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Scuba Forum / General / November 2005Good live aboard in the Carribean?
Hey all, well I have a week in the middle of January that I can take off and desperately want to spend it on a liveaboard. Does anyone have any suggestions? > Hey all, well I have a week in the middle of January that I can take > off and desperately want to spend it on a liveaboard. Does anyone have > any suggestions? I spent a week on the Nekton Pilot in early August this year and had a great time. The crew was great, diving great, food was great. I had never been on a liveaboard before and was a little anxious that if I didn't like it, I was stuck for a week doing something I didn't like. I was also concerned about "down time" so I brought some movies along to watch on my laptop computer but I only had time to watch 1 movie. There was always something going on. We cruised the NW Bahamas out of Ft Lauderdale. I would definetly go back with Nekton Cruises again. > I spent a week on the Nekton Pilot in early August this year and had a > great time. > > The crew was great, diving great, food was great. I spent 10 days at Cocos with Capt. JJ, formerly of the Rorqual. It was his first liveaboard as a paying customer and he kept making unfavorable comparisons of the boat we were on (Aggressor) to the Nektons, claiming that their cabins were bigger, their food better, the crew more fun, the diving easier (no skiffs), etc. In deciding to give Belize a second chance, I had to choose between the Aggressor and the Nekton. The Aggressor goes to Blue Hole and includes beer and wine, but it's also $500 a piece more, or $1,000 for the two of us. That difference can buy us plenty of booze. I'm looking forward to my Nekton trip. > I had never been on a liveaboard before and was a little anxious that if I > didn't like it, I was stuck for a week doing something I didn't like. I > was also concerned about "down time" so I brought some movies along to > watch on my laptop computer but I only had time to watch 1 movie. There > was always something going on. Even on the more boring boats, I always find a few people to socialize and drink with me. Often they take turns staying up late with me. My only complaint is that everybody goes to bed so damn early every night. > We cruised the NW Bahamas out of Ft Lauderdale. If I like the boat, and I can't imagine I won't, that's a trip I'll have to make in the near future. I certainly have more friends in Ft. Lauderdale than I do in Belize City, though it will be fun to see one of my favorite bartenders again. > I would definetly go back with Nekton Cruises again. Give me a heads up when you do and maybe I'll impose my presence on you. You can stay up late with me on Monday and Thursday and help me drink my $1,000 worth of booze. >>I spent a week on the Nekton Pilot in early August this year and had a >>great time. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > for the two of us. That difference can buy us plenty of booze. I'm looking > forward to my Nekton trip. As it turned out I actually had a cabin to myself at no extra charge. Seemed another group had placed a deposit and share the boat with us and then backed out. I think we ended up with about 25 divers or so. The Nekton Pilot needed some minor repairs, mostly just cosmetic. It "rained" in my cabin the whole week. Apparently the A/C condensation from some of the ductwork in the ceiling. That really didn't bother me because I didn't spend much time in my cabin anyway. The whole week it was eat, sleep, dive. I did go ashore twice. Once in Freeport and once on Bimini. Should I go back, I will NOT go back to Bimini. Everything was run down and kept looking over my shoulder to make certain I didn't get jumped. A lot of the residents were really eyeing me and the others I was with. >>I had never been on a liveaboard before and was a little anxious that if I >>didn't like it, I was stuck for a week doing something I didn't like. I [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > drink with me. Often they take turns staying up late with me. My only > complaint is that everybody goes to bed so damn early every night. Our group was the majority on the cruise and I have dove with most of them before. I have logged probably 40-50 dives with my dive buddy so it wasn't like I was getting on a boat with a bunch of strangers. There were a few that pretty much stayed to themselves, but most of us socialized during the week. Every night they would have a presentation on a variety of subjects. The Pilot and the Rorqual are comparatively slow cruising at around 6-7 knots, but their big selling point is the stability. I remember one morning we arrived at our dive location and Blackbeards was there. Seas were relatively calm, <1ft, however, Blackbeards boat was rocking back and forth as even the small waves were hitting the hull broadside. I was on the top sundeck and it was like I was standing on a dock. >>We cruised the NW Bahamas out of Ft Lauderdale. > > If I like the boat, and I can't imagine I won't, that's a trip I'll have to > make in the near future. I certainly have more friends in Ft. Lauderdale > than I do in Belize City, though it will be fun to see one of my favorite > bartenders again. While I would definetly go with Nekton again but I would want to take a different cruise just for the variety. One diver on our boat was a lady who was in her late 70's (I think she was 79). They told us at the beginning of the cruise this was her *20TH* cruise with them. She was solo on the trip and dove only with one of the crew as a dive buddy. Nekton has a good website that explains their boats and amenities. http://www.nektoncruises.com >>I would definetly go back with Nekton Cruises again. > > Give me a heads up when you do and maybe I'll impose my presence on you. > You can stay up late with me on Monday and Thursday and help me drink my > $1,000 worth of booze. Maybe give me a chance to collect that six pack of beer you owe me.  SignatureI have never met a liberal street cop. > As it turned out I actually had a cabin to myself at no extra charge. > Seemed another group had placed a deposit and share the boat with us and [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > and kept looking over my shoulder to make certain I didn't get jumped. A > lot of the residents were really eyeing me and the others I was with. Rain sorta sucks. We had a wet carpet on one boat from a floor unit, but they finally got it fixed. Maybe I can request a dry cabin, though like you I'm only in the cabin to sleep. I'll have to check out Bimini. You gun totin' guys seem to get extra nervous when you have to leave them behind and cops tend to be slightly paranoid as a rule, albeit for good reason. Though I'll admit to getting a bit jumpy walking around at night by myself in San Jose, CR, and positively frightened in Quito, Ecuador, though that's because my buddy insisted on taking us into some pretty scary joints and they have cops patrolling the streets with submachine guns and Rottweilers on chains. Foreign places can't all be as safe as Miami and L.A., I guess. > Our group was the majority on the cruise and I have dove with most of them > before. I have logged probably 40-50 dives with my dive buddy so it > wasn't like I was getting on a boat with a bunch of strangers. There were > a few that pretty much stayed to themselves, but most of us socialized > during the week. Every night they would have a presentation on a variety > of subjects. Thailand was the first time I've gone on a boat without knowing anyone other than my wife, but we still had a great time, tsunami and all. I've heard scary stories of people ending up on boats filled with really boring antisocial people, but that so far hasn't happened to me. Getting on a more populous boat like the Nektons increases the chance that at least some people will be fun. I just hope I never end up on a full boat chartered by something like "the Bible Temperance Diving Society". > The Pilot and the Rorqual are comparatively slow cruising at around 6-7 > knots, but their big selling point is the stability. I remember one > morning we arrived at our dive location and Blackbeards was there. Seas > were relatively calm, <1ft, however, Blackbeards boat was rocking back and > forth as even the small waves were hitting the hull broadside. I was on > the top sundeck and it was like I was standing on a dock. That's good to hear. I like stable. Otherwise I have to take lots of Dramamine and that tends to tire me out, especially when washed down with wine. > While I would definetly go with Nekton again but I would want to take a > different cruise just for the variety. One diver on our boat was a lady [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Nekton has a good website that explains their boats and amenities. > http://www.nektoncruises.com I can't understand those people that go every year to the same dive resort either. It's a big world out there. > Maybe give me a chance to collect that six pack of beer you owe me. Heck, I might even buy you dinner. >>As it turned out I actually had a cabin to myself at no extra charge. >>Seemed another group had placed a deposit and share the boat with us and [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] > nervous when you have to leave them behind and cops tend to be slightly > paranoid as a rule, albeit for good reason. Only thing I am paranoid about is all the lawyers trying to get me. >>Our group was the majority on the cruise and I have dove with most of them >>before. I have logged probably 40-50 dives with my dive buddy so it [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > people will be fun. I just hope I never end up on a full boat chartered by > something like "the Bible Temperance Diving Society". Well do be forwarned. The Nekton folks have a pretty inflexible policy. Your first drink of the day is your last dive of the day. >>The Pilot and the Rorqual are comparatively slow cruising at around 6-7 >>knots, but their big selling point is the stability. I remember one [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Dramamine and that tends to tire me out, especially when washed down with > wine. One of the things I liked about Nekton, they anticipated a lot of our needs. Before I left, we filled out form indicating what, if any special dietary needs we might have. They provided us with a phone number to call when we arrived at the airport and were there within 20 minutes to pick us and our luggage up (thank goodness for cell phones). They dropped us off at the a part of Ft Lauderdale, I think is called the RiverFront or Riverwalk or something like that. Lots of shops and restaurants down there. They gave us a 1 day pass on the water taxi system so we could tour some of the waterways and see 1/2 acre lots that sold for $8.5 million. We ate dinner at Dan Marino's restaurant and the food was great and the prices quite reasonable. At 7pm, they sent a large bus to pick us up where we were dropped off. They had the passengers from both the Rorqual and the Pilot on this bus. On the way to the boats, they stopped at a Grocery store that was next to a liquor store so you could buy whatever snacks and/or beverages you might think you would want. They provided fruit juices and iced tea, but if you wanted something like Coke or Pepsie, etc, you needed to bring that along as well as any alcoholic beverages. When we got to the boat, our luggage had already been stowed in our cabins. They went through the mandatory safety briefing and we were on our way. >>While I would definetly go with Nekton again but I would want to take a >>different cruise just for the variety. One diver on our boat was a lady [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > I can't understand those people that go every year to the same dive resort > either. It's a big world out there. I agree. However, with the sites we visited, I could visit them again and probably still see a lot of different things. SignatureI have never met a liberal street cop. >> I'll have to check out Bimini. You gun totin' guys seem to get extra >> nervous when you have to leave them behind and cops tend to be slightly >> paranoid as a rule, albeit for good reason. > > Only thing I am paranoid about is all the lawyers trying to get me. That many lawyers in Bimini, huh? Then I'll definitely have to check it out. Sounds like a great place. > Well do be forwarned. The Nekton folks have a pretty inflexible policy. > Your first drink of the day is your last dive of the day. Don't worry. I don't mix drinking and diving, unless I'm in Cozumel or staying on Catalina Island. That is one thing that bums me out about Nekton: they do their night dive after dinner. As you know, I'm one who likes to wash down my dinner with copious amounts of wine. But I also love night diving. Were I alone, the wine would probably win out. But now that Janna has finally gotten into night diving and found that she too loves it, the booze will have to wait until we're back aboard. That will really cut down on my drinking opportunities since it will be practically time to head to bed then. So I'll probably keep my nightly activities to a solitary rum drink, except on the last night. Unfortunately that will likely leave me with over $900 of undrunk booze. I guess that would be a nice tip for the crew. > One of the things I liked about Nekton, they anticipated a lot of our > needs. Before I left, we filled out form indicating what, if any special > dietary needs we might have. They provided us with a phone number to call > when we arrived at the airport and were there within 20 minutes to pick us > and our luggage up (thank goodness for cell phones). I'm not sure how that will work in Belize. Hopefully they'll have someone standing there waving a sign. It always makes me feel special when my name is on one of the signs. Even when I'm not expecting someone to meet me at the airport, I always scan the signs just in case . . . My only dietary concern is, being half-Jewish, I'm not too big on pork - I figure my Christian half is entitled to pepperoni and the occasional strip of bacon, but that's it. I notice they do a pork roast one night, but I'll manage to survive on veggies and salad. Still, I admire those liveaboard kitchens that provide two main dishes a night, usually one meat/poultry and one seafood. I wonder if Nekton is antisemitic. I had better keep my praying to myself, and substitute a neoprene beanie for my yarmulke. > They dropped us off at the a part of Ft Lauderdale, I think is called the > RiverFront or Riverwalk or something like that. Lots of shops and > restaurants down there. They gave us a 1 day pass on the water taxi > system so we could tour some of the waterways and see 1/2 acre lots that > sold for $8.5 million. We ate dinner at Dan Marino's restaurant and the > food was great and the prices quite reasonable. Dan Marino's. Don Shula's. You could make it your life's mission to eat at every restaurant owned by a former football player or coach. That would be something. I've driven around Ft. Lauderdale quite a bit, but I'm waiting for Lee to tour me around on his "water taxi". It is a very nice town, but my envy streak always kicks in and I end up feeling bitter. Why can't we all have waterfront mansions with huge yachts and lots of topless models hanging around? In Belize, we hang out at the Princess Hotel until our transfer picks us up at 7:15 p.m. "Nekton guests are extended VIP treatment which includes use of their pool, gym, bowling alley, casino, 20% off drinks, and a $10 Saturday BBQ Buffet." So I can bowl to my heart's content, gamble and win enough money to pay for our trip, and get 20% off drinks. Actually the latter sounds like the best bet. I could save hundreds. But I'll likely enjoy my $45 day room and take a nap, since we're taking the Ontario-Houston 3-hour red-eye and I won't sleep a wink. On the way back, they offer a half-day Mayan Ruins tour and promise to get us to the airport by 12:30 p.m. Problem is, our flight doesn't leave until 4:30 p.m. I got the later flight so we could dive most of Friday. I recall that there isn't much else to do in the Belize Airport other than sit at Jet's Bar drinking his potent rum punch. If I do that for 4 hours, they won't let me on the plane. Plus, you've seen one Mayan ruin, you've seen 'em all. Maybe we'll get a day room again and bowl the day away. > At 7pm, they sent a large bus to pick us up where we were dropped off. > They had the passengers from both the Rorqual and the Pilot on this bus. [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > had already been stowed in our cabins. They went through the mandatory > safety briefing and we were on our way. Soft drinks I can live without, though it would be nice to have pineapple juice to mix with my rum. I recall that there isn't much cheaper booze in all the world than in the Belize Airport duty free, so I might make my major purchases there. Get some bang for my thousand bucks. What's the ice situation like? I like ice. > I agree. However, with the sites we visited, I could visit them again and > probably still see a lot of different things. Yeah, fish are like that. They tend to move around. >>>I'll have to check out Bimini. You gun totin' guys seem to get extra >>>nervous when you have to leave them behind and cops tend to be slightly [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > That many lawyers in Bimini, huh? Then I'll definitely have to check it > out. Sounds like a great place. In Bimini I was cautious. In the courthouse I am paranoid. >>Well do be forwarned. The Nekton folks have a pretty inflexible policy. >>Your first drink of the day is your last dive of the day. [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > I'll probably keep my nightly activities to a solitary rum drink, except on > the last night. I did every night dive they offered and some of my best pictures were during the night dives. One location we dove, "The Strip" had quite a few Scorpion Fish. I was amazed at how well they camoflauged. We dove three wrecks. The "Sugar Wreck", the "Hesparus" and "Theo's Wreck". The Sugar Wreck was absolutely teaming with marine life. The "Hesparus" was rather shallow and not that populated during the day except for a few inquisitive sting rays. However, at night, the Loggerhead turtles moved in but they proved to be quite unsociable. > Unfortunately that will likely leave me with over $900 of undrunk booze. I > guess that would be a nice tip for the crew. [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > is on one of the signs. Even when I'm not expecting someone to meet me at > the airport, I always scan the signs just in case . . . My guess is, they have a system worked out. They seemed very organized. I am sure you can email or call them with any questions. I found them quite accomodating in answering all of my questions. I also found the crew quite friendly and eagerly answered questions about the boat. One day, I had just come topside and was curious about the crew quarters. One of the crew readily showed me the crew quarters. While underway we were welcome to come up on the bridge and chat with the Captain. The only time they didn't want passengers on the bridge were if they were mooring or docking or something like that. > Dan Marino's. Don Shula's. You could make it your life's mission to eat at > every restaurant owned by a former football player or coach. That would be > something. I am willing to make that sacrafice for my fellow divers. > I've driven around Ft. Lauderdale quite a bit, but I'm waiting for Lee to > tour me around on his "water taxi". It is a very nice town, but my envy > streak always kicks in and I end up feeling bitter. Why can't we all have > waterfront mansions with huge yachts and lots of topless models hanging > around? Perhaps if you started a dumpster or trash business. A number of the waterfront mansions we saw were owned by the CEO of some dumpster business down there. There was one I think went for $25 million or so that was given to his daughter as a wedding gift. > On the way back, they offer a half-day Mayan Ruins tour and promise to get > us to the airport by 12:30 p.m. Problem is, our flight doesn't leave until [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > won't let me on the plane. Plus, you've seen one Mayan ruin, you've seen > 'em all. Maybe we'll get a day room again and bowl the day away. I have only been to one Mayan ruin and that was in Cozumel, much to the disdain of my fellow divers. We rented a jeep and went along the eastern shore and followed a dirt road.....actually more of a path through jungle-like vegetation. We actually bottomed the jeep out and a few of us had to get out so the Jeep could get unstuck. In the process, the local vampire bats that were masquarading as mosquitos saw us as a smorgasborg. By the time we got back, the white shirt I was wearing looked like I had been the guest of honor at a paintball firing squad. > Soft drinks I can live without, though it would be nice to have pineapple > juice to mix with my rum. I recall that there isn't much cheaper booze in > all the world than in the Belize Airport duty free, so I might make my major > purchases there. Get some bang for my thousand bucks. > > What's the ice situation like? I like ice. No shortage of ice on the boat. The boat has two 100kw generators that supplies power for ice machines, air compressor, airconditioning, washers, dryers, water desalination etc. >>I agree. However, with the sites we visited, I could visit them again and >>probably still see a lot of different things. > > Yeah, fish are like that. They tend to move around. True, but some of the sites we visited I only saw a brief sample. Others, such as the Sugar Wreck, the Hesparus, "The Strip", it is quite easy to see all there is to see in one dive. I have to say I saw the widest variety of marine-life on that trip of any other trip I have been on. SignatureI have never met a liberal street cop. > I have to say I saw the > widest variety of marine-life on that trip of any other trip I have been on. That's because you havent dove the Pacific Northwest. >> I have to say I saw the >>widest variety of marine-life on that trip of any other trip I have been > > on. > > That's because you havent dove the Pacific Northwest. Perhaps I will remedy that one day. SignatureI have never met a liberal street cop. > >> I have to say I saw the > >>widest variety of marine-life on that trip of any other trip I have been [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > > Perhaps I will remedy that one day. You would be ripping yourself off if you dont. http://www.boydski.com/ "Scott" <pugetsounddiver@gmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard resulting in: :That's because you havent dove the Pacific Northwest. If that's anything like the BC Coast, it pales in comparison to the caribbean. Dan Bracuk If we don't succeed, we run the risk of failure. > "Scott" <pugetsounddiver@gmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard > resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > If that's anything like the BC Coast, it pales in comparison to the > caribbean. I lived in St Thomas and dove all over the windward and leeward islands, and I'll take the PNW diving any day. >> "Scott" <pugetsounddiver@gmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard >> resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > and > I'll take the PNW diving any day. You also prefer men to women faggit. Who gives a f.ck what you think. >>> "Scott" <pugetsounddiver@gmail.com> pounded away at his keyboard >>> resulting in: [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] >> >You also prefer men to women faggit. Who gives a f.ck what you think. You seem pretty hung up on gays. Just come out and be done with it. Signaturedillon Science is when a beautiful theory is killed by an ugly fact. Don the Dildo Rat barfed; > >You also prefer men to women faggit. Who gives a f.ck what you think. Obviously you do, shitbag. You cling to my every word. Any time your balls drop off your chin, you let me know, and I'll be more than happy, as would a bunch of the people here, to kick your a.s for you. > You seem pretty hung up on gays. Just come out and be done with it. It's all he talks about. > Don the Dildo Rat barfed; > [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > > It's all he talks about. his preferences are starting to be the butt of jokes. > I did every night dive they offered and some of my best pictures were > during the night dives. One location we dove, "The Strip" had quite a few [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > sting rays. However, at night, the Loggerhead turtles moved in but they > proved to be quite unsociable. I'm still working on my night shots. My camera won't autofocus because the infrared doesn't penetrate very far, so it needs light. It's awkward holding the light on the subject while I'm trying to shoot it. Holding the light in the same hand as the housing doesn't give me much flexibility. So I have Janna following me around as my light technician, but that takes coordination if there's even a mild surge or current. > My guess is, they have a system worked out. They seemed very organized. I > am sure you can email or call them with any questions. I found them quite [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > didn't want passengers on the bridge were if they were mooring or docking > or something like that. Any female crew? I always seem to find female crew more pleasant to look at. > Perhaps if you started a dumpster or trash business. A number of the > waterfront mansions we saw were owned by the CEO of some dumpster business > down there. There was one I think went for $25 million or so that was > given to his daughter as a wedding gift. Obviously I just need to meet the right girl. Did she get divorced yet? > I have only been to one Mayan ruin and that was in Cozumel, much to the > disdain of my fellow divers. We rented a jeep and went along the eastern [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > By the time we got back, the white shirt I was wearing looked like I had > been the guest of honor at a paintball firing squad. I've been to the one in the middle of the island, but it's pretty much nothing there, just signs and dirt mounds letting you know what used to be. You have to have a good imagination. Tulum, on the other hand, is a great ruin to visit. It's pretty intact and it's pretty small so you don't have to spend all day there. Back then, the priests got all the snazzy waterfront condos complete with topless sacrificial nyphomaniacs, just cut their hearts out when you're done with them so you don't have to hear the nagging about sleeping in the wet spot. A really pretty spot, and a refreshing dive or two in the nearby cenotes makes for a complete day. I figure nothing in Belize can beat that, so why try? > True, but some of the sites we visited I only saw a brief sample. Others, > such as the Sugar Wreck, the Hesparus, "The Strip", it is quite easy to > see all there is to see in one dive. I have to say I saw the widest > variety of marine-life on that trip of any other trip I have been on. Very nice, and you barely have to leave the country. It's definitely on my short list. Meanwhile, I'm looking forward to seeing what Belize can really offer besides wind. Unfortunately I picked the windiest (non-hurricane) month of March, but if all the diving gets blown out at least I can blame chilly for sending me twice now to the windiest spot in the Caribbean. > > I did every night dive they offered and some of my best pictures were > > during the night dives. One location we dove, "The Strip" had quite a few [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > I have Janna following me around as my light technician, but that takes > coordination if there's even a mild surge or current. Try rubber banding a small flashlight to your strobe. It works both as an aiming light (for the strobe) and gives your autofocus sensor something to see. > Try rubber banding a small flashlight to your strobe. It works both as > an aiming light (for the strobe) and gives your autofocus sensor > something to see. I have Ikelight DS-125s which have built in modeling lights, but it never seems to be enough. Actually, I just haven't tried it at night with two strobes. I haven't even got my housing wet since it came back from Ikelight service since I got my new videocamera & housing to play with. I'm going to take both to Bali, though, and hopefully get some shots that even you'll begrudgingly admit are awesome. > > Try rubber banding a small flashlight to your strobe. It works both as > > an aiming light (for the strobe) and gives your autofocus sensor [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > take both to Bali, though, and hopefully get some shots that even you'll > begrudgingly admit are awesome. I'll look forward to seeing them :-) >>I did every night dive they offered and some of my best pictures were >>during the night dives. One location we dove, "The Strip" had quite a few [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > I have Janna following me around as my light technician, but that takes > coordination if there's even a mild surge or current. I used a 10w HID on my left hand as a modeling light. I practically didn't need a strobe. I was using two strobes until one got some condensation in it and failed. I don't have an extremely fancy camera but did get some fairly decent pictures. I am using a Sealife DC310. The HID was great. We were diving a site called "Shark Junction". Depth was about 60ft. Those that stayed topside said at times they could not see some of the other divers lights, but they always knew where I was. A couple of the crew was interested in my light. I might suggeest a UK Q4 light cable tied to your strobe arm. The beam is focused enough to allow you to frame your subject. I don't know if there will be enough light to allow the auto-focus to work but its worth a try. > Any female crew? I always seem to find female crew more pleasant to look > at. No female crew on our boat. I think I have seen some pictures of prior trips with female crew. >>Perhaps if you started a dumpster or trash business. A number of the >>waterfront mansions we saw were owned by the CEO of some dumpster business >>down there. There was one I think went for $25 million or so that was >>given to his daughter as a wedding gift. > > Obviously I just need to meet the right girl. Did she get divorced yet? Dunno....The taxi boat captain didn't mention. >>True, but some of the sites we visited I only saw a brief sample. Others, >>such as the Sugar Wreck, the Hesparus, "The Strip", it is quite easy to [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > month of March, but if all the diving gets blown out at least I can blame > chilly for sending me twice now to the windiest spot in the Caribbean. Speaking of which, you will need a passport for the NW Bahamas trip. SignatureI have never met a liberal street cop. > > Well do be forwarned. The Nekton folks have a pretty inflexible policy. > > Your first drink of the day is your last dive of the day. That's pretty "standard" policy on the two major fleets of liveaboards, the Aggressor and the Peter Hughes -- but both are flexible as to allow a beer for lunch and a beer or wine for dinner without being TOO flexible about it. Afterall, the small amount of alcohol has less an effect on the possibility of intoxication than dehydration. > Don't worry. I don't mix drinking and diving, unless I'm in Cozumel or > staying on Catalina Island. < rest of Greg's drinking tale snipped > > Unfortunately that will likely leave me with over $900 of undrunk booze. I > guess that would be a nice tip for the crew. I think Greg left a decimal place before the 9. :-) The cost of booze (was/is) included in the Aggressor and PhD liveaboards -- which means I subsidize most other divers when I dive on them. > > One of the things I liked about Nekton, < discussion about likes and dislikes of Nekton snipped > My three main DISLIKES of Nekton are: (1) "cattleboats" for a liveaboard, (2) very limited dive locations, in the Bahamas (which is NOT in the Caribbean) and in Belize, (3) the use of 90 cu.ft steel tanks -- which is an "indication" that the liveaboard, as some other minor liveaboards in the Fort Lauderdale area, are catered mainly to Floridian newbies. As for Caribbean liveaboards in the Aggressor and PhD fleets, the crew, dive sites, and equipments/boat set-up are uniformly of excellent quality, and quite comparible. Below are the liveaboards (in the Caribbean) of those fleets, in MY order of preference, mostly rated by dive LOCATIONS: Aggressor: http://www.islandream.com/aggressr.htm Cayman Aggressor (14 times) Turks & Caicos (once) Belize Aggressor (twice) Bay Islands Aggressor (3 times) Peter Hughes: http://www.peterhughes.com Former Sea Dancer: Turks and Caicos (5 times) Former Wave Dancer, now Sun Dancer: Belize (3 times) Former Wave Dancer: Bay Islands (once) Wind Dancer: Tobago (once) Grenada (new location: never) You can probably find one or more of my posts about everyone of these liveaboards somewhere in the groups.google archives under author "Reef Fish", e.g., "Cayman Aggressor" in 148 threads "Bay Islands Aggressor" in 38 threads "Wind Dancer" in 20 threads etc. For my reports on Bahamas liveaboards, see author "reef fish" "Bottom Time I" aka ("AWFUL Time) 6 threads "Bottom Time II" aka ("AWFUL TIme) 2 threads "Crown Diver" (now extinct) 2 threads "Crown Islander" (now extinct) 3 threads on the keyword of "Caribbean Liveaboards" and author "reef fish", there are 19 threads including: Some comparisions of the Aggressor and Peter Hughes fleets, and also the Little Cayman Aggressor (LCD II) and the former Caribbean Explorer (Saba). -- Reef FIsh Bob. > < discussion about likes and dislikes of Nekton snipped > > > My three main DISLIKES of Nekton are: (1) "cattleboats" for a > liveaboard, > (2) very limited dive locations, in the Bahamas (which is NOT in the > Caribbean) and in Belize, (3) the use of 90 cu.ft steel tanks -- which Actually according to a couple of websites, the Bahamas ARE in considered in the Caribbean- http://www.caribbean.com/ http://www.caribbeantravel.com/map_full.html http://www.caribbean-direct.com/ > > < discussion about likes and dislikes of Nekton snipped > > Actually according to a couple of websites, the Bahamas > ARE in considered in the Caribbean- Not quite. But definitely a misnomer used by some, unknowingly, or deliberately. The misnomer is highly correlated with the misspelling "Carribean". :-) For the webpages you cited: > http://www.caribbean.com/ The title of the text is "2,500+ accommodations in The Bahamas, Bermuda and the Caribbean" The Bahamas and Bermuda are explicitly distinguished from the Caribbean. > http://www.caribbeantravel.com/map_full.html The map shows the "Caribbean Sea", and "the Bahamas" and "Bermuda" in the "Atlantic Ocean", distinct and separate from the Caribbean Sea. > http://www.caribbean-direct.com/ This one (an ad agency) does not make the distinction, probably because (1) the writer didn't know the difference, (2) the ad is catered to advertisers who don't know the difference, or (3) both (1) and (2). -- Reef FIsh Bob. >>>< discussion about likes and dislikes of Nekton snipped > > [quoted text clipped - 29 lines] > difference, (2) the ad is catered to advertisers who > don't know the difference, or (3) both (1) and (2). I will agree the Bahamas are not in the Caribbean Sea, however according to this online World Atlas, they are a part of the world generally referred to as the Caribbean. http://worldatlas.com/webimage/countrys/carib.htm However, notwithstanding any dispute over what part of the world they are in and what that part is referred to, I still had a great time on the liveaboard and diving there. > My only dietary concern is, being half-Jewish, I'm not too big on pork Bring a small container of kosher salt and sprinkle liberally. Fix you right up. >The Nekton Pilot needed some minor repairs, mostly just cosmetic. It >"rained" in my cabin the whole week. Apparently the A/C condensation >from some of the ductwork in the ceiling. That's been a problem with those boats since the beginning. The crew normally tells you that it means you have the A/C set too low, and to stick a face cloth into the frame of the ceiling tiles at the drippy spot... >Should I go back, I will NOT go back to Bimini. Everything >was run down and kept looking over my shoulder to make certain I didn't >get jumped. A lot of the residents were really eyeing me and the others >I was with. I've been to Bimini several times on my Nekton trips, and have never felt at all uncomfortable. I always stop in at the Compleat Angler for a couple, and then get some conch fritters at the little place next to the liquor store. >The Pilot and the Rorqual are comparatively slow cruising at around 6-7 >knots, but their big selling point is the stability. The Pilot is slow, maxing out at 7 knots. The Rorqual can do nearly double that speed. But then Ephy (I've heard him called the Admiral of their fleet, he was the first captain of the Pilot) will tell you that he likes the way the Pilot handles better, and that it rides smoother. SignatureRemove preceding and trailing X from username for replies (Sorry, but I'm SICK of spam...) > Hey all, well I have a week in the middle of January that I can take > off and desperately want to spend it on a liveaboard. Does anyone have > any suggestions? I've only been on one liveaboard (so far!). My dive club had the whole Cayman Agressor IV last July for a week. Unfortunately it was the week that Hurricane Dennis messed things up. We only got in 4 days of the 5 1/2 days of diving but the days we got were great. I'd recommend this boat even though I don't have anything else to compare it to. The diving was excellent, we were dropped over each site (minimal swimming required to get to each location) and the on-board amenities were very good too. The food was good with the exception of the cook's penchant for lots of garlic - a little less would have been okay with most of us. The only time anybody got sick was on the 90 mile crossing to Cayman Brac but the seas were in the 5-9' plus range at that time. As a newbie, I didn't really know what to expect (I'd logged around 130 dives before the trip but had never slept on a ship for a night before and here I was on for a week.). Although we don't have the full boat this time, 10 of us are booked on the Belize Agressor for April. I'm very much looking forward to that. As far as cost is concerned, I know that this fleet isn't the cheapest but the club members have a lot of experience on their boats as well as on the other operators'. The club gets an automatic 10% discount and we got a free slot for each 8 we booked. (The first 9 of us have split the cost of 8 places, saving us some more money.) Thinking about these trips warms me up! Especially good since my dive club is doing their annual Christmas Tree dive in Maine on Saturday. Hope this is helpful. - David
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