Back from Bahamas and first liveaboard

[Phil]

Just back from my first liveabaord expirence... Aqua Cat. Wife and I thought we'd found heaven. It is the only way to dive. We did the Exumas. 22 dives in 5 1/2 days. Drifts, walls, reefs, and even a blue hole. Although we are still considered newbies
(50 dives), we picked up a ton of expirence and learned all kinds of new stuff. We completed our AOW during the week.

The ship is in good shape. We had a twin and a single in our room, with our own bathroom. The food was outstanding, with Jim the cook creating tasty, healthy dishes that would please even the hard to please. Meat, fish, salads, and great deserts.

The corals were not in as good of shape as I was expecting, and their wasn't nearly as many fish as we thought we would see. But, we were just back from Thailand, and we were expecting it to be as good as over there. We could be slightly jaded after Thailand. We did see several spotted Rays, a ton of Sharks, huge Groopers, and several Turtles.

I have nothing to compare it to, (since it was my first liveaboard) but I think is is a fair value. It is a great way to dive, with the posibility of doing 5 dives a day. They fill your tanks as soon as you come out of the water. Fresh hot showers as you are climbing on board. A fresh towels for each day of diving, plenty of room to get in and out of the suits,(I used a 5mm and was happy I had it) and in and out of the water.

An hour after I got home on Monday, I called Nekton and made a reservation for myself for June 14th. I will see how it compares to the Aqua Cat.

Keep breathing,
Phil

 

[Tim Ingersoll]

Did you stop anywhere and get off the boat?

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Do tell when you get a chance to compare them with Aqua Cat. My husband and I and a couple of friends did the Nekton Pilot trip to Cay Sal Banks in 2001, it was AMAZING! The food is awesome, and the crew is fantastic! Did Aqua Cat offer a video of the trip? Nekton did, if you notice your previously professional DM's starting to act stupid as they get divers in the water one day the camera is rolling! Look around and see if you can find the videographer (try the chase boat hanging above the deck). Oh, if you have trouble descending that day check your first stage, there may be a buoy clipped off to it

Put it this way, they recommend a tip of 10% of the trip price for the crew (per diver that was $200.00 on our trip). My husband said there was no way he was going to tip $200.00 because nothing was worth that. Needless to say the service was so good there was $200 in his tip envelope and another $200 in mine when we dropped them off. It was WELL worth it!
Ber

 

[raviepoo]

I don't know what they pay the folks on the Nekton Pilot, but dive professionals in general work like dogs for very low wages. Tips are considered part of their compensation, and they need and (deserve) that money. I've never seen a liveaboard crew member who didn't work like a dog to keep their boat running and/or their passengers happy.

Have you ever unclogged a marine head after someone threw something innappropriate in it? Have you ever prepared dinner for 18 in a hot galley the size of a closet?

Tip the crew. If you can't afford the tip, you can't afford the trip.

Ber Rabbit once bubbled...


Put it this way, they recommend a tip of 10% of the trip price for the crew (per diver that was $200.00 on our trip). My husband said there was no way he was going to tip $200.00 because nothing was worth that.

 

[Phil]

Tim,

We did have several chances to get off the boat, although not many of the passengers wanted to.... we did take a ride over to an island called Iguana Island, and the place was loaded with these Iguanas..... but this group were all hard core divers. I think my wife and I were the only two that didn't do all five dives each day.....
Phil

 

[Phil]

I agree...... this crew of the Aqua Cat worked 18 hours a day.... working 6 weeks on and one week off.... I personally felt that 10% was not enough, so I gave the DM lady who helped us get through our classes for AOW an extra $ 100. They really do bust their butts......
Phil

 

[mchiapetto]

I will really be interested on your comparison of the Aqua-cat and the Nekton. Those were the two we were considering. We decided to book the Nelton Pilot the week of July 5th.

Which Nekton boat are you going on? And to what area? Please do let us know how that trip goes too.

One other question about what you took on the trip. Did you use everything you packed? Or do you think you took too much? What would you advise for someone preparing to pack for a trip?

 

[Phil]

Mchiapetto,

We were on the April 12th Aqua Cat and will be on the June 14th Nekton Pilot, and the Nov 5th Cuan Law..... we are also curious about the difference in the three, since they equal out about the same $$$$. ( +/_)

My dive shop owner here in Portland says the Nekton attracts a younger and more of a "party group" where as the AC might be slighty older and more hard core divers.....I can't really answer that question yet, but ask me after our June trip. I can tell you that were are in our late 40's early 50's and were were about in the middle of the age group for the AC.

Everyone told us to pack lite, and we did just that. We had all our dive gear in one large duffel bag ( 65lbs) and we took one medium carry on for our cloths. We spend 2 days in Nassau before and 2 days after, but basically we each took 3 suits, 2 shorts, 1 pr. sandels, 5 Tee shirts each, a couple pr. of underware, and our toilettries, sun glasses, sun lotion, motion pills, sudafed, and what we didn't have we did without. I packed my "Never Lost" and my digital camera and housing in a small carry on, along with our Regulators and our Rx masks. (just in case out luggage got lost)

From what we here the Cuan Law is more of a lay back cruise, with only 3 dives per day for 10 days and more outside activities, and since it is a sail boat, it will take longer to get to the different dive sights. More of a relaxing type of dive vacation.

We will see how they compare!
Phil