⏱Palau in 3 weeks, Updated Availability and Knowledge Base 📚

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

We hope this email as always finds you well.

Palau is on our mind as we are just 3 weeks from departure. Once we start printing custom team shirts and order signed books from Rod Macdonald, its always a pretty good sign that some epic wreck exploration is imminent.

PALAU EXPEDITION AROUND THE CORNER

Palau has long held fascination from divers worldwide due to the exceptional variety of marine biodiversity in this small Pacific Nation. The running joke for wreck explorers in the area is that you would see tons of dayboats taking scuba divers out of Malakal Harbour, unknowingly to them passing several world-class WW2 wrecks on their way out.

There have been occasional wreck trips made by outside organizers but to our knowledge not with consistent schedule or technical diving focused with expert local CCR guides.

The Dirty Dozen Expeditions is now in Palau to change that with our partners and we cannot wait to share with you our adventure as it starts from August 1-10, 2022.

Make sure to follow us on socials to see the latest!

What about Palau 2023 and beyond?

At DDE, we always want to deliver the best possible experience on our expeditions which is why we are wrapping up final details before we publish our dates until 2025.

We have about 20 requests already for 2023 who we will send details to soon, so if you want to join the list - EMAIL us now to get your name down.

UPDATED NEAR FUTURE AVAILABILITY

TRUK LAGOON 2022 UPDATE

The FSM borders are slated to open on August 1, 2022 - in a few WEEKS. We have some openings for our trips at the end of the year which are as follows:

09-19 November 2022 - 1 Space

20-29 November 2022 - 1 Space

30 November - 10 December 2022 - 4 Spaces

First come, first served.

BIKINI ATOLL 2023 UPDATE

We can announce newly secured charters to those that are planning to join us in Bikini Atoll in 2023:

25 May - 05 June 2023 with Richie Kohler - 3 Spaces

17-28 June 2023 - FULL

29 June - 10July 2023 - 6 Spaces

15-28 July 2023 - FULL

26 August - 06 September 2023 - 5 Spaces

We know picking the right team for a trip of a lifetime is essential. We have collected a LOT of testimonials from over the years - you can read them all HERE.

UPDATED KNOWLEDGE BASE

We did a major update to our knowledge base and created a brand new section called “CCR Knowledge Base”. This section features various scientific papers related to rebreather diving which we will be updating regularly.

We also uploaded a popular presentation that we did in lockdown times on the difference between Truk Lagoon and Bikini atoll to our YouTube page. Watch it by clicking the photo below!

MERCH! MERCH! MERCH!

We finally organized some new styles for our Palau merchandise and our Vintage line.

Shop ‘til you drop our range of hoodies, tees, smart polos, and freshen up that style. Shop all our NEW exclusive DDE merch now on our website.

That’s a wrap from us this week!

We hope you have some great plans coming up this summer and we look forward to seeing you all above and underwater soon. Please don’t forget, if you ever feel lonely, we are always here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron & The Dirty Dozen Team

Galapagos 2023 SOLD OUT 🚨

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

We hope this email as always finds you well.

Galapagos has been on our mind as we start getting closer to our CCR Only 2023 date, which sold out this week. Should you be interested to join us in 2024 and onwards, we figured it might be good to recap why this is such a special itinerary.

ONE OF A KIND TRIP

Experiencing Galapagos is an incredible adventure. You connect with some of the most exotic marine life on the planet. Imagine how a rebreather amplifies that experience. Imagine how it amplifies even further with the entire boat on rebreathers, even the guides. This is what sets the CCR only trips apart, which are extremely rare.

GALAPAGOS MARINE RESERVE EXPANDED

Last year, President Lasso announced an expansion of the Galapagos Marine Reserve by 45%. The new protected area is 2.5 times the size of Maryland and covers more water surface area than Lake Michigan.

Photo courtesy of Galapagos Conservancy.

The total size of the marine protected area now extends 47.4 million acres (74,000 square miles). Crucially it ensures that the previously unprotected band of water in the Eastern Pacific, known as the Galápagos-Cocos Swimway, is now in the safe zone. 

The Galápagos-Cocos Swimway superhighway sees threatened and endangered migratory species like Whale Sharks, Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks, Manta Rays, Sea Turtles, Tuna, and many more that pass through the oceanic thoroughfare. 

Closing this gap should encourage dwindling species numbers to rebound while being an exemplary multi-national collab in the marine conservancy field. 

FROM ARCH TO PILLARS

Darwin’s Arch before the collapse

In May 2021, the industry was rocked by news of the iconic Darwin’s Arch, a rock formation south-east of Darwin Island in the Galápagos archipelago, which collapsed due to natural erosion. 

Coined as the Pillars of Evolution, they mark the shark hot spot of the real-life Jurassic Park and a new underwater formation of where the rocks fell and settled beneath the surface. 

#teamDD CCR DIVE GUIDES AREN’T YOUR AVERAGE DIVE GUIDES

At DDE, we always want to deliver the best possible experience on our expeditions and that is why our annual trips to Galapagos are strictly CCR ONLY. But it doesn't stop there.

Safety first is the only way on DDE trips, and our guides give exemplary briefings. Javier and Eduardo are also certified naturalists and extremely knowledgable about GMR, both on land and underwater.

From the best boats to the best team, our local CCR expert guides have worked with the likes of presenter Monty Halls in reaching new hidden depths of discovery on the deepest exploratory dive conducted in the area.

Watch Monty with our guide team in Galapagos now!

JOIN US IN THE GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

After all this talk of the real Jurassic Park, why not join us on an upcoming expedition with availability from 2024 or register yourself on a waitlist for 2023.

The minimum requirement to join is MOD 1.

MERCH! MERCH! MERCH!

We finally organized some new styles for our Galapagos merchandise.

Shop ‘til you drop our range of hoodies, tees, smart polos, and freshen up that style. Shop all our exclusive DDE merch now on our website.

That’s a wrap from us this week!

We hope you have some great plans coming up this summer and we look forward to seeing you all above and underwater soon. Please don’t forget, if you ever feel lonely, we are always here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron & The Dirty Dozen Team

🤩DIRTY DOZEN DOES ADEX AND UPDATED AVAILABILITY

Dear Team Member,

I hope this message finds you healthy and well.

I know we have missed a couple of newsletters in the last 2 months and you have our deepest apologies. As the world opens up we have been overwhelmed with new destinations, trade-show planning and an overflow of new bookings.

Needless to say, there are tons of things we want to share with you. We won’t give it all away in this newsletter but we figured there were 2 things that might interest you most right now.

Let’s get right to it!

DIRTY DOZEN DOES ADEX - SINGAPORE EDITION

We are really proud to announce that we have been invited to speak at the prestigious ADEX TekDive Conference on September 16-18 this year at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Singapore.

Aron will be presenting on 2 topics. The first presentation is about the discovery of the wreck USCGC Alexander Hamilton and what has happened in the 11 years since Aron and his team found it at 300ft depth, 30 miles off the shores of Iceland, with 26 souls still in their final resting place.

The return expedition with the memorial plaque, being in contact with the families of the fallen men and all the unreal experiences and meetings that came because of the simple passion of wreck exploration, will all be there.

Expedition member Chris Haslam will be co-hosting the presentation with him.

The second presentation is a Dirty Dozen classic and revolves around Truk Lagoon Vs. Bikini Atoll, where Aron breaks down some of the most infamous ghost wreck fleets on the planet and explains where they are similar, and where they are not.

We will share more details about time and place as they event gets closer.

We hope to see you there!

💺AVAILABILITY UPDATE - TRUK LAGOON AND BIKINI ATOLL

Truk Lagoon and Bikini have been a hot topic in terms of upcoming availability due to recent events - with Truk Lagoon opening on August 1st this year, and Bikini Atoll having to be pushed to 2023.

Lucky for you though, as promised, are always the first one to know when we have openings on seats in hot demand by being a part of #teamdd!

TRUK LAGOON 2022

With scarce availability of seats in Truk Lagoon as a destination in 2022/2023, due to the backlog caused by the COVID pandemic, we have not been able to offer our customers much until the end of 2023.

This has now changed and a few spots have opened up for THIS YEAR, but not for long with current demand. The spots available are as follows:

09-19 November 2022 - 1 Space

20-29 November 2022 - 1 Space

30 November - 10 December 2022 - 4 Spaces

First come, first served.

Watch Richard Lundgren speak about his experiences in Truk Lagoon and Bikini Atoll in the video above.

BIKINI ATOLL 2023

With Bikini Atoll just missing the re-opening, we sadly had to move our 2022 clients to our 2023 sailings. Now that we have secured everyone a seat, we are able to give an availability update to those that are planning to join us in Bikini Atoll in 2023 which are as follows:

25 May - 05 June 2023 with Richie Kohler - 3 Spaces

17-28 June 2023 - FULL

29 June - 10July 2023 - 6 Spaces

15-28 July 2023 - 1 Space

26 August - 06 September 2023 - 5 Spaces

We know picking the right team for a trip of a lifetime is essential. We have collected a LOT of testimonials from over the years - you can read them all HERE.

That is us for this week. We have lots of new and exciting news coming up and we can’t wait to share them all with you as soon as possible.

As always, we hope you got some great plans coming up this weekend but don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely, then we are here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

🤵Explorers Club ECAD Weekend 2022

Dear Team Member,

I hope this message finds you healthy and well.

The world's largest gathering of pioneers of exploration in space, in the oceans, and on land joined together in New York City last weekend at Club HQ for the Explorers Club Annual Dinner.

This is a packed weekend with a lot of special events featuring many of the world's most famous and distinguished explorers, many of which are divers and many of which are part of #teamdd.

Founded in NYC in 1904, TEC promotes the scientific exploration of land, sea, air, and space by supporting research and education in all aspects of science.⁠ We were on site reporting from the clubhouse all weekend. Here are some of the highlights!

JILL HEINERTH RECEIVES THE WILLIAM BEEBE AWARD

Amongst a packed event full of highlights, we were thrilled to see Underwater Explorer, Photographer, Author, Speaker, and #teamDD Special Guest Jill Heinerth receive the William Beebe Award. ⁠
⁠
The first woman to receive the award, Jill was recognized for her lifetime contribution to underwater and deep-sea exploration with a special commendation for her pioneering work in technical rebreather diving, underwater cave mapping, and her capacity for collaboration, communication, and storytelling.⁠

"I have long been a William Beebe geek. As the first woman to receive the award in his name, I reflect on the fact that he encouraged many women explorers on his expeditions." Jill Heinerth

Jill also did several presentations, one of which was at the Chapter Chair dinner before the weekend started.

The Dirty Dozen Expeditions has several team members that are respected members of The Explorers Club and we are very proud of this, having such a talented team that has been actively engaged in pushing underwater exploration for a long time.

Congratulations again Jill from all of us!

NGEN PRESENTATIONS

Another highlight was the NGEN or Next Generation Explorers Network presentation series, where many talented young scientists and explorers presented. #teamdd friend Rannvá Tórfríð Jørmundsson presented about her Xunaan-Ha Expedition in Mexico. ⁠

Taking part in networking events like ECAD is an integral part of planning our expeditions. Spending time with like-minded explorers, sharing tales, and getting inspired by the sense of adventure within these sacred walls while we nurture our relationships with great friends are just part of the work we do behind the scenes that make our trips so epic. ⁠

DO YOU WANT TO JOIN THE EXPLORERS CLUB?

The road to becoming a member of The Explorers Club seems very long on first look. You have a lengthy application form where you need to chronicle your exploration career, all while getting signatures from 2 members of the club who have to write a letter on your behalf vouching for you as a potential member!

Needless to say, my application form was on my desktop for 5 years until I finally decided to just get it done. The rest is history and now I am Membership Chair for the Middle East Chapter. Should you want to join the Club, I would be more than happy to help you navigate the application process.

You can find the application HERE.

That is us for this week. We hope you got some great plans coming up this weekend but don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely, then we are here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

Almost no spots until summer 2023? 😳

Dear Team Member,

I hope this message finds you healthy and well. With border restrictions around the world continuing to relax, we are finally seeing the light at the end of what has been a very long tunnel for the travel industry.

Throughout this time we have laughed, cried, banged our heads on our desks, cried some more, and stared longingly at our dive kit which has remained far too dry throughout. Now that we have mostly returned to normality with many new expeditions on the horizon, it is very clear that we are still here and able to continue to offer our unique trips because of you, our brilliant customers.

Whilst we know how frustrating it has been with trips being postponed, all of us here at Dirty Dozen Expeditions want to say a massive THANK YOU to you all for sticking with us and showing us your support over the last two years, and we cannot wait to repay that understanding and generosity with more excellent trips for the years to come.

Having said that - we found some free spots on sailings in the next 12 months that we wanted to share with you before the public. Let’s get to it!

2022 TRUK LAGOON SEASON IN SHORT SUPPLY

This week we have been glued to Jacque Cousteau’s Lagoon of Lost Ships as we celebrate Truk Lagoon’s plan to reopen borders in August this year. Check out the DDE Knowledge Base and watch Philippe Cousteau search out the wrecks in the lagoon using a sonar scanning system to discover the wrecks of Truk Lagoon as they had been left mid-fight, 25 years before during the war.

Check out this awesome film, and all our other resources in the DDE KB

Our end-of-year 2022 sailings are mostly full but we happen to have a few spots left on one of the more interesting trips of the year which we have not advertised a lot.

Fancy joining a photography-based trip? Award-winning cave photographer SJ Alice Bennett and partner Jon Kieren are running a trip for us from November 20-29 2022! If you are not a photographer, no problem, we need plenty of models for all those cover shots!

Email us now for more information!

GALAPAGOS 2023

We recently announced a shake-up to our Galapagos expeditions and now we are running annual CCR only trips to the Galapagos Islands in order to deliver the best possible experience. The minimum requirement to join is MOD 1.

Our December 2021 expedition was an incredible success and now we look forward to our next encounter in 2023.

We have A FEW SPOTS LEFT for our March 2023 itinerary. Inquire now to find out more about this one-of-a-kind experience.

PALAU 2023

Our 2022 Inaugural Expedition to Palau is FULL.

Not to worry! We have secured another exclusive WWII Wreck Expedition charter in Palau from 13-20 August 2023 with FULL CCR/OC TEC support. We are still working on some final details in regards to logistics and pricing but we could not wait to tell you and if everything goes well our special guest might be the person mentioned in the above picture!

This will be a very special trip and if you missed getting on our 2022 trip we highly recommend getting on this one.

Register your interest now and we will send you an offer as soon as we have all the details together.

That is us for this week. We hope you got some great plans coming up this weekend but don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely, then we are here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

TRUK LAGOON REOPENING? 😳

Dear Team Member,

I hope this message finds you healthy and well. As the world opens up rapidly, we thought we would share very positive news coming out of one of our expedition locations.

FSM COMMITS TO REOPENING IN AUGUST 2022

With 74.9% of the Nation’s total eligible population having received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine, the President of FSM made the following statement this morning:

“It remains the intention of the FSM National Government to fully open the Nation’s borders sometime in August 2022.”

This is big news and makes us thrilled about a busy season in Truk Lagoon at the end of this year. If you want to join us, inquire now to see what availability we have.

MARSHALL ISLANDS UPDATE

There are no new significant updates regarding the Marshall Islands and one of our favorite wreck destinations in the world, Bikini Atoll, at the time of writing. Should there be postponement’s in this year’s season - our guests will be notified 8 weeks before departure.

However, with Palau and Solomon Islands re-opening abruptly and FSM quickly following suit with plans of re-opening, it’s only a matter of time before a public statement will be posted from the Marshall Islands.

You will be the first to know the second we know more.

IN OTHER NEWS

GALAPAGOS CCR ONLY 2023

We recently announced a shake-up to our Galapagos expeditions and now we are running annual CCR only trips to the Galapagos Islands in order to deliver the best possible experience. The minimum requirement to join is MOD 1.

Our December 2021 expedition was an incredible success and now we look forward to our next encounter in 2023.

We have A FEW SPOTS LEFT for our March 2023 itinerary. Enquire now to find out more about this one-of-a-kind experience.

SOLOMON ISLANDS 2022/2023?

The Solomons Islands are reopening and our supplier is resuming operations. We have an opportunity to do a custom WW2 week at the end of September OR right after our Palau expedition this year with the following wrecks (and more) on the schedule:

• USS Aaron Ward - 70m/230ft

• USS Kanawha - 60m/200ft

• USS John Penn - 60m/200ft

• Azumasan Maru - 80m/260ft

• Tama Maru 70m/230ft

• Sasako Maru (80m/260ft

Although we do not plan to dive the USS Atlanta this time around, the dives completed on this trip will count as experience dives towards our Solomons expedition 2023 which then will include USS Atlanta.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST by clicking the button below and we will send you more information about pricing and inclusions.

Existing customers with trip credits can use them to pay in full on this trip!

That wraps it up for this week.

As always we look forward to some great adventures with you in the years to come and as always, don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely, then we are here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron and the DDE Team

Sneak Peak: Palau Wreck Expedition Roster

Dear Team Member,

I hope this message finds you healthy and well.

The Dirty Dozen Expeditions has secured an exclusive WWII Wreck Expedition 03-10 August THIS year with FULL CCR/OC TEC support.

This week we would like to give you a sneak peek at some of the highlights on our custom-made wreck itinerary to give you a better idea of what this hidden wreck gem destination known for its marine life is all about.

THE WRECKS

Amatsu Maru

Standard Merchant Tanker -  Length: 153m/500ft | Tonnage: 10,567 | Least Depth: 24m/78ft | Depth to seabed: 41m/134ft

Known as the Black Coral Wreck after the bushes of black coral that decorate the ships superstructure. Lying upright in 40m of water, the Amatsu Maru is the largest shipwreck in Micronesia and the deepest Japanese wreck in Palau. A 10 minutes boat ride from Malakal Harbor, this huge tanker has big exploration potential for our team.

BicHU Maru

Type 1 B Cargo Vessel -  Length: 115m/378ft | Tonnage: 4,667 | Least Depth: 15m/49ft | Depth to seabed: 28m/91ft

The large cargo vessel Bichu Maru lies on her port side and has a very keen resemblance to one of the most underrated wrecks dives in Truk Lagoon - Momokawa Maru. Highlights include an excellent superstructure, engine room and stern gun to explore.

Chuyo Maru

Coastal Freighter - Length: 89m/290ft | Tonnage: 1941 | Least Depth: 12m/40ft | Depth to seabed: 34m/111ft
Lying in 40m of water and rising to 12m, the Chuyo Maru is one of the most popular wrecks in Palau.  Adorned in colorful corals and inhabited by numerous lionfish, the Chuyo Maru offers a fantastic chance to explore her holds, engine room, and guns.

IJN Iro

Fleet Oiler - Length: 143m/469ft | Tonnage: 14,050 | Least Depth: 28m/91ft | Depth to seabed: 41m/134ft

A world class dive and absolutely massive wreck - the IJN Iro is a japanese fleet oiler with many, many points of interests on it ad could be considered to the equivalent of Truk Lagoon’s Shinkoku Maru in terms of its quality as a wreck dive. Many hours of exploration will be spent on this excellent wreck.

USS Perry

Clemson Class Destroyer: Length: 95m/314ft | Tonnage: 1190 | Depth to seabed: 75m/246ft

First discovered in 2000, this famous US destroyer sits at 75m/250ft and is very well known for its service in the pacific theatre during WWII. It’s a very rarely visited wreck and one of the absolute highlights of the expedition. In the video below #teamdd member Richie Kohler can be seen diving the USS Perry during the filming of a Deep Sea Detectives episode in 2005.

Should you be interested to read about the other 30+ world class wrecks in Palau, I can highly recommend purchasing Rod Macdonald’s book Dive Palau - The Shipwrecks. Once you have studied the ghost fleet of Palau in detail - it starts to show a very big resemblance to the wrecks that can be found in Truk Lagoon.

WANT TO JOIN US IN AUGUST?

The Dirty Dozen is hungry for rust, and I bet you are too if you read this long.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST by clicking the button below and we will send you more information about pricing and inclusions for our trip 03-10 August 2022. We are also looking into 2023 and beyond so if this year does not work for you, send us an email anyway!

Existing customers with trip credits can use them to pay in full on this trip!

That wraps it up for this week. As always we look forward to some great adventures with you in the years to come and as always, don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely, then we are here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

Get wrecked with Dirty Dozen in Palau 💣

Dear Team Member,

I hope this message finds you healthy and well. You know how we always say, “Sign up for our newsletter and be notified first about exclusive expedition announcements and member-only offers?” 

Today is one of those days. 

Palau is OPEN for divers and The Dirty Dozen Expeditions is in the final stages to secure and organize an exclusive WWII Wreck Expedition in August THIS year with FULL CCR/OC TEC support.

OFTEN OVERLOOKED WRECK PARADISE

Operation Desecrate One on March 30-31 1944 sank over 30 vessels and offers one of the most accessible and diverse wreck diving sites on the planet. A dozen world-class wrecks lie either in - or within minutes of - Malakal Harbor, Palau’s main port.

Aside from the numerous Japanese merchant vessels, tankers, destroyers, and planes, other highlights include the USS Perry (DD-340/DMS-17), a Clemson-class destroyer in the photo above that survived the battle of Pearl Harbour and took part in numerous operations in the Pacific Theater during WWII.

In true Dirty Dozen style, we have created an entirely unique wreck diving itinerary like no other, hosted by Aron alongside local wreck experts who will be joining us on board.

WHAT BOAT ARE WE USING?

Launched in 2012, the 40m Palau Siren liveaboard was built on the Indonesian island of Sulawesi and is handcrafted from ironwood and teak (traditional to the area). You will find no other diving liveaboard as beautiful in Palau waters and, being built by divers for divers by our partners Master Liveaboards, you can rest assured that every need has been thought of and addressed for the demanding wreck diver.

WANT TO JOIN US IN AUGUST?

The Dirty Dozen is hungry for rust, and I bet you are too if you read this long.

REGISTER YOUR INTEREST by clicking the button below and we will send you more information about pricing and inclusions.

Existing customers with trip credits can use them to pay in full on this trip!

That wraps it up for this week. As always we look forward to some great adventures with you in the years to come and as always, don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely, then we are here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

Marshall Islands Safe Traveler Program 🙌

Dear Team Member,

I hope this message finds you healthy and well. In a previous newsletter, we covered the COVID vaccination rate in the Marshall Islands for adults (18+). The focus was on the race to be 80% vaccinated.

We are very happy to bring the news that this goal has indeed been reached and subsequently a Safe Travelers Program (STP) has been launched with the first travelers landing in the Marshall Islands on the 18th January 2022.

SAFE TRAVELERS PORGRAM

The Marshall Islands STP is for now accepting travelers that first land and quarantine for 7 days in Hawaii. The requirements state that travelers must be fully vaccinated against COVID 19 with the 2nd vaccination administered at least 2 weeks before arrival. Please see below for details on what vaccines are accepted:

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR #TEAMDD

Although we are pleased to see things moving in the right direction towards our operations in Bikini Atoll, it is still in the early stages.

As this program started just over a week ago, time is yet to tell if the RMI government deems it effective. A few parameters in the quarantine procedure also need to mature before they are friendly for most travelers.

While it is too early to speculate when we will be open for business in Bikini Atoll, what I can say is we have taken significant steps for the better and we will keep you posted every step of the way.

STILL WANT TO JOIN THE PARTY IN 2022?

With all this good news coming in from the Marshall Islands, we have started getting an increase in Bikini Atoll bookings as people plan to get their long-awaited holidays set up. There are still a few spots left on our sailings in Bikini Atoll for 2022!

Check out our updated expedition calendar above that runs until the end of 2025. We can offer small deposits, flexible payment terms, and friendly booking conditions on all our trips to get your down and dirty with some of the most infamous wrecks on the planet.

Email us HERE to get more info.

UPDATED TERMS AND CONDITIONS

We've updated the General Terms and Conditions effective 1st of January 2022. For the latest version that applies to you, please visit our website HERE.

That wraps it up for this week. As always we look forward to some great adventures with you in the years to come and as always, don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely, then we are here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

Happy Holidays From #teamdd!

Dear Team Member,

I hope this message finds you healthy and well.

As we move into a new year, we have stayed connected, managed to attend events like DEMA in Las Vegas, and restarted parts of our expedition operations just returning from Galapagos last week.

Despite the incredible challenges we have faced as an industry over the past two years, we are still standing strong. We want to take the opportunity to thank you all for your support this year. We truly have the best customers anybody could ask for.

Finally, we look forward to some great adventures with you in the years to come and as always, don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely, then we are here to chat Dirty.

Happy Holidays and a Happy New Year!

Best,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

DEMA SHOW 2021 IS A WRAP!🗣

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

We hope this email as always finds you well.

One of the biggest events in the diving industry unfolded last week - DEMA - or Diving Equipment and Marketing Association trade show re-opened post-pandemic. This time around it was held in Las Vegas, USA.

Aron with the CEO, Marketing Manager and Sales Manager of Master Liveaboards.

Aron has been attending this show since 2012, and it was noticeably smaller than usual. Having said that, spirits were high and the chatter was non-stop. The diving industry family is small and close-knit, and everyone was just really happy to be in person again and sharing all the exciting events we have planned in the coming years.

Aron with Michael Menduno or M2 - the Editor In Chief of Aqua Corp, GUE’s InDepth and the person that coined the term “Technical Diving”.

It was also a great opportunity to catch up with lots of members of #teamdd. Richie Kohler did a fantastic presentation for Divers Alert Network on managing and mitigating risk on expedition dives. We are contemplating setting up a special episode of #CCDD in the near future so we can share this one with all of you!

Minutes before Richie presented to a packed room of divers at DEMA.

Our CCR-ONLY expedition to Galapagos is only 2 weeks away and it was fantastic to be able to meet up with our friend JC, the owner of Galapagos Master, to fine comb the last minute details before this unique expedition gets underway.

Aron with JC - the owner of Galapagos Master catching up and discussing the upcoming CCR Only Expedition next month.

We also used the opportunity to meet many of the partners that have signed up with us in different destinations. Here are Divesoft Rebreathers showing off their Bikini Atoll date, which is in 2023. We also settled on a number of new special guests and exclusive trips that we will release in due course.

Aron with Joseph Bosquez from Divesoft.

And just as Dirty Dozen luck goes - 3 beauty pageants were being shared in the conference hotel which made the long wait to the elevators in the morning something to look forward to!

Never a boring elevator ride in Las Vegas.

But before you knew it - the show was over and our stand was wrapped up in 90 minutes and being shipped into storage. We just want to take the opportunity and say thank you to all the guests, partners, and friends that visited the booth and gave us their time and attention during the show.

5 hours to set up - 90 minutes to pack!

Last but not least. On the first day of the show, Blue O Two went into administration, which obviously created some confusion and worries from our association in the past.

This was immediately addressed and you can read our full press release HERE to learn more.

That is it from our DEMA special newsletter. Now we are back to our normal schedule every other Friday.

We look forward to seeing you all above and underwater in the near future and please don’t forget, if you ever feel lonely, we are always here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron & The Dirty Dozen Team

DIRTY DOZEN has arrived at the DEMA SHOW 2021!🎲

Dirty Dozen has arrived at DEMA!

PRESS RELEASE REGARDING BLUE O TWO

The first major international dive show since early 2019 and, oh wow, we missed meeting our customers, partners, and friends across the diving industry. We cannot wait to see everyone again during this week. It has certainly been a very tough two years for the diving industry with many members of our diving family sadly having to hang up their fins.

Word is circulating rapidly that Blue O Two announced yesterday that it filed for “Administration” pursuant to British law, which is essentially a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding by which a company attempts to reorganize and restructure its financial matters. I read Blue O Two’s press release with great sadness. Blue O Two has been providing first-rate diving holidays since 2003 and is credited with modernizing liveaboard diving in the Red Sea and elsewhere by building and operating award-winning boats.

In the early days of The Dirty Dozen Expeditions, it was the staff at Blue O Two, Master Liveaboards, and Worldwide Dive & Sail that helped me and the late Captain Martin Cridge to create the experience that you all know and love today.  As Dirty Dozen Expeditions grew and expanded, it became a separate and completely independent company from Blue O Two, Master Liveaboards, and WWDAS, with separate finances with me as the sole owner of Dirty Dozen Group LLC.

Dirty Dozen Group LLC is not affected by Blue O Two filing for Administration. I know you have many questions because Dirty Dozen Expeditions uses Master Liveaboards for its diving holidays. While Master Liveaboards was affiliated with Blue O Two, it is a different company and tour operator.  Master Liveaboards has not filed for administration and will continue to operate as scheduled hand in hand with Dirty Dozen Expeditions to Truk Lagoon, Bikini Atoll, and Galapagos.

If anyone in #teamdd has any questions or concerns, email me at info@thedirtydozen.org 

Looking forward to seeing as many of you at DEMA and underwater as soon as possible.

Let’s get back to business!

Best,

Aron Arngrimsson

Founder

The Dirty Dozen Expeditions

🦈GALAPAGOS MARINE RESERVE EXPANDED. LAST MINUTE CCR ONLY OFFER

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

We hope this email as always finds you well.

We have some excellent news from the COP26 summit regarding Galapagos, a LAST MINUTE offer to join us on a CCR Only trip to Galapagos this year and a reminder to join us in DEMA this month.

Let’s get straight to it!

GALAPAGOS MARINE RESERVE EXPANDED

Photo courtesy of Galapagos Conservancy

Galapagos Conservancy writes:

President Lasso announced the declaration, which expands the GMR by 45%, at the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow, Scotland, earlier today. The new protected area is 2.5 times the size of Maryland and covers more water surface area than Lake Michigan. The total size of the marine protected area now extends 47.4 million acres (74,000 square miles).

The declaration also creates an essential migratory corridor that bridges the gap between the protected waters of the Galápagos Marine Reserve and Costa Rica’s Cocos Island National Park. This previously unprotected band of water in the Eastern Pacific, known as the Galápagos-Cocos Swimway, is an underwater superhighway for an array of threatened and endangered migratory species like Whale Sharks, Scalloped Hammerhead Sharks, Manta Rays, Sea Turtles, Tuna, and many more that pass through the oceanic thoroughfare.

By securing this biodiversity-rich space between the two marine UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a major vulnerability for marine wildlife that has previously been a haven for industrial fishing, including shark finning fleets, has been eliminated. We expect that populations of these threatened and endangered species will soon begin to rebound, and we hope that this agreement between Ecuador and Costa Rica will serve as a model for multinational collaboration in marine conservation going forward.

You can read the full article HERE

GALAPAGOS CCR ONLY LAST MINUTE OFFER

Our current CCR ONLY expedition to Galapagos from December 9-19 2021 has been sold out for years - but we have unfortunately had one team member having to drop out for personal reasons. This is a very rare opportunity to join a rebreather-only expedition to one of the most exciting diving destinations on the planet.

Want to experience all that Galapagos has to offer THIS December? Grab your CCR and let's go!

Email us HERE for more information

FIND US AT DEMA THIS MONTH

Find us at DEMA between the 16th and 19th of November 2021 at Master Liveaboards Stand #2043 to chat about diving in Truk Lagoon, Bikini Atoll, Galapagos & Chernobyl.

We will have DEMA specials on offer, so catch me at the show floor to get unique pricing for the expedition you have been dreaming about for ages now!

If you are planning to attend the show and want to schedule a meeting with Aron directly, please click on the button below.

We can’t wait to see you all in Vegas, and for those that cannot make it please don’t forget, if you ever feel lonely, we are always here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron & The Dirty Dozen Team

🎰DIRTY DOZEN DOES DEMA - VEGAS EDITION

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

We hope this email as always finds you well.

It’s that time of the year - Trade Show Season - and we are in full force getting ready for our first big show at DEMA in Las Vegas next month.

Find us at DEMA between the 16th and 19th of November 2021 at Master Liveaboards Stand #2043 to chat about diving in Truk Lagoon, Bikini Atoll, Galapagos & Chernobyl.

We will have DEMA specials on offer, so catch me at the show floor to get unique pricing for the expedition you have been dreaming about for ages now!

If you are planning to attend the show and want to schedule a meeting with Aron directly, please click on the button below.

We can’t wait to see you all in Vegas, and for those that cannot make it please don’t forget, if you ever feel lonely, we are always here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron & The Dirty Dozen Team

🔥2025 Expedition Dates Are LIVE

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

Just over 24 hours ago, the United Kingdom updated their travel advisory, so if you are fully vaccinated there are only seven countries on the red list! This news reveals an array full of future travel plans along with the USA opening borders with Europe, and I get the feeling that many of our team members are excited.

On top of that, as one of the leading exploration operators for some of the most advanced diving destinations on the planet - we are the first operator in the world that gets to pick the best dates of the year as a new season opens on our exploration vessels, and yesterday we picked our 2025 dates.

We also picked new calendar graphics taken by our late team member Martin Cridge that look stunning!

Let’s dive right into it.

BIKINI ATOLL

Bikini Atoll is one of the most remote diving destinations in the world, sitting quietly just north of the equator in the Pacific Ocean. Although it is almost completely lacking in infrastructure, we have devised the best way for you to explore this world-class wreck site on our exploration liveaboard.

Check out our updated expedition calendar below that runs until the end of 2025. We can offer small deposits, flexible payment terms, and friendly booking conditions on all our trips to get your down and dirty with some of the most infamous wrecks on the planet.

Email us HERE for more information.

TRUK LAGOON

Not quite as off the beaten track as Bikini Atoll, is Truk Lagoon. A diver’s paradise with 70% of its 50+ wrecks within recreational diving limits that are strewn across the seabed - super accessible to recreational and CCR divers alike for very extended and fun runtimes.

Our exploration diving itineraries mix the best of the entire lagoon in a technical diving mindset, OC and CCR. Our new calendar with 2025 dates is below for you to examine. 

Fancy exploring this wreck divers paradise?  Email us HERE for more information.

GALAPAGOS

I don’t think I need to introduce this wonderland, its reputation almost certainly precedes it.  Diving in the Galapagos is rewarding but occasionally demanding, even for very experienced divers. To make sure you enjoy your trip, it’s good if you have some experience with strong currents.

Join us on our very exclusive and rare CCR ONLY itineraries. We actually have TWO OPENINGS just come up for our trip in December THIS YEAR. The trip has been sold out for ages so first come, first served.

Email us HERE for more information.

CHERNOBYL

Last but not least. Less remote and a bit closer to home but no less wild, we are in our 3rd season of Chernobyl exploration.  

Our guides (explorers, scientists, and previous Pripyat residents) will lead us down a route not often explored and with the least exposure while seeing the highlights and having in-depth access to Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant - Including Control Room 4!

Since this destination is year-round and geographically is relatively easy to reach, we can cater to custom dates! Email us HERE for more information.

This sums it up for this week. I hope our optimism rubs off on all our dear team and please don’t forget, if you ever feel lonely, we are here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

🗃Knowledge Base Turns 1 Year!

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

As always we hope you have had a great couple of weeks.

Today we had to upgrade our subscription to the email provider we use because we reached a new level of subscribers. Thanks for everyone signing up and staying engaged with our newsletter.

Now, lets get onto the highlights of the last two weeks.

DD KNOWLEDGE BASE TURNS 1 YEAR OLD

Our expedition teams on various dates have always had exclusive access to a huge variety of information to prep for their trip of a lifetime, but as we love sharing information with you all, we launched our Knowledge Base 1 year ago for you to explore.

Study up on the blueprints of the wrecks we dive in Truk and Bikini, get geeky with academic papers, and watch hard-to-find documentaries in our Knowledge Base.

A document that got highlighted recently was our CCR Splash Checklist -one aspect of how we conduct ourselves with regards to safety at The Dirty Dozen Expeditions during a CCR Liveaboard in any of our destinations.⁠ ⁠

Our CCR splash checklist is a last-minute check that EVERYONE has to complete before every dive by a trained staff member that can spot errors before jumping in the water. It takes about a minute and covers the following:⁠

We want to underline that this is only a supplement. The diver is STILL responsible to follow their unit-specific checklists and pre-breathing protocols as per their training organization.⁠ ⁠ Sometimes people complain about it the first couple of days, but then, always at the end of the trip, they thank you for it, because they feel safe. At the end of the day, we are there to give you a safe and enjoyable experience.⁠ ⁠

Download the checklist HERE

Having said that, we are thrilled to hear about all the positive feedback we have gotten for the Knowledge Base in the last year, and we will continue to expand and develop it for years to come!

Team Tyler returns from Chernobyl

#teamdd member Tyler took his son Dale on our expedition grade Chernobyl trips, spending 3 days inside the Chernobyl Exclusion zone. Dale is a firefighter, and our legendary trip leader Alex even managed to get him exclusive access to the firefighting station in Pripyat.

Our Chernobyl trips are always a blast and especially relevant to our Bikini Atoll customers, before they head to Bikini Atoll. Stay tuned on social for Tyler´s full trip report next week!

Well, that’s about it from us this time around.

We hope you got some great plans coming up this weekend but don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely, then we are here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

🪄🧙Add A Little Magic To Your Travel

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

Have you booked your flights?

Are you ready to go?  

Are you sure?

We understand that traveling at this time may seem like a minefield, that's why we keep our fins on the pulse to bring you all the tools to make your travel as breezy as can be. 

From arriving at the airport at the correct time to understanding what relevant health documents you need to get you to your destination, and home again, the magic tool Timatic has all the infomation you need in one place to make travel in the post-Covid world easier and quicker. 

Timatic (Travel Information Manual Automatic) is a database containing documentation requirements for passengers traveling internationally via air.

It is used by airlines and their representatives (check-in agents, managers, etc.), airport staff, and travel agents to determine whether a passenger can be carried, as well as by airlines and travel agents to provide this information to travelers at the time of booking. 

This is critical for airlines due to the fines levied by immigration authorities every time a passenger is carried who does not have the correct travel documentation, as well as the airline's costs to return the incorrectly-boarded passenger to the original airport from which the passenger departed.

Every year, airline staff and ground handlers use Timatic to check over 700 million passengers. 

And you can use it too. Enjoy peace of mind here!

GALAPAGOS 2022, AND BEYOND!

Although our operations in Galapagos have not been affected during the pandemic, our customers have often requested itineraries beyond 2022.

We have listened and are happy to announce our 2023 and 2024 schedules. 

Should you fancy DDE´s own rare CCR ONLY itineraries expedition in 2023/2024, we still have some spots left! Email us for more information!

That wraps it up for this week.

As always we look forward to some great adventures with you in the years to come and as always, don’t forget, if you are feeling lonely, then we are here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team

💺AVAILABILITY UPDATE

Dear Dirty Dozen Team Member,

We are on track to have an unforgettable year of expeditions in 2022 and our excited team members are snapping up the chance to experience more adventures with the FOMO in full force. Therefore we decided to share our latest availability updates with you, and a few last minute-offers from our partners for recreational itineraries in Galapagos.

LET’S CHECK OUR WORLDWIDE AVAILABILITY UPDATE

GALAPAGOS AVAILABILITY

Our partner Master Liveaboards has given us exclusive access to 2021 Galapagos recreational itineraries with massive discounts at the end of the year, with a whopping 30% off.

Here are the dates and prices available:

7 Day Cruise 4375USD from 6250USD 

13 - 20 September 2021

20 - 27 September 2021

27 September - 04 October 2021

This truly is a once-in-a-lifetime offer as Galapagos is always fully booked and always at full price. So if your schedule is flexible at the end of this year, get in touch! *This offer applies to standard Galapagos Master itineraries - no CCR support. The travel is seamless, with our crew showing up at the hotel and doing your pre-boarding PCR test on site in Quito before flying to Galapagos.

Should you fancy DDE´s own rare CCR ONLY itineraries expedition in 2023/2024, we still have some spots left! Email us for more information!

TRUK LAGOON AVAILABILITY

With scarce availability of seats in Truk Lagoon as a destination in 2022 due to the backlog caused by the COVID pandemic, we were very happy to be able to acquire an additional charter for those that could not make it to our other dates in the schedule. Jason Meany from A Dram Of Diving will be joining us on that trip in March 2022.⁠

A Dram of Diving started when the Covid-19 pandemic hit us all. Originally it was just a few divers spinning ridiculous stories on the internet. Today it has grown to have a huge dedicated audience and high-profile guests.⁠

⁠The show has created 35 episodes and has tackled many serious and some comical topics. Host and special guest Jason Meany has been an Instructor and travel leader for over 10 years and owns Deep Stop Scuba in Syracuse, NY.⁠

Know Jason and want to join him and the Dram of Diving crew in #truklagoon next year in early 2022? ⁠

Find out more

Watch Richard Lundgren speak about his experience to Truk Lagoon with DDE last year which included:

🗺️ The itinerary and very carefully curated expedition was fantastic ⁠
🧜 Small group⁠
🛥️ Comfy boat⁠
☀️ Lots of staff⁠
🏝️ Dived wrecks off the beaten path⁠
🔭 Dives that were exploratory⁠
💠 There was an equal level of experience⁠
💪 Richard certainly recommends⁠!

We are NOT your average dive trip organizer.

BIKINI ATOLL AVAILABILITY

Here is our updated expedition calendar below that runs until 2025. Our 2022 calendar for Bikini Atoll is sold out as of now, but we have spaces come open every now and again so it’s really worth sending an inquiry to go on a waitlist.

There are also still plenty opportunities to discover Bikini in 2023 like our trip with Deco For Diver’s Mark Powell.

Watch Mark Powell speak about the expeditions he has been with us on in the video above.

CONTACT US NOW TO REGISTER YOUR INTEREST

We can offer small deposits, flexible payment terms, and friendly booking conditions on all our trips to get you down and dirty with some of the most infamous wrecks on the planet.

That pretty much wraps it from us this week. As usual, we hope you have a lovely weekend ahead but remember, if you feel lonely, we are here to chat Dirty.

Best,

Aron Arngrímsson and the DDE Team