcome To JC's Dive Log Created for my Granddaughter Kaily

To Kaily: In the hope that one day you will dive! It is very important that you understand that there is nothing down below the water that can hurt you. Remember our trips to the Aquarium of the Pacific where Grandpa gave talks to the kids while he fed the fish underwater? Was that cool or what?

The intent of this blog will be to provide information on dive locations, dive operators, food, and the people and places I've been fortunate enough to meet along the way.

But first, some background information on me. I'm Jim Campbell, and was heard saying one day by a PADI Instructor while giving a Discover Scuba Class, " There is no way in the world I would ever do that again". After the class he approached me and asked my why I had said what I said. I told him back in the late sixty's I had a horrible experience diving with friends down in Mexico.

I had to admit my entire training at the time included

breathing on an old double hose regulator in a swimming pool. That accomplished, I was told I was "good to go" by a fraternity brother who had never dove.

We were going to hunt lobster, probably didn't have lights, and I got smashed on my first surf entry and immediately lost my buddy. It was then I exited the surf and made up my mind. This was a sport for fools.

He laughed, told me about the new safety equipment and offered me a lesson the following day. If I didn't enjoy it, it would cost me nothing. If I did, he would charge me for more pool time and an ocean dive the next afternoon.

With great fear and trepidation I showed up, listened to the brief lecture, and put on my gear. In one minute, my life changed forever. Scuba diving was for me! We went out for that ocean dive the next day, a beach dive in Kauai, saw all kinds of fish, turtles, and an octopus. I was hooked. I knew I had found my new passion.

I immediately signed up for an Open Water Class and the rest is history. The more I dove, the more I wanted to learn, the more I learned the more I wanted to dive. After some serious effort, I became a PADI Instructor, then a PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer. I now teach most all specialties with the exception of ice diving. I hold a Distinctive Specialty in Shark Awareness Instructor, taking divers on shark dives, and Hazardous Marine Life Injuries. I'm also an SDI instructor.

Some 5000 dives and 10 years later I will attempt to answer the question; "Hey J.C., where's the best place you have ever dove?" I've recently retired but I've got stories to tell.