BIKINI ATOLL: FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How do we get to Kwajalein?

The best thing to do is do a google search for Kwajalein (KWA) and find exactly where it is. There are 2 ways to get to Kwaj. One is through Guam heading East and the other is heading west from Honolulu. Normally if you are coming from the US then you will probably want to come via Honalulu. If you are coming from Ozz, and most of Europe then the Guam option might work best for you. Continental Airlines is the only flight operator that works the Marshal Island routes.

Flying in via Guam

If you are wanting to come via Guam then onto Kwaj. The only problem here is that from Guam to Kwajalein (7:15hrs) you will be on the “milk run” where the plane will stop at least three times (Guam-Truk-Pohnpei-Kosrae-kwaj) Flights will come in on a Monday, Wednesday and Thursday ( based in 2025 flight schedules shown below – but these United schedules change without notice so be aware).

Flying in via Honalulu

Flying from Honalulu has its advantages as there are only 1 stop (Majuro) taking 6:55hrs to Kwaj. Your flight will come in on Tuesday, Thursday and Fridays ( be careful, when you leave Honolulu it will be the day before as you cross the date line)

What sort of Visas do I need?

PLEASE ensure that you have all the appropriate visa requirements. We take no responsibility for any omission of appropriate documentation for travel through the respective countries to get to Bikini Atoll. If you get caught at the airport for any reason, be it passport, visa or other problems  we will not be able to hold the boat for any length of time as there are 8 other people onboard so it will pay to ensure that you have all the right requirements. Entering Kwajalein is quite different from any other airport you would have experienced. At the time of writing no visa is needed to enter Ebeye Island.

What medical support is on the vessel?

There is a fully operational twin lock Recompression chamber onboard which will be activated in the event of a suspected DCI incident. We also bring our own Hyperbaric Physician on all our trips. It is totally your decision what you want to do if you find yourself in a DCI incident. You will have to complete and agree with the terms of being treated onboard.

Air retrieval from Bikini is a difficult and often time consuming procedure. Which will entail at least a 30 hour transit back to Kwajalein for medivac.

What are the risks on a trip like this?

The problem is that most of the best dive sites in the world are also the most isolated! Bikini, is probably THE most isolated place on the planet. Once we steam out of Kwaj and hit Bikini, we will be a minimum of 25-30 hours steam time back to “civilization” This is why I have chosen to bring a Hyperbaric Physician with me on all my trips, its not just Diving emergencies but also medical ones too! We will have a comprehensive medical emergency kit (we can’t take your appendix out bit will have the gear to attend to fairly large medical emergencies or the smaller ones that can easily become large problems if unattended) So with this in mind you really need to pay special attention to looking after yourself. If you have any question about your health or need special attention with your health needs, this trip is probably not for you. Please read this https://petemesley.com/lust4rust/bikini-atoll/remote-location-diving/

The dive trip leader has the ultimate decision whether people dive or not and taken in the interests of safety of oneself and others onboard. We are all out for a great, safe time and as long as people don’t abuse safe diving practices and the rules set forth for such trips we will have a great time!

Check out dive

If we just steamed directly to Bikini we would arrive late afternoon the next day so what we normally do is spend the day diving the Prinz Eugen German Light Cruiser in Kwajalein. This will give us an opportunity to check any gear needs.

It is really imperative to ensure that you are ready for such a trip before you come so if you have any questions regarding your level of skills and training please contact us. That way, when everyone comes on these trips they are all well prepared thus having a great, safe time onboard.  We will get into Bikini late afternoon the next day ready for diving first thing the next morning.

This is without a shadow of a doubt the trip of a lifetime. But it does come with a massive warning. This is not a small trip, we are onboard a boat out at sea for 14 days travelling at least 250 miles to and from Bikini each way. We will be in some of the most isolated waters on the planet. Satellite phones and sat internet so please think very hard before committing to this trip. So you will need to be comfortable on boats.

Life onboard a boat for 13 days

The Indies Surveyor is a working vessel fir for purpose as an ocean going technical support boat. It is comfortable and spacious with lots of space for gear, relaxing etc. Accommodation is 4 double rooms. All very clean and tidy shared shower and toilet facilities.Seeing that all accomodation is shared with another person, if you are a light sleeper it will be a very good idea to bring a good set of ear plugs or sound proof earphones!!!!). Seasoned liveaboard divers have this as part of their essential kit!

Dive stations will be allocated to everyone and this is where they will keep dive gear for the duration of the trip. There will also be facilities for cameras etc etc.

Is there internet or phone access onboard?

In Bikini we couldn’t be more isolated so everything that you take for granted at home is a major when we are out to sea. There is Starlink Internet access and a satellite phone if you need it.  Satellite telephone calls are $3.50 per minute.You have access to the outside world ( if you want to!)

Where do we leave from?

All trips will leave from Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands. The vessel we will be using will meet us in Kwaj. Seeing that Kwaj is a US missile testing base prepare to go through an intensive customs clearance. The flight will normally get into Kwaj late afternoon. We will clear customs, then get escorted in vans a short distance away to the ferry terminal to take us to Ebeye island a short boat ride away. You will be greeted by a Lust4Rust representative at the ferry terminal ( we aren’t allowed to go any further into the base)

Once we load up the Surveyor, we will stow gear and start steaming towards Bikini. After safety briefings, procedures and protocol, we will have a presentation on the history and diving the wrecks of Bikini with stunning pictures to get you even more excited about what is in store for you! The trip to Bikini is 240 nautical miles so it will take 26-30 hours to get there. With conditions normally calm you will have time to get your gear all assembled and checked prepared for diving. We expect to arrive late afternoon the next day. We will also be dragging lures, so if you like susumi and the freshest Tuna, then you are in for a massive treat!

Then we will steam overnight to Bikini to get into the mooring in the small hours of the morning – ready for business the next day!! Then

we will get up early, have breakfast and head out diving.

Proposed Itinerary

Day 1 Arrival, board, safety briefing, steam for Bikini

Day 2 Steaming towards Bikini (get in late afternoon)

Day 3 DIVING in BIKINI

Day 4 DIVING in BIKINI

Day 5 DIVING in BIKINI

Day 6 DIVING in BIKINI

Day 7 DIVING in BIKINI

Day 8 DIVING in BIKINI

Day 9 DIVING in BIKINI

Day 10 DIVING in BIKINI

Day 11 DIVING in BIKINI leave midday

Day 12 Travel back to Kwaj getting back late in the evening

Day 13 Fly out of Kwaj or overnight in Ebeye Island

How much is the trip going to cost me?

Ex Kwajalein sailing to Bikini onboard the liveaboard, for 13 days (9 days diving) $10620.00us

What is included on the trip?

ALL diving

ALL food, soft drinks and accommodation on board the Indies Surveyor

ALL air fills,

ALL use of deco stage tanks (with stage clips etc)

What are gas costs and consumables going to cost me?

O2 will cost $0.06us a litre

Helium will cost $0.40us a litre

797 8-12mesh sorb $20us/kg

All this needs to be sorted onboard so it is advisable to bring enough cash for this.

CCR tank hire $220

Are there any additional costs?

Gratuities – This is totally up to you on the trip but what we normally do is each put in $200 for the crew. This simplifies things. Everyone is dedicated to ensuring that you have the best experience possible!! If you want to give more than this is up to you. Also alcohol is extra.

Whats the boat like?

The vessel that we will be using is the Indies Trader “Surveyor”. A 25 meter long 200 ton vessel built for the ocean. Your accommodation is 4 twin share rooms with full aircon. The ship is spacious comfortable and stable, with plenty or room for gear, camera gear etc etc

It has 2 toilets and showers, washing machine and drier. All linen and towels are supplied. Unlimited water, soft drinks food. You wont go hungry!

How many dives will we do?

We will be diving for 9 days the vessel will be moored over the wrecks during the day so we can get into the water when ever you want. Most places will say – “Unlimited Diving” but in reality the majority of the diving will be 50-60m stuff so realistically you will only probably manage a max of 2 a day. Remember absolute care must be taken to ensure your health and safety in such a remote place. You do your own dive planning, we will be on the moorings at 8:00am and last person needs to be out the water no later than 5:00pm. There is a minimum of 4 hour surface interval between dives.

What about runtimes on dives?

If you want to do 3 hour runtimes, then we will simply plan for it! There are no restrictions in run times (within reason!). The thing that we take very seriously is safety so when considering your extended dive times, safety of yourself and others needs to be of the highest priority. Remember that we are so isolated. So we aim  to find a balance between having a great extended dive and a safe one! So by keeping with the 4 hour minimum surface interval if you choose to do a long bottom time in the morning, your afternoon dive will be cut short in order to keep with the 5:00pm exit.

Will there be opportunity to land on the island to have a good walk around?

Absolutely! The island is rich with historical bunkers, pristine beaches and you will really enjoy a good walk around. This will normally occur in the afternoons after diving operations.

We will almost certainly have one or two BBQ’s on the island over the course of the trip.

What about Dive Insurance and safety onboard?

Safety is our highest priority and with this in mind we are taking steps to increase diver safety in this isolated area. As with any trip DAN insurance is essential. Even though there is a chamber onboard, DAN cant recommend anyone to be treated in the chamber until it has been authorised by them and basically at divers own risk. So obviously we are working tirelessly to get this

done. We will have a doc on every trip with a comprehensive medical kit.

How do I secure my spot?

Because of the nature of liveaboards if one person cancels their trip, then this puts a huge amount of pressure financially on us. With that said, a 25% non  refundable deposit is needed ($2600us) A received deposit will only secure your spot once monies have been paid. Unfortunately we cant hold spots for people, a deposit will secure your spot. An additional 25% is needed 12 months before the trip goes. The remainder of the monies is needed 6 months before the departure dates. If you book within 6 months then full monies are needed. Please read our cancelation policy before you book on and if you have any questions PLEASE don’t hesitate to contact me.

What training and experience do I need?

90% of the wrecks are all deep wrecks in the 45-60m range so therefore minimum level of training for Open circuit divers is Extended Range diver (max depth 50m) or normoxic trimix diver (60m) for CCR. For CCR divers you will need the rating on the unit that you will be diving with plus an up to date log book detailing your experience in these depth areas. With taking into regards industry standard max depth on AIR diluent is 40 meters. Because of the nature of these trips, we will need the contact details of your instructor who took you for your highest diver rating. Please note that we are not out to judge people, just try and get a good idea of where you are at. I am sure that you understand how awkward it will be if someone comes on a trip who don’t posses the training, skills and experience to undergo such diving activities. It will certainly put everyone at risk reducing enjoyment and increase stresses onboard. So I really appreciate your understanding with this matter. Unfortunately because of the difficulty in obtaining Helium and having it shipped to the Marshall Islands we do not offer helium to OC divers. If you are wanting helium for OC diving then we can arrange helium for you. This will need to be pre purchased and paid for at least 6 months before the trip goes. Contact us for details.

What is the food going to be like?

We have a chef onboard so I am sure noone will go hungry. I also understand that some people are pretty particular about their eating habits. We will try as hard as we can to accommodate you but please, again, bear in mind there are limited resources onboard as it is a liveaboard. We can only do the best we can!!! If anyone has any allergies or allergic reactions to certain dishes let us know early and we will do what we can to accommodate you!

Note from Pete…

This place is without a shadow of a doubt the best wreck diving you will do in your diving career. A ballsy statement, I know!! All the hype ever spoken about Bikini is all true! Every word of it. BUT just don’t get caught in the wave of excitement. You have to consider this trip very carefully. This is “expedition diving” and we are doing long ocean crossings. This is not the trip where you do your first big liveaboard trip.

I would really recommend doing a liveaboard for a week or so in the open sea to see how you do. This will really extend your enjoyment. I want everyone to have a great, fun and safe time. If you have any questions please contact me. You MUST read this Remote Location Diving Risks on this link https://petemesley.com/lust4rust/bikini-atoll/remote-location-diving/ . It is imperative, for your safety that you know all the risks of doing such a trip. Any questions please contact me and we can talk through your options.

Hotel Ebeye is the ONLY hotel on Ebeye and is located  just round the corner where we load up and offload the vessel. The hotel is basic, has 18 rooms – two suites, two deluxe rooms with a mini kitchen, and 14 regular rooms comprising seven singles (one queen-sized bed), and seven doubles (twin beds). The hotel’s restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner.

We are happy to assist with making reservations on your behalf, but this is a cash only operation and payment needs to be made directly to the hotel in cash only upon arrival. At the time of writing, there was no cash machine on the island so please be prepared.

Room Type Room Rate Local Tax Hotel Tax (8%) Total per night Regular $90.00 $2.00 $7.20 99.20 USD Deluxe $100.00 $2.00 $8.00 110.00 USD Suite $160.00 $2.00 $12.80 174.80 USD

Payments are to be made in U.S. Dollars only.

Check-in Time: 3:00 p.m.

Check-Out Time: 12:00 noon

Room Security Deposit $ 20.00 – Refundable upon check-out.

$ 5.00 charge for every hour of early check-in.

$ 5.00 charge for every hour of late check-out.

Single Room: Maximum of 2 persons per room.

Twin Room: Maximum of 4 persons per room.

$ 10.00 charge for extra person.

Please present an ID to the front desk upon checking in.

Laundry Service is available for Hotel Guests Only. (Fee)

Please pay upon Check-In. Transact only at the front desk.

Please request a receipt always as this shows proof of payment.

The Hotel reserves the right to adjust the Room Tariff without prior notice in the event of unforeseen circumstances or tax alteration by the government.