SY Siren . . . SY Philippine Siren . . . SY Mandarin Siren

THE BOATS The boats, which are virtually identical in appearance, are traditional Indonesian ‘gaff-rigged Phinisi’ schooners, handcrafted from ironwood and teak and are custom-made with all luxury facilities for the modern diver.  To top it all off, they have been specially outfitted with the modern underwater photographer and videographer in mind.   The SY Siren is 34 meters and takes 16 guests to ensure plenty of space for everyone.  However, she has facilities and ample room to host up to 18 guests on special charters.         She travels to several select dive locations - depending on the time of year - Komodo, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia,        and the Andaman Islands.   Her big sister, the SY Philippine Siren, is 40 meters and takes 16 guests in incredibly spacious surroundings.        Her territory includes the following Philippines regions: South Leyte, Bohol, South Visayas, Boracay and Coron.   And the little sister, the SY Mandarin Siren, set to be launched in June 2010, is 24 meters and accommodates 8 guests in 4 cabins.         Her specialty will be North Sulawesi, including the Lembeh Straits, Halmahera Island in the Maluku Islands,        along with Raja Ampat. You will find trips with available spaces on our Availability pages.  If you don't find what you're looking for, don't hesitate to contact us with questions. BOAT FEATURES 7 sails Large leisure deck area Spacious air-conditioned saloon & bar, large flat screen TV & computer server supporting the inter-cabin network Covered outdoor dining area Laundry Service, Massage Service, Boutique Nitrox is free for all certified Nitrox divers. (Or you can be certified on board) 2 high-powered Zodiacs Kayaks ACCOMMODATION 8 large air-conditioned cabins- in the Siren and Philippine Siren - with 4 cabins in the Mandarin Siren - each cabin with its own personal computer, audio-visual entertainment system and en-suite bathrooms with hot water. All cabins can be twin or double and have extras including bathrobes, hair dryers, towels, individually controlled mood lighting and individual controls for your air-conditioning.  Each cabin is fitted with an individual computer and multiple power sources to facilitate the needs of digital photography. The computer features high-end specifications and 20” high-definition flat screen, which is integrated with the yacht's network server in the saloon Workstations for the preparation and maintenance of cameras including prep and storage areas. MEALS Delicious meals, plentiful snacks and fresh fruit to meet the requirements of all whether you are vegan, vegetarian or meat-lover. The delicious dishes range from European cuisine to south-east Asian delights which will satisfy desires of all on board. Photos of the islands, the turtle and the shrimps are courtesy of Frank van der Linde. DIVING & ITINERARIES The boats all offer up to four dives per day, free enriched air nitrox, free rental scuba equipment *. Underwater photographers and videographers adore the facilities which boast plenty of charge points, preparation, storage areas and dedicated rinse tanks. You can find several photography workshops throughout the year PHILIPPINES South Visayas from Macatan to Apo Island  - Year round - 10 day/10 night trips Teeming with jacks, barracuda, sweetlips, bumphead wrasse, and turtles can all be seen, this region is also home to a clownfish city, frogfish, ornate ghost pipe fish as well as tons of other small critters. You'll also be treated to sightings of mantas and hammerheads and surrounded by flourishing corals in this Marine Sanctuary.  Southern Leyte around Bohol & including Cabilao - January to April - 10 day/10 night trips Exhilarating pelagic action here with white tip and black tip reef sharks, as well as thresher & hammerhead sharks, whale sharks and mantas.  Also Cabilao is known for some of the best diving in the Philippines, with its stunning walls covered with colorful hard & soft corals, gorgonian fans and black coral.  You can expect barracudas & tuna, frogfish, turtles, scorpion fish and pygmy seahorses.  On to top it all of, the overhangs and small caves that you will come across along the way add just an extra touch of excitement.   Borocay via Apo Reef to the wrecks of Coron -  December to February - 10 day/10 night trips Grey reef sharks, white tip reef sharks, hammerhead sharks, manta rays and eagle rays, turtles, barracuda and shoals of snapper are all possible here, while the soft and hard corals and vast variety of fish life of all types is assured.  You'll see drop offs and overhangs.  Plus . . . . twelve wrecks have so far been located in diveable depths.   Tubbataha Reef National Marine Park - March to June - 7 day/7 night trips  A National Marine Park since 1988 and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993, due to the richness of its marine life, this area boasts stunning vertical walls and drop offs rising out of great depths. The shallow reef tops are teeming with local reef fish; in many places stingrays, spiny lobsters, immature Manta Rays, turtles, Leopard Sharks and Guitar Sharks are common. The walls are covered in huge barrel sponges, gorgonian sea fans, soft corals, hydroids, black corals. In deeper water shoals of angelfish, butterfly fish, pennant fish, rainbow runners, Moorish Idols, fusiliers, jacks, snappers and sweetlips follow you around. Large trevally, tuna and barracudas well as grey reef sharks and white tip sharks patrol the area. Giant manta rays and eagle rays fly overhead and turtles and groupers large and small including Napoleon wrasse pass by. Visit our Philippines page for more info  >>> KOMODO The Siren, will be returning again to Komodo for a repeat of her highly successful ten night dive cruises to the rich, diverse and exciting waters of Komodo National Park. The water is not always warm and the seas are not always calm, in fact, you may encounter some very strong currents. But the abundance of pelagics & critters, the myriad of colors and diversity, make diving Komodo well worth the journey!  The corals in Komodo National park are healthy and the animal life ranges from big animals such as turtles, dolphins, dugong, mantas, and sharks to the tiny pygmy seahorses, nudibranchs, frog fish, and scorpion leaf fish - with virtually everything in between. Some sites are make for slow, easy, wandering dives while others will set your heart on edge! Some cruise itineraries and seasons offer warmer waters than others, but all the sites introduce you to a marine environment sporting walls, pinnacles, sandy flat bottoms, underwater plateaus, slopes, caves, swim-throughs and channels.   The Siren departs at 3pm from Bima, a short 45 minute domestic flight from Bali. We recommend that you stay in Bali the night before and after the cruise and we can help you arrange hotels and land arrangements to suit all budgets. June thru Oct is the dry season, with air temps ranging anywhere from 25 to 33 degrees C. The currents can be very changeable but you are likely to encounter strong currents at some time during the 10 day trip.   Water temp: The Flores Sea (North Komodo) tends to have a water temp of 26-28 degrees C, so although a 3mm would suffice, some guests are more comfortable in a 5mm. The Sumba Sea in the South has an average temp of 24 degrees C, but in the Southern Winter (June thru Sep) temperatures can be a lot cooler than this in some places, so here a 5mm is best,  maybe with a vest or shorty over that.  RAJA AMPAT Raja Ampat is well known amongst divers for its awesome scenery & habitat as well as for its underwater diversity . . . spectacular hard corals, soft corals and sea fans. mangroves, shallow reefs, drop offs, caves, black sand, white sand. And the fish life is pretty well uncountable in terms of the number of species - from the tiniest species, such as pygmy seahorses to massive predators.  The reefs in Raja Ampat are alive with Manta Rays, Wobbegong Sharks and Epaulette Sharks and all the critters your mind can conjure up. 50,000 sq km, with hundreds of islands and an astounding diversity of habitats, means you will experience vastly diving experiences from pelagic drift dives to magic muck dives and even some habitats that are special to Raja Ampat such as clear water mangroves with corals growing right next to them! 10 day trips will take in the very best of Raja Amapt and you can also chose 6 day North or South itineraries offering up something different on each. In addition you can do a bit of land exploration.  There's a bird watching hike on Gam Island through scenic forests, past fragile orchids growing from cracks in the stone, and finally the unforgettable experience of witnessing male birds of paradise doing their elaborate courtship dances to attract females. And if you choose, there are caving expeditions which give you an exciting look into a hidden world through a breath-taking underground experience. Keep an eye out for exotic historical artefacts and interesting remnants from World War II, such as crumbling forts and sunken bomber planes. Raja Ampat has mystery and excitement enough for a lifetime! ANDAMAN ISLANDS Frank, part owner of the Siren, has probably greater experience diving these islands than any other captain and has run numerous trips through the archipelago, bringing his guests to classic dive sites dotted through the island chain, such as Fish Rock at Passage Island with its swirling schools of Barracuda, surgeonfish, snappers and fusiliers, with occasional visits form schools of rays. The volcanic Narcondam and Barren Islands, separate from the main island chain, are surrounded by thousands of feet of clear blue water, with steep slopes amassed with huge barrel sponges, gorgonia and soft corals, and a million tropical fish.    Topside, the Andamans offer miles of deserted shoreline, abundant wildlife, and vast tracts of virgin rainforest.  The wealth of history, culture and nature make this idyllic and off the beaten track destination something quite unique in our busy modern world. PHOTOGRAPHY Specialized features for Underwater Photographers & Videographers include:  Each cabin fitted with an individual computer and multiple power sources for digital photography   Workstations for the preparation and maintenance of cameras including prep and storage areas Large rinsing tanks with fresh water changed three times daily. WHAT'S INCLUDED All meals, snacks, drinking water, tea, espresso coffee, fruit juice, soft drinks and beer are included All the boats offer up to four dives per day, free enriched air nitrox, free rental scuba equipment  BCD, regulator, consoles, bare foot fins, mask and 3mm shortie wetsuit. EXTRAS Our saloons have a cocktail bar where you can purchase wine, spirits and of course a choice of cocktails. Rental of dive computer and dive torch is 5 euro per item per day.  WHEN TO GO Clearly you have excellent choices year-round.  The boats are scheduled to be in each of their destinations at the prime time of the year for diving.  You have only to consult our Availability listings, or to contact us, to find out if and where there are available spaces when you want to go! Contact us for additional details or to book spaces.