Solitude One

Solitude One, a 52-meter (171-foot) steel-hulled vessel, was transformed into a stunning diving yacht. She offers 7 & 10 day programs diving the best of the Philippines.

A word from Dom : “The transformation of this vessel from her life as the very popular, but very basic, Big Blue, to her new incarnation as the luxurious Solitude One, has been a a fantastic success. She now spends part of the year in Palau and part in the Philippines. I haven’t been out to visit her since her make-over but our clients bring home glowing words of praise. She’s highly recommended”….. Dominick Macan

ON BOARD SOLITUDE ONE

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A NEW LIFE FOR A CLASSIC VESSEL

This vessel spent years of her life known as Big Blue, a beloved dive liveaboard in the days when there were few liveaboards to choose from … and they were all pretty basic & diving was true adventure. With the advent of more glamorous competition, Blue underwent a complete makeover to become the luxury diving yacht now known as Solitude One.

She offers 10 cabins which can accommodate 22 divers. The huge sun deck offers a partially covered area with lounge chairs for your “lazing about” hours. Just below, on the upper (bridge) deck, you’ll find unique & immensely inviting open-air dining & lounge area which is used for most meals (the exceptions being if weather is inclement). Walk to the forward deck for a soak in the Jacuzzi.

On the main deck, is the cozy & welcoming interior lounge & dining room with reading library and audio-video system, card & board games, plus coffee, tea and water which are available all day. Forward on this deck are two large staterooms, while at the stern you find the substantial dive deck and boat deck space which can also be easily modified for major exploration expeditions. The huge & exceptionally well-furnished camera room is located mid-ship between the lounge & the staterooms. The remaining cabins are all located on the lower deck.

Meals are plentiful and professionally prepared, special needs are happily accommodated given advance notice, and the bar offers an excellent supply of spirits, wines and beers.

LAYOUT & SPECS

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DECK PLAN

SUN DECK
(not pictured)

BRIDGE DECK

MAIN DECK

LOWER DECK

SPECIFICATIONS

DIVING SKIFFS, AIR, NITROX

DIVE SKIFFS

2 x 11.5m (37ft) Fiberglass Purpose-Built Boats (one with Twin 200HP and the other Twin 150HP 4-stroke Outboard Engines)
PALAU, PHILIPPINES and Ocean Crossings

SUPPORT SKIFF
1 x 8.3m (27ft) Fiberglass Monohull with single 60HP 4-Stroke Engine

AIR COMPRESSORS
3 x Bauer HP Compressor IK120 with Bauer B-Kool 680-s Air Cooler Filtered by P41 Centralized System

NITROX MEMBRANE SYSTEM
LP450 Nitrox Membrane (with redundant LP-Screw compressor)

ENRICHED AIR NITROX DIVING
EANx 28 to 30% Only (This is to provide a more suitable M.O.D for dive sites)

SAFETY EQUIPMENT

Safety is paramount in Solitude’s operations. Besides equipping the vessel to be compliant with GMDSS with Automatic Identification System (AIS), the crew are constantly trained to meet the international marine insurers surveyors standards to execute all the required emergency and non emergency procedures. Diving skiffs are also equipped with first aid kits and medical oxygen (when used for SCUBA activities). In addition, there are additional supplies of both on board Solitude One. The skiffs are high powered and can attain speeds necessary in case the need arises to quickly evacuate to the nearest medical and/or hyperbaric chamber if the boat is close to an available chamber.

USE OF NAUTILUS LIFELINE AIS : Available to use if required/requested (complimentary)

DIVE GUIDES Ratio 1 to 6 Divers (Private Guide Service available** 150USD per Diving Day)

SURFACE MARKER BUOY : complimentary

AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE ON-BOARD Surface Marker Buoy (OPV, SOLAS Reflector), Nautilus Lifeline GPS/VHF Radio (with Pouch), Spools, Dive Pointers, Drift Hooks, O-rings, Hoses and other common replaceable spares. {/sliders}

ITINERARIES

Solitude One spends part of the year in Palau (October through March) and part of the year in the Philippines (April through September). In the Philippines, the boat offers diving in the most popular regions including Malapascua, Tubbataha, Verde, Romblon & Ticao, Trips are 7 or 10 days.. {slider View the highlights of these trips and an itinerary map..….. open|dest|closed} The final itinerary is, of course, always dependant upon weather, sea conditions and where the best animal sightings are at any particular time of year

7-night sample itinerary – TUBBATAHA REEFS

Day 1 – no diving
embarkation (Puerto Princesa) begins from 1400Hrs … dinner is included. Solitude One will get underway towards Tubbataha Reef National Park at sunset (estimated time of travel is 10 hours)

Day 2, 3 & 4 – 3 or 4 dives daily,
North & South Atoll. As dive sites in Tubbataha Reefs are in close proximity, dive sites will be scheduled based on tides/currents as well as communicating with other liveaboards in the vicinity to avoid overcrowding a particular dive site.

Day 5 & 6 – 3 or 4 dives daily,
North Atoll & Jessie Beazley Reef. As dive sites in Tubbataha Reefs are in close proximity, dive sites will be scheduled based on tides/currents as well as communicating with other liveaboards in the vicinity to avoid overcrowding a particular dive site. Your last dive has to conform to our 18 hours no‐fly/no‐altitude policy.

Solitude One will get underway towards Puerto Princesa (estimated time of travel is 9 hours) after the scheduled final night dive in Jessie Beazley Reef.

Day 7 ‐ No diving,

After a big breakfast, you will disembark at 11:00am in Puerto Princessa

PHILIPPINES MAP

DIVE SITE MAP

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READ ABOUT PHILIPPINES DIVING

TRAVEL & CRUISE LOGISTICS

All Philippines departures are from the destination’s nearest port, usually Puerto Princessa or Cebu but check with us before booking your domestic flights. The Solitude One crew are happy to pick you up from the airport and take you to the vessel. Transfer times are usually short. Domestic flights are easy in the Philippines with any number of airline choices. Upon trip confirmation we will send you a list of ideal departures from Manila.

Embarkation at the harbor of Puerto Princesa starts from 14:00 (2pm). Only transfers from Puerto Princesa Domestic Airport are included in the cruise package. Hotel/resort transfers to the embarkation point can be organised by Solitude with a 3rd party transportation company but will be subject to charges. Upon boarding Solitude One, a welcome from the rest of our crew awaits you.

At the end of the voyage, after a big breakfast, you will disembark at 11:00am in Puerto Princessa.