Dan Johnson – MV Oceania – Part 2

Matt Waters  00:09

Welcome back dive buddies. And before we crack on with part two of Dan Johnson’s episode, I want to give you an amazing opportunity to join me on an unforgettable nomadic Scuba adventure diving in the Galapagos. This July, I’m heading up a week of exceptional diving on board, the Galapagos master and hitting all of those world famous dive sites. So if you’re interested in snapping up one of those last remaining spots, hit me up via WhatsApp, or follow the links in the show notes for an unbelievable adventure at an even more unbelievable price.

Hey, I’m going to I’m going to mention a name out of an island. And I’m going to edit it out. So sorry, listeners, you’re not going to you’re not going to hear it. Dan, are you talking around the location? You’re talking? Okay. Yeah. Okay.

Dan Johnson  00:56

So we normally go out. So if you’re looking at the map, there are the charts, that that is sort of nautical miles for the more we generally go diving, and yeah, I said it’s untouched, they are the island itself used to be populated, but in the 1800s, it was wiped out by smallpox. And so the locals believe it sort of a master lie at ghost Island. And no one lives there. And I have permission to divert from the local landowner. Yeah. And the diving that we’ve been fine out. There’s just been so far, it’s been really, really good.

Matt Waters  01:40

When, when to when to plan? Super excited? When do you plan to go back out there? Seriously.

Dan Johnson  01:48

I’ve got two charters, which are two itineraries put together. One is in? Oh, I have to pull that up. Give me two seconds on that. One, so I can see how the islands is because obviously, with the weather, and everything in the water temperature, fish life and everything changes. So here we are. So we’ve got the in 2024, early June. And then late October.

Matt Waters  02:30

So the early June one. That’s that’s the first one. Or the next time you gotta go down for Yeah. Yeah, do the. I mean, this is me just thinking back to two feet. There’s a big difference in mileage between 2pm where we’re talking about, but I’m assuming that area of the sea doesn’t get affected by the trade winds at that time of year then.

Dan Johnson  02:55

No, these are in doldrums. So I don’t I’m pretty sure too, because I know TV has a different wet season to what we do in kindy.

Matt Waters  03:09

Because our our shitty kind of conditions where people can’t get out on the race properly. He’s kind of end of march into April, and then right the way through to maybe September, October time.

Dan Johnson  03:21

Yeah. Which is ridiculous. Because there are doldrums. Yeah, so flat as a pancake. That’s our signature itinerary. That’s our busiest time of year. We, you know, you could fart in a bathtub and get more as I said, it’s a millpond. It’s gorgeous. You know, the weather is great. Yeah, meteorites in July, August. There are windy seasons. That’s why we run up to rebel and protect ourselves from the surface. We trade winds that come through there.

Matt Waters  04:06

Is there anyone booked on for that? June 2024 yet? No, it’s

Dan Johnson  04:12

full boat charter. That’s why I’ve been able to do it. So because we put our schedules out a couple of years in advance or, you know, getting people hassling us for 2026 and 2027. You know, so we’ve got to try and work out a itinerary beforehand for everything. By that I sit there and I have all these great ideas as I’m sat on the boat going through the charts and began Oh that girl, right that could phenomenal. So I then look through workout what I’ve got. So as I said, we will hopefully open up some more in 2025 but 23 years I said we’re very busy. because we both bought all the bookings from the last two and a half years. Yeah, so I only have two, two charters, which are fully booked for the signatory time. And that’s why I’m doing. We tos and beyond there too. Yeah.

Matt Waters  05:20

may put a put a, put a pencil on that one. How long is the trip? 4567 Keep going. That’s a nine day try 1011

Dan Johnson  05:29

Nine, nine day trip that one

Matt Waters  05:34

day trip. You know, all also say, well, we’ll talk after the show. But in all seriousness, I reckon we should do that as a Scuba HR. Not a problem. If we’re gonna go exploring. That’s what, that’s what I fucking love about diving is going out and dive in somewhere that no one else has ever died before. And just

Dan Johnson  05:55

you and me both. Yeah, yeah. Me both. Nominal. Yeah. We’ll do we’ll do the start. And the end of the trip will be pretty much the same, but said I’m looking for a four day investigation to middle of nowhere and beyond. Yeah.

Matt Waters  06:16

Yeah. I think it’s got to be done. Yes. Yeah, definitely.

Dan Johnson  06:19

100%. All right. Well, we’ll talk after the show. All right. We will pencil that one in. Yeah, we will definitely have to talk about that one. Because hopefully when I’m in the dust that the boat show, I’m going to be filling up a lot of these slots for 2024

Matt Waters  06:41

and Bucha, this month, isn’t it?

Dan Johnson  06:44

I leave on Friday. For those for those of you who don’t know what that is, or listening to like, see 19th of January I think it starts 21st of January to the 29th of January.

Matt Waters  07:00

Well Being Well, I’ll put this episode next Monday so it’ll be out before boot. But if you if you’re listening to this and going to boot and you want to go on the trip in June to some hidden reefs that have never been died before. Tough shit. I’ve got the boat

Dan Johnson  07:18

over Mitsumi words

Matt Waters  07:25

brilliant. Okay, so getting back on track. So that’s the, you know, exploratory element of that area. Are you Is there anywhere else you’re looking at?

Dan Johnson  07:38

several places back, I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you. As I said, we’re doing the south coast, which is newer, which Alan’s been opening up for several years. I would actually like to do the sort of West Coast of New Britain up round Kombi area Gloucester so if you have a combi Yeah, well, not so much Combi Gloucester so on the tip of the West tip of, of New Britain, in between CRC and New Britain, and you’ve also got Tintin. See? I can take that a while in there. I’ve been asked to go and dive

Matt Waters  08:34

I’m looking I can’t say that was me. I’ve got on boy Island, Long Island.

Dan Johnson  08:40

Yes.

Matt Waters  08:44

Island. Oh, Gloucester. Gloucester, I’ve got it.

Dan Johnson  08:47

Yep. So there’s, there’s a large island off the side there called CRC. Lovely. And then just below that Long Island is there’s different local name for it as there always is. But in between those islands and the mainland, unless you’ve got a current up to date, navigational chart. There are 1000s of bommies and Pinnacle’s, which runs through there.

Matt Waters  09:16

Yeah, yeah. Yeah. I’m just looking on Google layers. And you can see the undulations there there’s got to be so much and that’s quite that’s got a fair bit of water go through there as well.

Dan Johnson  09:28

Oh, yeah. Huge amounts of water going through their eye. I’ve actually I’ve just purchased myself a forward forward view sonar so that I can pick up reefs and fish before I hit them. Yeah, although although it’s not the what they call it Although it’s not the 3d, it’s a 3d imaging mapping of the oceans floor with this little thing that I’ve got this little sonar, forward facing sonar.

Matt Waters  10:14

It won’t go to amateur photogrammetry. That’s

Dan Johnson  10:21

fantastic. Yeah, we will try to work that one out earlier for those of you. Ah. Sorry about that.

Matt Waters  10:33

That’s all right. Yeah.

Dan Johnson  10:42

Yeah. Oh, yeah. So I’m looking, I would love to be able to get round there. And to dive up and down that channel. Again, I think they could hold something special. The biggest problem for that is getting there at the right time of year, you can get some big winds through there, some bits of sea going cross over land everything and gain having to go there. It’s a lot of work whenever you go into a new area, because the traditional landowners, as I’m sure you’re aware, every place we dive, we pay, pay the landowners for the privilege. And to keep everything friendly. So if you’re going to a new area, you have to find the right person, not just the first person who makes it out to your boat with their hand out. Because you pay the wrong person, boy, and if there’s two villages looking over the same roof, generally have to leave that one alone. Because they can start arguments between the villages. Of course, you don’t want to do anything like that. Yeah, yeah. So through that channel, there is be one of my little mountains that I’d like to explore.

Matt Waters  12:11

Yeah. And, you know, it’s, I mean, you picked up on a good point there that we’ve got to, you know, be respectful and pay the landowners. And we did the same with when I when I joined tacker, we went up into the snow reefs in those locations and visit the right villages and pay a bit of the currencies useless. It was all about the foods. So rice is great. But respectful. So it’s it’s not really something that you know, what I don’t want to do is he’s kind of overdramatize it so that people that are a bit apprehensive about Papua New Guinea because of horror stories. It’s going to be another fear factor. And it’s not intentionally perience you.

Dan Johnson  13:03

When people come out and visit the boat, they rock up in their little dugout canoes, they come out, they trade with fresh vegetables, we give them rice and packets of noodles, and salt of all things. That’s what they want. And that’s what we trade with. And they bring us these beautiful fresh vegetables. And that you’re still the kids come out and the dugouts and paddle through the Centrum. How everything on the boat and they just play and it’s a fantastic experience. And it’s completely safe. And it adds it adds to trip. For those people who sit there and go to my golf travel app. You’ll see obviously 90% of the countries of the world are marked red at the moment, the smart traveller app. It’s but yet they don’t have New York marked down as a red place. Yeah, you walk down the wrong street there, you’re gonna get mugged, whatever. It’s just about being smart. And yeah, there’s no more trouble in Papua New Guinea than there is in Australia. It’s they just like to publicise it more to keep the tourists in their own country.

Matt Waters  14:26

Yeah. Yeah. And it’s, it is an experience, you know, and it’s, it’s an experience that I’ve never had the same experience as I’ve ever had in Papua New Guinea. With regards to the people that they’re the amount of friendliness that comes from people that haven’t, you know, I’ve had kids on a dugout canoe with Mum and Dad crying in fear because I’ve seen a white guy and they think he’s a ghost and it’s me, and I have some chocolate, you know, but it adds everything’s better. Yeah, Yeah, yeah, four years later when I go back to the same village, and the same kid remembers who you are, and they come up to you and give you a big hug, like, yeah, it’s a bit different from last time. It’s brilliant. Absolutely fantastic.

Dan Johnson  15:12

It is, is truly amazing experience. One of the things that I do up there on the way to Ireland’s there, although Papa New Guinea is very rich in natural resources, a lot of the money doesn’t trickle down from the government’s health care and education. It’s severely lacking. One of the local villages where we diver and I’ve been diving around for many years. There’s a beautiful school there, and a church, we often go up and visit them. I do a donation, pass a hat round at the end of it type of thing. And we’ve been filling their library with books, getting soccer balls, and we went out one day, they’ve got plastic bags wrapped up with a bit of tape. And that’s what they were playing their school football competition with. So we went out and bought a footballs and the to the kids, they’re very, very shy at the beginning, but they’ll come over there. Take your hand, and you’ll have the most marvellous conversation. They’ll show you around your laugh. You’ll be laughing giggling the afternoon away. And they are beautiful people. Yeah, there’s no no other place like it in the world. And so we do our little bits.

Matt Waters  16:43

Yeah, it’s awesome. I can’t wait to get back there. Yeah. Now, so. Yeah, yeah, June 20/24. We’re doing we’re doing Galapagus this year. So we need we need a biggie for next year. So it’s all good.

Dan Johnson  17:00

We’ll be as big as you need us.

Matt Waters  17:03

Yeah, awesome. Okay, so I mean, if people are listening to this, and they’re not enticed to go to Papua New Guinea already, then well, you’re barking and you’re not at diver. But you need your head read in. Yeah, in your opinion. Dan, what’s the what’s the primary reason that anyone should visit Papua New Guinea to go dive in

Dan Johnson  17:34

the primary reason to go diving is the touch drifts the

17:40

it’s

Dan Johnson  17:43

to just pick one reason is very difficult because it’s it’s a whole experience. From beautiful resorts to short boat trips. To phenomenal diving warm water. You get people come along with five mil wetsuit, so you just laugh at me. It’s all right. But I get really cold. It’s okay, but you’ll also get really pissed off to be put in that wet suit on four times a day. Normally by dive too, I’ve convinced everyone to put on a pair of shorts or Raschi just go natural. Take a few whites off and enjoy the diving the photography over there is amazing from the macro to the wide angle in just to pinpoint one thing is impossible.

Matt Waters  18:43

I percent agree. Absolutely impossible. Bit of a trip

Dan Johnson  18:50

is so so big. You can go wreck diving in Ribault. You can go and see the Manta rays in Milan Bay. You can go and see pristine reefs in Kimbie by frogfish in everywhere Milan. Black volcanic sands map diving off its head and generally no rubbish in the water. Yeah, it is amazing Lee Boyd, clean. I worked in the Solomons for two years and I will never badmouth the Solomons by any stretch of the imagination. But there’s got to be some current which runs through there which pulls a lot of plastic into the environment. In fact, I should edit this bit out because you know, and it was one of the things I didn’t notice when I was there, you know, is the amount of plastic we generally don’t have that. You know, you very rarely see it Plastic bags floating past you anyway in Papua New Guinea. It’s great.

Matt Waters  20:08

To be honest, I’m difficult to I can’t think of any. I can’t think of any dives off the top of my head where I’ve ever seen rubbish in the water in Papua New Guinea. And I was only there for 11 months. Well, five times Yeah. Yeah. Oh, yeah. Yeah, you jump in at a port or something. You gotta get rubbish for sure. But the open ocean? Yeah. Hey, let’s, let’s try. Let’s try the questions. The questions that have been put together for season four. Now what I’m going to do, ladies and gents is each episode. Throughout this year’s season. I’ve formulated just 10 questions, some of coming from people through Facebook and Instagram and Tiktok and the like. But the same 10 questions are going to be asked of every guest. And let’s just see what they come up with a question one, how do you describe your job as an owner stroke captain and stroke divers stroke, man living his life to people who are not familiar with your activity?

Dan Johnson  21:21

Exhausting. Exciting, there is no other job in the world that I would rather be doing. It’s amazing. Like, every day is an adventure. You know?

Matt Waters  21:47

That’s the perfect reason that go diving on your boat when you’re living life. Yeah, yeah. Okay, question two. Can you share a memorable diving experience that stands out to you as the best you’ve ever had?

Dan Johnson  22:00

Yes. Okay. Actually. That would be my fourth Open Water diver. Ever. First time I ever saw Whaleshark. Get out of it. Where I did my open water for five foot Water diver think it was Champon Nichols. We had a Whaleshark swim through. And of course, I thought that you would see them on every single dime that you would ever go on. Yeah, yeah.

Matt Waters  22:35

May I the reason I’m laughing is that our mutual friend? You guys used to work together, Adam. Yep. He was on his fifth dive his first his very first fun dive after doing his open water on Koh Tao with an instructor mate of mine and I was in the water as a dive master leading some guests and he saw his first Whaleshark action pumpernickel

Dan Johnson  22:58

I did not know that Adam shared the same experience of me. Brilliant. Brilliant. Yeah.

Matt Waters  23:07

Okay, question three. If someone wanted to pursue a career similar to yours in diving, conservation or science, what advice would you give them?

Dan Johnson  23:18

Start with a lot of money. The quickest way to become rich in diving or to become millionaire in diving is to start with 3 million if you want to pursue a career in diving My advice would be go go to somewhere that you love. And don’t get stuck in sort of doing intros every single day if that’s not what you like. I I’ve had lots of different periods of my dive instructing career from small business owner to instructor teaching full time classes to doing intros 1000s of intros off boats to work on the dive Liveaboards around the world, and then to owning my own to dive manager and then to only my own dive liveaboard find the niche that suits you. And that makes you happy, because it’s not an easy job. You work very long hours for very little money. But the life experience is epic, beyond and is more rewarding than I believe any other job is out there.

Matt Waters  24:58

Well said Sir Well, Sir A question for if you could change anything about the diamond industry, or Scuba diving in general, what would it be?

Dan Johnson  25:11

I put more love into the world. It’s as a business. It’s very cutthroat. It really is. There’s, you know, very people are very protective over their area. There’s only a finite divers travelling the world and can go to these areas. It would be nice if everyone could just play nicely and respect each other in just a bit more respect to other business owners. And as we have in Papua New Guinea, we’re very lucky with Papa New Guinea and diver sociation. It makes us all play very nicely.

Matt Waters  25:56

Good, good. Question five. What are your thoughts on ways to minimise human impact on the oceans?

Dan Johnson  26:06

Stop making plastic bags every time you go to the supermarket guys. Take your own

Matt Waters  26:13

done. Okay, question number six. Has your passion for diving or the industry itself changed over time? And if so, how?

Dan Johnson  26:23

Yes, my diving has my attitude towards diving has changed over the years. I remember, probably six, seven years ago, I wouldn’t get in the water without a camera. I felt that I’d done that many dives, I taught that many people. And I wanted a new challenge. And I challenged myself by becoming an underwater photographer. And as anyone who’s ever taken a camera underwater can tell you it’s not as easy as taking a picture of a tree on the land. And so I got really fixated and I wouldn’t enjoy my dive unless I had my camera with ya. And so I put myself in that photographer category. And just see it all the time on the boat. People just don’t enjoy their dive. If they don’t have their camera with them. If they’ve had a problem with it, rings gone ahead, a piece of sands flooded or something like that. You know how easily it’s done. And then they sit on the boat and just mope. Slow, I mean, I travelled Africa with my flaming camera, and I need to get in the water of half a dozen times. And it’s a big setup, double handles to three bloody stripes off and all the rest of it. And none of it’s none of this new compact stuff that they have nowadays, which seems to do a much better job. And I worked my way out of that. And it’s been the best thing for me, because jumping in the water. Now for me is very much back to basics. I go down there. And just to look at the fish has to go and I take in so much more. So I no longer consider myself a photographer by any stretch of the imagination. I jump in the water, I’ll blow bubbles for 45 minutes, and I’m in my happy place. It’s insane. To me. I’m surrounded by some of the most amazing scenery in the world. And you only capture that much of it through the viewfinder. And you miss everything else which is going on around you. Yeah. And so that’s how my diving has changed. And I I enjoy diving a lot more than I did when I was a photographer. Yes, so that’s the way my diving has changed.

Matt Waters  29:08

For a while I can feel you on that one. I mean, I’m one of those that carries a big ass camera as well. And I always have to have a camera with me on the dive. But on occasion like we’ve just come back from Nusa Penida. And on occasion I’ve gone in the water and I’ve had it I forgot to take a lens cap off or release the auto ship. And you think fucking I’ll just got to drag this thing around now. And I really enjoyed the dive because it’s just been, you know, a lump that I’ve been carrying around and not focusing on. So yeah, I completely understand where you’re coming from them.

Dan Johnson  29:40

Yeah, yeah, I said it’s revolutionised my diving. And don’t get me wrong. I love photographers. I think you guys are awesome. We have awesome photography. But put it down, leave it on the boat for a couple of dives. And just go out and enjoy the scenery. Take mental pictures like we used to, you know,

Matt Waters  30:01

that’s it. That’s the best pitchers in the world, isn’t it? The ones in the end?

Dan Johnson  30:05

Yeah. 100%. I mean, I still remember, for example, how many people remember phone numbers these days, they have mobile phones, no one remembers them. But as a kid before a mobile phone, I still remember my very first phone number, which was the landline. And I remember my friend’s phone number, and my neighbor’s phone number, and etc, etc. And we did this with our heads. And I said, Yes, and I put

Matt Waters  30:35

your top five phone numbers that you’re going to call if you are in the shit and you ID 110 pants for using the phone box because no one had a mobile phone yet to find a phone box.

Dan Johnson  30:45

That’s fine to find a box, little red box, you know, very much to try and try and find one which didn’t smell like pee around my area was amazing. Yeah. Yah, yah, yah, I spent on sweets. Moving on.

Matt Waters  31:03

Number seven, is there a particular conservation effort that you are particularly passionate about? And if so, which one and why?

Dan Johnson  31:15

Oh, I like turtles. You know, listeners doing a great job of breeding turtles. And releasing them down the concept islands, they also have turtle rehabilitation there, I believe is great part of the ecosystem because of human influence. They are on the decline. From a fantastic food source, I still have a very good recipe for one in my survival at sea book, they tell you, if you can catch one, it’s a great way to survive in a life raft. So still customary foods in Australia, through the Torres Strait Islands. And still a food source in Papua New Guinea, as well. So and the other thing is, the plastic as the numbers are dwindling all around the world. I think it’s something that we need to focus quite heavily on to keep this part of the ecosystem moving

Matt Waters  32:31

here and, and from listening is coming on the show. She was we meant to be chatting the other day, but she’s got malaria at the moment. So not feeling too good. But she’ll be coming on the show to talk all about the excellent work that they’re doing listening there with the turtle sanctuaries.

Dan Johnson  32:48

Yeah, they are doing a very good job up there with it.

Matt Waters  32:54

Okay, number eight of the many safety procedures we have in the industry. If you had to choose one as the most important, what would it be?

Dan Johnson  33:04

Buddy System. For many years, I’d swim around and say yes, my camera is my buddy. And my camera never really helped me out of dodgy situations. They got me in a few dodgy situations as many people will tell you carry cameras. You know, buddy systems are good system. It’s good to die for a friend. Something goes wrong. You’ve always got air. There’s always someone out there who can help you. Or at least raise the alarm. So the buddy system be probably the most important safety system. For me in the diving world.

Matt Waters  33:45

Gotcha. And there’s there’s a lot of people that kind of forget that nowadays. You see them stretching out and the buddies become 1520 metres away. Well, if you’ve just breathed out and there’s nothing left in your tank, it’s a long way to swim when there’s no air in there and no oxygen. Yeah, I hear ya. Okay, number nine. What are your top five bucket list destinations? And you can’t say Papua New Guinea, Papua New Guinea, Papua New Guinea

Dan Johnson  34:18

Okay, can I say small parts of New Guinea? No. Okay.

Matt Waters  34:24

I’ll let you have to.

Dan Johnson  34:29

Well, I’ve dubbed a lot of puppy Guinea. Obviously, it’s high on a lot of people’s bucket lists. It would still be on mine except I’m there and I’m doing it. So for me probably the place I would like to get in the water the most would be the Bikini Atoll. I like a bit of rec diving. I’ve already done truck lagoon. So that’s obviously off the bucket list. I’ve done Solomons which has phenomenal wrecks through there. and dump up New Guinea the wreck there. So bikini is the place that I would really like to go and see where they detonated in the fleet. Yeah, I would even go out and do a rebreather course for that one. The only way you get me diving on those things that earlier, but yeah, I would do that for the bikini at all. Got to be Rajaram Pat’s always in there for everybody the Forgotten islands. I know they do the transits up and down there that. I’d like to see why. Why people say it’s as good as Papua New Guinea. Some people even say it’s better. I can’t believe it.

Matt Waters  35:50

Yeah, I’m on the fence on that one, mate. I’ve done both. And I’m really, really on the fence. I don’t believe I’ve seen the best of Roger. And I don’t believe I’ve seen the best of Papua New Guinea, but I’ve seen a lot of Papua New Guinea and Rogers got to step the game up if they’re going to overtake png for me.

Dan Johnson  36:10

Yeah, yeah. Nicely. Yeah. Yeah. So I want to go see what the competition’s offering. And, yeah, why people would spend three days on a plane to get there. Instead of a day out of Australia to Papa New Guinea, but anyway, sardine run

Matt Waters  36:33

out of it. It’s fucking amazing.

Dan Johnson  36:38

Yeah, is it? What’s his name? Amos nachos. Michos. Does big fish expeditions. Famously his own lunchtime. He runs a lot of the Saudi charters over there. And he’s always sending emails through to us. And it is something that I would love to go and see to be in a bin that byteball Just to say everything, from

37:10

anything to everything come through and hit it, it would be amazing.

Matt Waters  37:15

I’m sure he does a fantastic job. But if you end up deciding to possibly go to South Africa to do the sardine run, hit me up first. And I’ll put you in touch with Debbie Smith and Rob Nettleton. Who own What the bloody hell do they call it offshore Africa, out of Port St. John’s. And this is who I was setting up expeditions with and then COVID hit. I met them when I was out there doing the sardine run, input port, St. John’s, and Debbie, and Rob are just, they’re at the top of their game. You just can’t get better divers and people behind the mask team. They went well, they’ve been with Debbie, Debbie and Rob now twice. Phenomenal people, they know exactly what they’re doing. So I’ll give you those. In fact, I’ll send you the details. Just compare them to whoever you want to go with because for me, they’re up here. You know, they’re

Dan Johnson  38:15

pretty tight that Oh, quite happy to take that recommendation. Yeah. Be very, yes. said I’ll get there. All right. Next one. Galactica. So suppose I lived in Mexico for 1415 months, and I never got to the other side of the country. And it’s got to be Darwin, Wolf. Possibly the only way you get in a dry suit again? Yeah. Yes.

Matt Waters  38:53

Yeah, you don’t actually need the dry so

Dan Johnson  38:57

I come from 32 degrees.

Matt Waters  39:03

I was I was actually amazed by we’ve got the expedition, which was initially for 2020. And then COVID Obviously hit so it’s been delayed and delayed. But we’re going this July, and there’s still a couple of spaces left on it. I was amazed. You know, I’m apparently out at 2020 prices and people aren’t snapping it up. It’s like, what are you thinking people? You know, they want to pay? What is it six and a half, seven grand now, as opposed to the 5859 that I’m advertising. Okay. Yeah.

Dan Johnson  39:33

Unbelievable. What are the dates? Yeah, we’ll talk about that one after the show, mate. Get if I can get a fly Fly me but I might join. Yeah, that’s fantastic. I can’t believe people aren’t jumping at that. Level. What At what point are you guys?

Matt Waters  40:02

Master Liveaboards?

Dan Johnson  40:04

Master Master fleet? Yeah. Fair enough. Okay, good operation.

Matt Waters  40:12

Yeah, well, my mates, my mates the manager over in Thailand. So, you know, whenever we’ve he’s been a great help going through the COVID period where people have been, you know, getting staged and all that kind of thing he’s just been lucky enough to keep pushing back and pushing back and, and holding the prices so that you know, we don’t get staged in another way. So quite a few people drop out and it’s given me the boys afforded me the opportunity to be able to return almost all of their money, which is fantastic.

Dan Johnson  40:42

So some said they certainly know how to look after people I believe that’s what all companies should have done or hopefully have done through this tough period because it hasn’t just affected the diet companies. It’s affected everybody agents and people who put the trips together and yeah, we we’ve done what we can and yeah All right, last one. I want to go to Cuba garden

Matt Waters  41:16

okay.

Dan Johnson  41:21

The number five always get sort of chopped and people talk things up on the boat. And trust me my bucket list has never been as long as it is now. Because I thought oh great. I work in the industry. I’ll travel I’ll knock a few days off. But then you get meet people and that’s fantastic. Oh my god at Christmas Island I want to see the Manta rays and Whaleshark Since March the crabs that could possibly touch the top the gardens and the queen. But the bucket list never has never got any shorter and I think at the moment with the lockdown sort of this is his longest it’s ever been just get him expect five has been very very cruel. I don’t know how you get away with it. But yeah, God, I think God is the queen. Yeah, I I’ve heard some really good things about it. I know it’s the Caribbean and its Caribbean. But I’d like to see what everyone’s talking about. Yeah, yeah, again, don’t get me wrong. There’s said this, the Manta rays and Whale sharks in our Christmas item with the march of the crabs. In the Indian Ocean, I was booked up to go over to Sri Lanka to do the blue Whale experience. Back in 2020. And of course myself, I want to go to Tonga and do the spoon. There is too much on the bucket list. In fact, yeah. Yeah. Okay, move on. Is there another question that we can

Matt Waters  43:11

there is one more question. area. Incidentally, you can keep your ears open for a future episode by Desmond Lee on diving in Timor Leste day for the blue whales. Oh, then yes, we will be doing an expedition there at some point. Okay, final question. A relatively easy one, I think but you never know. But how would you describe the dive community to a non diver,

Dan Johnson  43:42

the light birdwatchers who like to blow bubbles. Okay fascinating bunch. It’s good thing. Everyone has something in common. So when you get on a boat, if you’ve got coming along as a single or just not as a full group booking you’re just booking on as individuals and things like that. You can make friends, you there. Instantly. Everybody has something in common. Everyone’s welcoming. Everyone’s open. There’s, it’s not a huge on a liveaboard is not a huge drinking thing. You know, get people we’re going to drink lots and lots and lots and then they might have a couple of beers a night, maybe the free glass of wine at dinner. That’ll be it. But then they’ll sit down and they’ll go through the fish books and help everyone out and everyone’s got there’s that first icebreaker and so yeah, that’s a friendly bunch. Always a good laugh and very easy to meet new people. You know, bless it is petty. Meet people We’ll go places and do things underwater. It’s true. It is. It is really true. As an instructor, watching the end of the video always used to drive me nuts because they would

45:14

just be sitting there going, What a load of rubbish.

Dan Johnson  45:17

I can’t emphasise how true it is I’ve met 1000s and 1000s of people because of the job that I do and love.

Matt Waters  45:28

Yeah, I think it’s a great, I think it’s a great balance. So it’s a great it knocks down huge fences, because it doesn’t matter what you do in career or success. If you’re on Liveaboards are the best example. Because you’re on a boat. There’s nowhere to run and hide apart from your cabin. And you’ve got to talk and because you’re talking about something and doing something that everybody’s passionate about, everyone’s got that that level playing field, and you become equal.

Dan Johnson  45:58

Yeah, 100% knocks down all barriers, you know? Yeah, I’ve said there’s takes down all barriers altogether, unless you kick upside in front of the photographer, and they’ll never forgive you.

Matt Waters  46:12

And then that barrier just becomes a two mile wall. And you’re never going to get across ever again in your life.

Dan Johnson  46:21

To say, well, we’ll have similar size, you’d have to go to China.

Matt Waters  46:27

Brilliant. Brilliant. Right. I think, Dan, we’ve been babbling on for quite some time now. And whippersnapper man’s probably going to start again after his coffee break. I think we’ll wrap it up and and move it on. So I can just say. Thank you so much for coming on the show, man. It’s been an absolute pleasure meeting you long last. And I look forward to many ventures, hopefully many adventures, especially exploring and see what the future holds.

Dan Johnson  47:00

Yeah, as I said, it’s, it’s all up up and down. Yeah, thank you ever so much for having me on the show. It’s been great to talk about everything that’s going on with the company and Papa New Guinea, especially. As I said, I would like to see you on the boat. And if not, I might be seeing you in the Galapagos. You never know.

Matt Waters  47:31

Fingers crossed. That’s it for episode two folks. We hope you enjoyed the adventure and stay tuned for more exciting episodes to come. Remember, your support means a lot to us. So like follow share on whichever platforms is your go to and until next time.