Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,
We hope this email as always finds you well.
This week we wished bon voyage to our inaugural Palau expedition. Through intermittent comms, we have received news that the team has had a few days of spectacular diving under their weight belts before they even hit the wreck playground.
NEWS FROM THE GROUND
Arriving a few days early, founder Aron has been exploring underwater Palau from land as the rest of the #TeamDD make their way there and the team is not disappointed!
An archipelago of some 500 volcanic islands scattered across the western Pacific Ocean, Palau is home to some of the most magnificent scenes on earth. Below the water lies an underwater museum of fascinating and often overlooked WWII wrecks offering an eerie insight into the country’s past.
From Japanese Zero planes to huge cargo ships all covered in vibrant hard and soft corals there are troves of artifacts waiting to be discovered on wrecks only a handful of people have ever dived.
DDE WARM UP DIVES
Warm-ups, but make it DDE style.
As the team finished their warm-up dives before the wreck expedition exploration begins, they reflected on breathtaking views of a wreck, a wall, and the Temple Of Doom which is a spectacular sea cave within the “Blue Holes” site on the outer reef in Palau.
S/Y Palau Siren
Launched in April 2011, the 40m S/Y Palau Siren was built on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and is handcrafted from ironwood and teak (traditional to the area).
A little briefing as #teamDD are welcomed aboard the Palau Siren.
You will find no other diving liveaboard as beautiful in the Palau waters as Siren, and being built by divers for divers you can rest assured that every need has been thought of and addressed.
Deep discussions in the upper level indoor lounge and bar with a plasma screen for planning our expeditions dives in detail. Or take it outside to the shaded bean bag outdoor area and relax in comfort before we take the plunge.
A WARM WELCOME ABOARD FROM THE CREW
A custom team shirt and a signed book from Rod Macdonald means only one thing… some epic Dirty Dozen wreck exploration is imminent.
Feeding time on the Siren.
Delicious food, delightful company and some high grade DD dive guides to top it off. Ready for ropes off.
EXPLORING THE WRECKS
Just some of the images coming off the boat so far, the team have been having a magical time.
SPLASH CHECK
At DDE, we always want to deliver the best possible experience on our expeditions. But it doesn't stop there.
Safety first is the only way on DDE trips and our guides give exemplary briefings. We know it is the only way to have fun when diving.
The CCR Splash Checklist is one important aspect of how we conduct ourselves with regards to safety at The Dirty Dozen Expeditions during a CCR Liveaboard in any of our destinations.
Our CCR splash checklist is a last-minute check that EVERYONE has to complete before every dive by a trained staff member that can spot errors before jumping in the water. It takes about a minute.
We want to underline that this is only a supplement and the diver is STILL responsible to follow their unit-specific checklists and pre-breathing protocols as per their training organization. Sometimes people complain about it the first couple of days, but then, always at the end of the trip, they thank you for it, because they feel safe. At the end of the day, we are here to give you a safe and enjoyable experience.
Download the checklist HERE
WHAT ABOUT PALAU 2023 AND BEYOND?
We are currently finalizing a series of 7 and 10-day expeditions for 2023 for August/September time.
If you are interested in joining us then drop us an email now and we will send out details.
MERCH! MERCH! MERCH!
Why not snap up some of our new DD merch of your own for your adventures? Check out the new Palau line and fresh new vintage styles. Shop ‘til you drop our range of hoodies, tees, and smart polos. Shop all our exclusive DDE merch now on our website.
UNDERWATER AND OOO!
That’s a wrap from us this week!
We hope you have some great plans coming up look forward to seeing you all above and underwater soon. Please don’t forget, if you ever feel lonely, we are always here to chat Dirty.
Best,
Vic & The Dirty Dozen Team