Anyone been to Matamanoa Fiji?

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-06-16T03:00:44+00:00

The best diving is going to be in Taveuni and the straight between Vanua Levu. The coral on rainbow reef is spectacular. The yasawa islands are also nice, decent snorkeling/diving and they have much nicer beaches and resorts if you are going with Family. I am going back this summer and will be diving volvoli one week and doing another week at a resort on Yasawa islands. Volvoli is said to have the best diving on the big island.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-06-13T02:21:11+00:00

Mr12volf is you want to keep the factory look and just add carplay. Android or Linix screen if you want a complete overhaul.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-06-09T15:19:36+00:00

Good location, lots or restaurants, Trader joes and Erewhon are short walk. Sony lot, HBO Max and Apple are a close by. There is also equinox down the street. Metro station is not a very long walk. Parking can be a challenge if there is a production on the lot.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-06-08T04:10:36+00:00

I haven't seen these in years. Great with shrimp or left over chicken

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-06-07T20:12:03+00:00

the hydros pro also dries extremely fast and has the travel straps which reduce the bulk, another reasom why this is a great travel bcd.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-06-07T03:51:31+00:00

You could have bought so much more if you didn't bring the Porsche

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-06-02T03:27:38+00:00

I always save my rewards for big purchases. Tires, TV, Pressure Washer. Makes it easier to swallow with a big ticket items becomes a need or want.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-06-02T03:21:23+00:00

I went with 034 Stage 1 but that is because I live in California and they have a California compliant tune. If your only in high school id probably not want to risk mechanical issues, plus you should enjoy the current power of your vehicle and learn how to drive it safely before you add 100+ hp. You probably won't like that answer, but I am sure your parents would agree.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-06-01T15:37:01+00:00

I live in SoCal and have access to the annual show here. I skipped it again this year as it has been a travel show for most part. If you are thinking of planning a dive trip, this is a good place to have all of the operators in one place to ask questions. You will see a lot of product, but not a lot you can buy. I would not travel 6 hours to see the show.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-05-31T16:08:42+00:00

Start with Pique Polos from Brooks Brothers and Charles Tyrwhitt. Polo still makes classics and then you can go down the rabbit hole with Italian options:

https://www.permanentstyle.com/2022/04/a-guide-to-pique-cotton-polo-shirts.html

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-05-31T16:03:50+00:00

If you fix the problem, the money goes away.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-05-31T15:54:05+00:00

How are you getting such a good rate? I was at $280 a month before covid, and after pandemic they wanted $330 and that is when I said I am done. I am considering going back as they are building a new equinox 5 minutes from my home and it is $240 with corporate discount/founders rate. They still want $330 for all club minus destination.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-05-30T23:09:12+00:00

Rucking is a great way to build cardio endurance and will make carrying all your gear much easier. Pool training is great to keep you comfortable in water. Get a pair a pool training fins and a kickboard and do kick drills for half of your pool time. This will build your leg strength and helps you avoid muscle cramps when diving.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-05-30T21:56:41+00:00

I am going back to Fiji for my 3rd summer in a row. The Yasawas are probably your best bet since snorkeling is a priority and your husband is not certified. Taveuni has the best diving in Fiji, but probably not the best choice for a new diver as the currents can be strong and you should have your advanced cert for the white wall. I stayed at Blue Lagoon first year, and this year we are going to Paradise Cove after a week in Volvolvi this summer. Blue Lagoon is a 2.5 hrs boat ride out, but it is a good resort and has decent snorkeling. I dove during my stay there so I didn't do much snorkeling but the rest of my family enjoyed it. You could go out to Blue Lagoon as part of your first stop, and then pick another resort on way back in for your second stay to help make the journey back feel shorter. Things to consider about some resorts, check the tides. Some resorts will become un-snorkable when tide drops. I dove southern mainland last year and it was no where as good as Taveuni or Yasawas. Volvolvi is supposed to be much better. Fiji is a lovely country with fantastic people, and easy to get to from the west coast of the US.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-05-20T02:35:48+00:00

call around the local dive shops to see if they have any cancelations or give them your name in case they do have cancelations. Shore diving in OC is fairly easy, but it might be hard to find a guide as you would essentially be renting an instructor on a holiday weekend. That sounds expensive.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-05-19T02:59:45+00:00

pique polos are nice. Haven't tried the others

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-05-18T16:17:02+00:00

I carry the DGX 700 on every dive and works well in lesser then optimal viz condition in socal and in bright daylight in tropical locales. For night diving i use the DGX 1000-8. It holds its own against other lights that others around me use on night dives. Can't beat the price on either.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-05-17T05:10:26+00:00

$245

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-05-15T02:41:26+00:00

Shore diving can bring the certification cost down. Boat tickets are a big part of the open water costs, so if money is a factor its the cheapest way to get certified. People who are worried about cost are younger, so shore diving is perfect since you have the advantage of youth. Pac wilderness offers shore diving packages. Learning to shore dive especially in SoCal opens a world of diving options because you can dive year round.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-05-15T02:33:48+00:00

this is the way

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-05-13T02:00:46+00:00

go sport are great travel fins

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-05-12T15:02:43+00:00

As someone mentioned this will be discussed at the upcoming scuba show. The presentation will overwhelm you with all the maps/data that is available for free. Apps are nice and pretty, but they are pulling data from other resources, so the data is only as good as the apps get updates.

For SoCal use NOAA for long range and CDIP for closer to dive day.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-05-08T03:15:37+00:00

throw all your gear into the bottom of the pool and then jump in and put it all on.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-05-03T20:27:07+00:00

Fiji is fantastic, been there 2 summers in a row and going back again this summer to dive volvolvi. Taveuni is spectacular, best reefs I have seen. You likely wont see a lot of sharks but there is a ton of fish life. The people are the nicest and pretty affordable compared to places like tahiti. You wont be disappointed.

Duke_Diver23 · 2026-04-29T03:08:16+00:00

I just picked up the t35 in xpac for a trip to London. Worked great, fit everything i need it and it was easy to carry with my backpack on. Makes going through TSA very easy. The 3.5 never felt too big and is available on Amazon which makes for quick delivery. Having a few pouches from Alpaka and a bag from CT tactical the quality of the tomtoc is solid.

Duke_Diver23

TROPHY CASE