Aquacat vs T&C Explorer II as far as the diving itself goes

[luckydiver]

I know the boats are great. I'm trying to figure out what the differences are in the quality of the diving. Does one location have better reefs, one site less impacted by lion fish, greater variety of marine life, one location have better average visibility, more variety in the types of dives, warmer water between the months of February and April, etc.

 

[Doubler]

I think the Explorer does Humpback whale snorkeling trips at Silver Banks during those months.

 

[diversteve]

What he said ^. From the last week of Jan thru April 12th. http://explorerventures.com/pdf/FLEETSCHEDULE.pdf

So does the T/C Aggressor. Except they return to Provo on April 5th. https://www.aggressor.com/turkscaicosschedule.php

My buddy has done both destinations in about the past 5 years - not on Aquacat but on the previous (not current) Dancer boat. He said Turks/Caicos was much better for fishlife.

It obviously may have changed but in May 2010, I saw no more than about 5-6 lionfish for the whole week. All at West Caicos IIRC. Including a couple the size of basketballs. I don't think anyone else did either, there wasn't any mention of it at dinner that I can recall.

I'm not certain if it's where Aquacat goes but some of the Bahamas Out Islands have a problem with invasive algae besides lionfish.

 

[jameseg]

I've been on the T&C Explorer II twice - once on their Turks & Caicos itinerary and once on their Bahamas itinerary (San Salvador and Conception Island). Both were fantastic trips, but I'd say the diving was definitely better in the Turks & Caicos, with two exceptions - we saw multiple hammerheads and had a minute-long interaction with a dolphin on the Bahamas trip. That aside, the reef was in much better shape in Turks & Caicos, and we had more interactions with pelagics - stingrays, reef sharks, and nurse sharks on almost every dive. We saw reef sharks in the Bahamas too, but not nearly as often. And very few stingrays or nurse sharks, for whatever reason. There's a green algae that was all over a number of our dive sites in the Bahamas. I don't remember anything like that in T&C. It wasn't a deal breaker, but definitely hurt the overall look of the reef.

Visability was terrific on both trips - maybe slightly better in T&C, but that nitpicking. We saw some lionfish on both trips, but neither location was completely overrun by them. Probably saw a few more in the Bahamas than in T&C.

I've never been on Aquacat, but I understand that it tours around the Exumas. From everything I've read, I get the sense that the diving in San Salvador and Conception is better than the Exumas, but don't know that for sure.

Hope that helps,
James

 

[WetLens]

One other difference is the average depth of dives. T&C seem to be about the same where ever we went - top of reef 45-60', then sport recreational limit (or boat limit) from there. No place to spend time in shallows at the end of a dive. Northern Exumas have the advantage of deeper walls on the outside and shallow reefs on the inside. Anchorages tend to be smoother in Northern Exumas as there is always somewhere to hide - not always true in T&C. Agree with others that algae covering significant portions of the reef appears to be more of an issue in the Bahamas - even the southern sites at Conception and San Salvadore. Spent two weeks earlier this summer diving between Long Island, Conception, Rum Caye and San Salvadore and have to say it is getting more and more depressing each passing year (manage this trip about every other year).

All that said, I prefer Northern Exumas to T&C (and southern Bahamas over both). I was on T&C Explorer in spring 2012 and was disappointed more by "house" rules than anything else. Dove previously in T&C on the two Dancer boats and came away somewhat disappointed then as well. French Caye is the noted exception - had great dives there on each trip, but would still rate some of the sites on the south side of San Sal and Conception as better (but that's not what you are asking, I know). Again, the concern over depth of dives as even the night dives end up being 45-50' min. That makes for a lot of nitrogen loading if you are maxing out dive times as I tend to do.

I've not been on Aquacat, but have about a dozen trips to the Northern Exumas and would return in a heartbeat as I like the variety of dive sites. After 3 trips to T&C, not likely to return. Just another opinion. Photos from both areas can be seen at photo site noted in signature line.

 

[ronscuba]

Were you using nitrox ?

 

[jameseg]

I was on T&C Explorer in spring 2012 and was disappointed more by "house" rules than anything else.

Curious about which house rules you didn't like? The seemed pretty standard to me - 130' max on air, 110' on nitrox, 60 minute dives.

James

 

[WetLens]

Yes, diving Nitrox. I've been on over 25 liveaboard trips and am not one that likes hand-holding or being watched over. I was a last-minute addition to the trip and did not travel with a dive partner, so I was left to find others to dive with. As a photographer, I tend not to be the best "buddy" and tended to tag along with others as a third wheel. I am used to diving on my own and rarely, if ever, get castigated if I surface well after my buddy - or in this case, buddy team. I was called out on this. I also choose liveaboards for the freedom to hit the water when ready and get back on board with an appropriate margin of air in the tank. Diving on T&C Explorer is done to a schedule - period. On one dive, I was working on camera gear and missed my buddy team hitting the water. I thought, no problem - I'll catch up. I was not allowed to enter the water even though it was obvious to me where the buddy team had ventured. For all the idiotic release and waivers signed, I felt I was treated like a inexperienced diver at a land-based operation. Definitely not what I am used to on liveaboards. I know I'll catch crap from all sides on this, but I'll just say that diving on the T&C Explorer was the most restrictive liveaboard diving I have ever done.

 

[ronscuba]

Sounds like a solo diver issue. I don't really have an opinion on this since I always dive with a buddy even if it is an insta-buddy.

I did T&C many years ago, both land based and liveaboard. I do remember the walls starting deep, but don't remember any problems with bottom times when using nitrox.

 

[Doubler]

Wet, Instead of holding you out of the water why didn't they put one of the crew in the water with you? This would have had tip impact if it were me. Dumb on their part.