The alternative sailing/diving/kayaking experience

The "Eclipse" is a sailing vessel that offers an excellent low profile alternative for diving, sailing and kayaking the waters of Palau. This liveaboard is equipped to fully explore this magnificent area, both above and below the water. Available for full charter, and ideal for 2 to 4 guests, this is a great way to experience the largely unexplored Palau wilderness.

Dive Sites

The boat can basically operate anywhere around Palau and will design an itinerary around you preferences.

Click here for general information about the diving regions of Palau.

Vessel

Originally designed for ocean racing, this 48-foot sloop offers exciting sailing in one of the best sailing locations in the world. Eclipse carries a compressor and tanks for divers, sea kayaks for each guest, and fishing gear for trawling under sail.

Warm showers are taken on the foredeck, and meals are served on the cockpit table under a large awning. There is a good reference library for identifying fish, corals, birds, shells and invertebrates.

John McCready, the skipper and host, has been sailing and diving throughout the tropical Pacific since 1981.

Accommodation

Eclipse offers comfortable accommodation for two couples with two twin/double berth cabins in reasonably private surroundings. There are fans and reading lights over each berth, and two marine heads (toilets). There is no air conditioning on board but so far it has been found there is no need for it.

Itinerary

Trips on Eclipse are designed for active participation and are an outdoor experience in themselves.. Guests become "crew" and share in the essential tasks of sailing the boat. Even those new to sailing will have the opportunity to steer, trim sails, and navigate through narrow reef passages with the experienced guidance of the skipper.

Eclipse is not a luxury live-aboard specializing in diving. However, it does offer a dive program that many experienced divers prefer. There are, of course, many favourite dive sites, but the choice of dives and activities is yours.

With no specialized dive tender, dives are not made in strong currents and you can expect to do 2 to a maximum of 3 dives per day.

The following is a sample 6 day diving / sailing itinerary:

• Day 1: Three to four hour sail south to Omagong island group, trolling underway for Wahoo or Trevally Jack. Explore the three islands and beaches with the kayaks, and kayak through a tunnel to an interior lake if the tide is low enough.
• Day 2: Motor through German Channel into the Philippine Sea when the tide is high enough. The day is spent snorkelling or diving the world famous dive sites such as Ngemelis Wall, Turtle Cove, Big Drop-off, Blue Corner and Blue Holes. The night is spent at a mooring at German Channel or Ngedebus Coral Gardens. A night dive or snorkel at either place is stunning. Kayaking the maze of the uninhabited outer reef islands allows exploration of uninhabited beaches rarely visited by people.
• Day 3: Divers on Eclipse usually manage three dives each diving day. The most famous dives in Palau are concentrated in the southwest region of the island chain on the outer reef walls, some of which go straight down from the surface to depths in excess of 2000 feet. Non-divers may choose to sail further south to Peleliu Island, scene of one of the most vicious invasions of the Pacific War.
• Day 4: Although the dive locations are among the most famous in the world for observing multitudes of large pelagics, this trip is not limited to known spots. There are miles of vertical walls on the barrier reef, little of which has been explored by divers. For non-divers there are literally hundreds of secluded anchorages to choose from, scores of tiny beaches never visited, and miles of tranquil waterways to explore in the kayaks.
• Day 5: Divers can elect to dive today or explore more of the wilderness of the Rock Island including the surreal Jellyfish Lake, prehistoric Long Lake. There are beautiful snorkel spots with giant Tridactna Clams and very delicate corals found only in the most protected and pristine coves. Plenty of opportunities for more kayak explorations.
• Day 6: Sailing back north through the lagoon into the prevailing northeast trades often provides an exciting finale. Everyone gets to see how much sailing they absorbed as they take the wheel and steer this 48-foot ex-ocean racer.

2009 Prices (per group)	Charter cost 6 day trip
Double / twin cabins 2 guest on board	US$ 6000
Double / twin cabins 4 guest on board	US$ 7200
Prices are subject to change without notice. Inclusions: Price includes cook, meals, variety of drinks, beer, tanks, weights, kayaks and loads of fun. Local dive instructor/guide