In 2018, as the diving population steadily grew, a number of dive boats began entering the summer dive travel market. For a couch-potato diver like me — the Editor — who isn't exactly thrilled about hauling heavy gear up steep slopes, this was an incredibly convenient option. As boat dives allowed divers to reach ever more remote locations, more and more dive sites began to be explored: the sunken vessel Hai Jian in Wanghaiqiang Bay, the Rainbow Reef off Keelung Islet, the secret gorgonian / sea fan forest at Yehliu, and even the distant Northern Three Islands were on the verge of having their mysteries unveiled.
In 2019, the well-known Piston Instructor from the Northeast Coast traveled all the way to Penghu to have a dive boat built to his long-held dream specifications. Beyond equipping the vessel with all the gear a diver could need, he put thoughtful touches into small design details, hoping that every diver who stepped aboard could feel right at home and truly enjoy a precious diving holiday!
Join me, the Editor, as we follow Piston Instructor's Lihai on her maiden boat dive voyage along the Northeast Coast!
Maiden Voyage of the Lihai
The Lihai is a 40-foot twin-engine commercial motorboat. Her hull graphics are eye-catching — not only do they help divers and other vessels identify her on the water, but the red-and-white pattern is none other than the familiar dive flag. Thoughtful, isn't it?
The eye-catching hull graphics of the Lihai
One drawback of Northeast Coast boat diving in the past was that most vessels were quite small — cramped interiors, and some boats didn't even have a toilet, making longer voyages inconvenient. The Lihai, however, features some clever spatial design: the walkways are widened for easier movement, and the bow deck has been specially built as a semicircular platform — both for easy boarding and disembarking, and as a spacious shooting platform for freedivers and mermaids to pose for photos. Thoughtful, isn't it?
Piston Instructor doing pre-departure deck checks
The Lihai can accommodate 12 divers and carry more than 24 scuba tanks / cylinders, removing any headcount restrictions for groups chartering the boat for a dive trip.
Nitrox and air tanks available for use
Every tank has its own dedicated spot
The boat is powered by a 250-horsepower twin-engine configuration — essential for longer voyages. Not only does it shorten travel time, it also significantly reduces the chances of being stranded at sea with a broken engine. The vessel is equipped with radar and 3D side-scan sonar, giving the crew complete awareness of underwater depth and topography, greatly enhancing safety during dive trips (for example, avoiding jumping in at the wrong spot — ha!).
The twin engines make every voyage more convenient and reassuring
The fresh interior of the cabin still carries a faint new-boat smell
Another clever touch from Piston Instructor deserves a mention. In the past, once aboard, divers would strap their gear to the tank racks, but fins and masks would end up scattered about or left in the walkway, making an already narrow passage even more congested. Piston Instructor had a custom iron rack installed along the top of the cabin interior — it doubles as a handhold for stability and as a dedicated rack for fins, giving them a proper home. Thoughtful, isn't it?
A clever solution that gives every pair of fins a home
Ready to set sail!
Setting out from Taiwan always means the customary stop at the coast guard checkpoint first
With Bisha Fishing Harbor's fuel depot in the background, heading out in perfect weather for a dive
No offshore trip is complete without a pretty face aboard! Gazing toward Taiwan's dragon pearl — Keelung Islet — in the distance
After about a 20-minute voyage, we arrived at today's destination: Yehliu
Paying close attention to the dive briefing before entering the water is crucial! Piston Instructor's in-depth knowledge of local water conditions makes every dive trip that much safer
Heading to Yehliu
Yehliu is actually a protected area where all human activity is prohibited within 20 m depth, so our dive on this trip was limited to waters deeper than 20 m. Thanks to this conservation zoning, the density of gorgonians / sea fans here is truly astounding — anyone looking to shoot wide-angle photos should make sure to bring their camera ready.
That said, if a strong tidal current kicks in here, it can really give you a run for your money, so finding an instructor and boat operator who are well-acquainted with local water conditions is absolutely essential!
A vast expanse of gorgonians / sea fans stretching across the seafloor
A congregation of filter-feeding organisms
We had a chance encounter with hundreds of yellowtail amberjack circling all around us
Beyond Piston Instructor's new vessel, the Lihai, 2019 saw several other boats join operations along the Northeast Coast. This development is vital for promoting the localization of dive travel — not only does it enable higher-quality services, but each vessel has its own familiar waters to cater to the diverse needs of different divers. In addition to his regular routes covering the Rose Coral Zone, Wanghaiqiang Bay, Keelung Islet, and Yehliu, Piston Instructor has this year also been pioneering routes to the Northern Three Islands, hoping to complete the full puzzle of Northeast Coast dive travel. Are you tempted? Come join us and explore the Northeast Coast by boat!
Come join the Northeast Coast boat diving crew!
The beaming smiles on the divers' faces say it all — boat diving is a blast! (Isn't the bow deck nice and spacious?!)
Related links:
Frequently Asked Questions
How is a BlueTrend dive trip different from an unknown, no-name dive group?
Choosing us means full peace-of-mind protection and a smooth experience from start to finish. Every trip we run holds to three things.
First, full legal protection and a professional dive leader: we strictly follow Taiwan's travel regulations and provide complete travel-agency liability insurance, travel insurance, trip-inconvenience insurance and dive insurance. Every group is accompanied by a certified, foreign-language dive leader who joins you on both the dives and the land itinerary, liaising seamlessly with local dive shops and operators on your behalf to keep things running smoothly — the person our travellers trust most.
Second, fully licensed with secure payments: every payment goes into a licensed travel agency's account, with multiple safe payment channels (bank transfer, credit card and more) and a legal collect-and-remit receipt, so every transaction is open, transparent and protected, avoiding the fraud and dispute risks of transferring money privately to an individual.
Third, hand-picked quality we vet in person: every trip, dive site and partner shop is scouted on the ground by our own team, from the guides' professionalism and safety standards to the food, lodging, environment and service details on land, all vetted by us so you don't get caught out.
I want to sign up for a dive trip. Are there certification-level or logged-dive requirements?
Each dive site is different, so the entry bar varies. 'Bali Tulamben', for instance, is relatively beginner-friendly. 'Malapascua in the Philippines' is also beginner-friendly, but since thresher sharks tend to cruise between 20 and 30 metres, we recommend AOW certification with 20+ logged dives to enjoy this trip comfortably. For 'the Maldives' or 'Palau', we suggest AOW with 50+ logged dives for a more relaxed experience. If you're not sure whether your experience fits the trip you want, message us and our dive editors will assess it and help you find the trip you'll feel safest on.
Can I join if I'm signing up alone? How are rooms arranged?
Plenty of our travellers sign up solo! For rooms and beds, we prioritise pairing you with a same-gender traveller, and if you'd rather have your own space you can pay the difference to upgrade to a single room. For the diving, our professional leader will pair you with a suitable buddy, and with the happy vibe on our trips you'll quickly make a great group of dive friends. Many people sign up alone, make new friends, and end up organising the next trip together!
Does the trip fee include dive insurance, gear rental, taxes and instructor tips?
It depends on the trip, the destination's regulations and the local operators. Every BlueTrend dive trip has a detailed web page with a clear 'included / not included' list, transparent and with no hidden charges. All payments are collected by a licensed travel agency, with a standard-form contract for your protection.
I'm a new diver / haven't dived in a long time — will I fall behind the group?
Before you complete your booking, our team assesses a suitable trip based on your certification level and experience. Before departure, we strongly recommend taking time to refresh in Taiwan with an instructor, or a fun dive to get your feel back. On the trip itself, our professional dive leader groups and pairs everyone by experience, keeps a close eye underwater on travellers who need extra care, and steps in to help right away.
Will the photos and videos taken during the trip be shared with us?
During the dives, 'safety' is always the leader's top priority, so whenever it's suitable and safe the leader will capture great shots and record the best moments. During or after the trip, we compile a cloud album for all travellers to download, so you go home loaded with memories!
Besides your scheduled trips, can you arrange a private group charter or independent travel for me and my friends?
Absolutely! Besides group trips, we also arrange private group charters and independent travel. We can communicate, enquire and coordinate services with local operators based on your needs, saving you time and effort and taking the language barrier off your plate, to tailor the smoothest, most reassuring dive trip just for you. Contact our LINE support and our editors will arrange it for you!
![[Carol's Diving Diary] Love at First Sight with Taiwan's Northeast Coast Dive Sites — Where My Passion for Diving All Began](/_astro/20190901_081909-%E8%A4%87%E8%A3%BD_13yx9E.webp)
![[Carol's Dive Log] Northern Taiwan Dive Site – Yingge Rock: A Special Ocean Cleanup Dive to Remove Wooden Lures](/_astro/15763185497611382810092_mh1576321790031-%E8%A4%87%E8%A3%BD-1_Z1OUlvx.webp)
