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Thailand and Myanmar/Burma Live-aboard w/ Fantasea Divers - Ocean Rover, 9 days/10 nights) January 26-February 5, 2009 Cost: USD $3,420 plus Port and Parks Fee.
Click here for more photos (opens new browser window) Those who've been here understand why so many of us simply can't get enough of the Andaman Sea. In addition to a wide range of underwater habitats and spectacular topside scenery, there are regular encounters with unusual creatures like ornate ghost pipefish, harlequin shrimp, and bright yellow sea horses. Another attraction is our plan to visit not one, but two countries on this cruise: Thailand and Burma (Myanmar). The Boat: Launched in 2000, Ocean Rover is a robust, purpose-built motor vessel that is superbly suited for extended dive voyages. Thoughtfully designed for comfortable cruising and effortless diving, her thick steel hull is 100ft/30m long and 26ft/8m wide. Powered by three V10 420Hp diesel engines and sustained by generous fuel capacity, she has the reliability, speed and range to visit far-flung dive sites. She is also among the very few dive boats in the region to meet stringent IMO, SOLAS, ISM, and ISPS international safety standards.
© Mark Strickland/Oceanic-Impressions Ocean Rover takes a maximum of sixteen passengers in eight roomy cabins, all located on the main and upper decks. Six have large double beds with single upper berths and panoramic windows, while two feature wide upper and lower single berths and dual portholes. All have private bathrooms, individual climate control, 6.5 ft long beds and ample storage space. Mouth-watering meals are served in the spacious salon, which also features an entertainment center, big-screen tv, and extensive marine-life library. Topside, the mostly shaded upper deck features a refreshment area and comfortable lounge chairs for relaxing and socializing between dives.
The dive-deck provides abundant gearing-up space, while the unique "whale deck" allows easy entry & exit from two roomy inflatable tenders. Three compressors live below-decks, providing quiet, clean tank fills of air or Nitrox. Photographer-friendly features abound, including huge rinse tanks and camera tables, dedicated camera room, multiple charging stations, and guest computer w/ editing software & cd burner. Ocean Rover's twelve crew members were all personally involved in the construction of the boat, and take pride in providing excellent service. For more information, check out the Ocean Rover website at www.ocean-rover.com
Topside attractions: Known as "The Land of Smiles", Thailand is famous for friendly people, exotic culture and tantalizing cuisine. Although we're not planning any organized land excursions for the group, you are strongly encouraged to leave at least a few days at the end of the trip to take in some of the country's unique attractions. One particularly recommended activity is sea kayaking among unique limestone karsts, via daytrips or multi-day expeditions. For more info, check out: www.paddleasia.com
Reef & Rainforest: Dive Travel Experts As with previous expeditions, I'm delighted to announce that we'll be partnering with one of the world leaders in dive travel on this trip. Based in Sausalito CA, Reef & Rainforest Dive & Adventure Travel, is a full service dive travel agency specializing in exotic destinations. Owner Jenny Collister has tremendous experience with international travel, and will be happy to help you with travel-related questions, airfares and any other travel needs. Contact Jenny at jenny@reefrainforest.com or call toll-free at 1-800-794-9767, ext. 302 for availability and to confirm your spot. About Mark Mark Strickland's life-long interest in the sea has included over 10,000 dives and careers as a lifeguard, boat captain and scuba instructor. His passion for underwater photography has led him to many top dive destinations, including Thailand, where he spent 17 years as Cruise Director / Photo-Pro on a series of live-aboard vessels, including the state-of-the-art Ocean Rover. While he still dives whenever possible, Mark now spends most of his time with his family in California. An avid marine naturalist, Mark has discovered several nudibranch species, including his namesake, Halgerda stricklandi. Mark's photos and articles have appeared in dozens of magazines and books around the world, including BBC Wildlife, Conde Nast Traveler, Geo, National Geographic World, Natural History, Nature's Best, Outside, and most major dive magazines. Mark is also co-author and primary photographer of Lonely Planet's award-winning title, "Diving and Snorkeling Thailand". Currently, he leads several dive trips each year to his favorite destinations, while working on a career-spanning large-format pictorial book. In addition to representation by several stock photo agencies, Mark operates his own photo library, Oceanic Impressions, www.oceanic-impressions.com |
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Mark Strickland / Oceanic Impressions e-mail: info@oceanic-impressions.com |
