Hey there,
I'm new to ScubaBoard, and I heard about some of the comments regarding the "Baja Aggressor" just days before our recent trip to Guadalupe Island, Mexico (the "Jaws" trip). Taking a step back, we were willing to take a bet on the trip given their very competitive pricing compared to the other operators as well as the overall reputation of the "Aggressor" brand. I think that if I had read these comments a few weeks before the trip, I might've cancelled. That would've been a huge mistake.
Without being too wordy, let me give you my overall impression (disclosure: this was my first experience on a live aboard boat) of the trip:
They picked us up in San Diego in a large and comfortable van to make the trip to Ensenada. Their driver and staff were very friendly and accommodating including a stop for beer and snacks in Rosarito.
Our first impression of the "Baja Aggressor" or the "Andrea" was one of apprehension due to its history as a large fishing boat. However, this impression did not last long. The boat, overall (and it has its faults), is VERY comfortable. The beds are better than what I have at home, and each cabin has a flat screen TV, DVD player, and large, tiled bathrooms. Water pressure (and hot water) was excellent. The main cabin was comfortable with a big screen TV, TONs of beer, etc., and nice chairs. We had ten "guests" on the boat which was a great number from my perspective (1/2 full). The boat had plenty of room for people to mingle, socialize, or find a private space to read, etc. 20 people would limit the amount of time in the cages. We, basically, could go in or out whenever we wanted.
The crew gets an A+ - Every reasonable request was met 100% by the staff. The food / chef was excellent (A++), and, again, blows away the cooking at home. Baja-style mexican food including almost daily fresh tuna BLEW AWAY my expectations. Now, food expectations are in the eye of the beholder, so other people might not like the cuisine, but I LOVED it.
Now to the fun part -> Jaws.
After a fairly long boat trip (~18-hours) we arrived at the island. This place was something straight from "Jurassic Park" with vaulting elevations, varied topography, and virtually no one home other than a variety of seals and sea lions (Scooby snacks for the sharks, apparently).
Within an hour or two of "inspiring" Jaws to appear, a number of large female great whites appeared. There was only one other boat in the area for a couple of days. Everyday, we had numerous great white sharks at depth in the submersible or a the surface / cage level. Again, I have to give the crew an A+ (or we were just lucky) in terms of meeting or exceeding my expectation for seeing these amazing animals. The crew was also fairly knowledgable about the sharks, and helped answer a number of questions that we had after observing them.
Lastly, given the potential for wind or rolling swells, it's important in my opinion, to pick an operator with a large boat (more stable). My understanding is that the Baja Aggressor is the largest operator at the island right now.
The scariest part of the trip was NOT the sharks. Going to your cabin on the way back home in large swells was a little nerve racking. Bring seasickness medication for the long trip there and back. Another interesting observation was the sensory depravation from being out at sea and next to a brown, and mostly lifeless, island. When we got back to Ensenada, I was shocked at all of the color in the "real" world.
Anyway, I agree with the prior post that said this is a trip of a lifetime.
We had an absolute blast.
10/10 - A+++
