News
New liveaboard, The Phinisi, to visit Thailand’s best dive spots

The Phinisi yacht is the new addition to The Junk brand and will operate diving liveaboard cruises in Thailand and Myanmar starting November 1st 2018. She will offer four different routes that cover the best of diving in Thailand: Similan & Surin Islands including the famous Richelieu Rock, as well as Phi Phi Islands, Koh Haa and the two famous dive sites Hin Deang and Hin Muang. Itineraries vary between 4 and 6 nights, and are ideally combined into a 10 night itinerary. On top of that, Myanmar is added to the schedule from 2019 onwards with 7 and 10 night cruises around the Mergui Archipelago.
Officially known as ‘Cheng I Sao’, The Phinisi (pronounced: Pinisi) is fully equipped to accommodate 18 divers in 7 en-suite cabins with individual air conditioning units. Guests can choose between flexible double/twin, fixed twins, and quad cabins. Full of character and charm, The Phinisi also has quite a remarkable history.
Custom-built in 2007 as a liveaboard yacht in classic Indonesian Phinisi style, she became part of the WWDAS fleet as Sampai Jumpa Lagi. In 2008, she was renamed Siren; the first vessel to bear the name of what later became the well-known Siren Fleet. She successfully operated in Thailand, Myanmar, the Andaman Islands, Indonesia, and the Maldives. The Phinisi has had a break from hosting liveaboards for the last couple of years; instead she has been cruising with guests on day trips around the islands near Phuket. Now she is back! New colours, new name, but with the same characteristic style and outstanding service that people have become accustomed to on The Junk.
For more information and bookings, visit the website by clicking here or send an email to: bookings@thephinisi.com.
Competitions
WIN a Beuchat Air Light Bag!!!

For this week’s competition, we’ve teamed up with our good friends at Beuchat to give away an Air Light Bag!
The Air Light Bag from Beuchat is a practical travel bag that takes up minimum storage space.
- Material: 600 denier and 1,000 denier nylon/PVC
- Soft roller bag, easily stored in its mesh bag
- Internal retaining straps
- Zip fastener with eyelets for padlocks
- Side compartment for fins
- Outer document pocket with coated zip and carry strap
- Backpack style straps concealed behind the foam back-plate
- Drainage vents
- Red over-moulded wheels; detachable wheel block
To be in with a chance of winning this awesome prize, all you have to do is answer the following question:
In a recent post on Scubaverse.com (which you can read here), we reported that Mexico is to host the first annual Cancun International Boat Show and Marine Expo this year. But when is the event due to take place?
Is it:
- A) 9th – 11th July
- B) 16th – 18th July
- C) 23rd – 25th July
Answer, A, B or C to the question above:
Miscellaneous Blogs
Jeff chats to… Jill Heinerth – underwater explorer, author and presenter (Watch Video)

In this exclusive Zoom interview, Jeff Goodman, Scubaverse Editor-at-Large, chats to Jill Heinerth.
Jill is one of the world’s premier underwater explorers, and the first person to dive inside iceberg caves. According to filmmaker James Cameron, “More people have walked on the moon than have been to some of the places Jill Heinerth has gone right here on earth.”
An acclaimed polar explorer, cave diver, author, speaker, filmmaker, and climate advocate, Jill is the first Explorer-in-Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. She is the inaugural recipient of the Sir Christopher Ondaatje Medal for Exploration and Canada’s Polar Medal.
Jill leads expeditions into extreme environments to advance scientific and geographic knowledge. Her projects have been broadcast on the CBC, BBC, PBS, Discovery Channel, and television networks worldwide. Jill was announced as the recipient of the William Beebe Award from the Explorer’s Club and was inducted into the International Scuba Divers Hall of Fame in fall 2020.
Her bestselling book INTO THE PLANET – My Life as a Cave Diver has drawn acclaim from the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, NPR, and O Magazine. Heinerth details her journey into the extreme world of underwater cave exploration, where she has had to overcome fear in order to go where no one has gone before.
Find out more about Jill and her work at: www.intotheplanet.com
Rather listen to a podcast? Listen to the audio HERE on the new Scubaverse podcast channel at Anchor FM.
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