In 2018, as the diving population steadily grew, dive boats began entering the summer dive travel market one after another. For a gear-laden couch-diver like the Editor — who'd rather skip the schlep up steep launch ramps with heavy equipment on their back — this was an incredibly convenient option. As boat dives started reaching more distant spots, more and more dive sites were visited: the sunken vessel Hai Jian inside Wanghai Bay, the Rainbow Reef off Keelung Islet, the secret gorgonian / sea fan forest at Yehliu, and even the remote Northern Three Islands were about to have their mysteries unveiled.
In 2019, Piston — a highly regarded dive instructor on the Northeast Coast — made the trip to Penghu to commission the dive boat he had always dreamed of. Beyond loading it with every piece of equipment a diver could need, he put thoughtful touches into small details throughout, hoping that every diver who stepped aboard would feel right at home and truly enjoy a well-deserved diving holiday!
Join the Editor for a look at the maiden voyage of Instructor Piston's vessel, the Lihai, along the Northeast Coast!
The Lihai Dive Boat's Maiden Voyage
The Lihai is a 40-ft twin-engine commercial powerboat with a striking paint scheme on its hull. Beyond making the vessel easy for divers to identify on the water, the red-and-white pattern is none other than the familiar dive flag — isn't that a thoughtful touch?
The Lihai's hull graphics make it instantly recognisable on the water
One drawback of Northeast Coast dive boats in the past was that most were fairly small — cramped inside, and some didn't even have a toilet, which made longer trips rather inconvenient. The Lihai, however, is full of clever design choices: the walkway is wider than usual for easy movement, and the bow deck has been specially built as a semicircular platform — perfect both for boarding and disembarking, and as a shooting platform for freedivers and mermaids. Isn't that a thoughtful touch?
Instructor Piston doing pre-departure vessel checks
The Lihai can accommodate 12 divers and carry more than 24 scuba tanks / cylinders, so group charters planning a dive trip are no longer limited by headcount.
Nitrox and air cylinders available on board
Every cylinder has its own dedicated slot
The boat is powered by a 250-horsepower twin-engine setup — crucial for longer passages. Not only does it cut travel time, it also reduces the risk of getting stranded at sea with a dead engine. On board, radar and 3D side-scan sonar give a complete picture of underwater depth and topography, greatly enhancing the safety of dive operations (for example, making sure you jump into the right spot — ha).
Twin engines make every passage quicker and more reassuring
Step inside the brand-new cabin and you can still catch that faint new-boat smell
Another clever idea from Instructor Piston deserves a special mention. In the past, once divers strapped their gear onto the tank holders, fins and masks would be left scattered around or dumped in the walkway, making an already narrow passage even more crowded. Piston had a custom iron rack built into the overhead of the cabin: it doubles as a grab rail and, more importantly, gives fins a dedicated home of their own — isn't that a thoughtful touch?
A clever solution that gives every pair of fins a home
Time to set sail!
Heading out from Taiwan, the customary stop to clear departure with the coast guard is a must
Bisha Fishing Harbor fuel depot in the background — glorious weather and ready to dive
No boat trip is complete without the crew looking great! Keelung Islet — Taiwan's Dragon Pearl — shimmers in the distance
About 20 minutes at sea and we arrive at today's destination: Yehliu
Always pay attention to the dive briefing before entering the water! Instructor Piston's thorough knowledge of local currents makes every dive that much safer
Heading to Yehliu
Yehliu is actually a protected area where all human activity is prohibited within 20 m depth, so on this trip we could only dive below the 20 m mark. Thanks to the protections in place, the density of gorgonian / sea fans here is truly staggering — anyone wanting to shoot wide-angle shots had better have their camera ready.
However, when a big tidal surge rolls through, the current here can be absolutely relentless — which is all the more reason why finding an instructor and boat operator who knows the local waters inside and out is so important!
A sweeping carpet of gorgonian / sea fans stretches out below
A congregation of filter feeders
A surprise encounter: hundreds of yellowtail amberjack circling all around us
Beyond Instructor Piston's new vessel the Lihai, 2019 also saw other boats join operations along the Northeast Coast. This is hugely important for promoting local dive travel: not only does it raise the overall quality of service, but each vessel has its own familiar waters, catering to the diverse needs of different divers. Instructor Piston, for example, regularly runs routes to the Rose Coral Zone, Wanghai Bay, Keelung Islet, and Yehliu — and this year he's also been exploring new routes to the Northern Three Islands, hoping to complete the full picture of Northeast Coast dive travel. Are you tempted? Come join us and explore the Northeast Coast by boat!
Come join the Northeast Coast boat dive crew!
The beaming smiles on the divers' faces say it all — boat dives are a blast! (And isn't that bow deck wonderfully spacious~)
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