Baja Aggressor to Socorro-Late May

[Nautilus Mike]

Thanks for the input - my husband and I were considering this boat for end of May as well. I have been on many liveaboards and they have all been a fantastic experience - sounds like this one will fall short. Any other suggestions for good diving end of May?

Dear Rachel. Hello to a fellow Canadian!! We would be delighted and pleased to send you more information on diving Socorro Island if you are interested. Socorro is a great adventure and to top that off, we currently have a limited time special on offer late this spring with up to $1500 in added value bonuses on new bookings.

Fyi, there are actually 3 very distinct peak season to diving Socorro. Giant mantas, sharks and our beautiful dolphins are there throughout the year. The water is very warm in November and December and that's the best time to see whale sharks. The California current picks up end of December with a noticeable drop in water temps from 27 - 28C down to low of 22 - 23 by Feb. The upside is that a seasonal population of 1200 humpback whales from Alaska reside at Socorro from January - April. Interaction with the whales makes up for the colder water for many people. My personal favourite season for diving is April to June. Water is warm again and this is when we see the biggest schools of hammerhead sharks and the only time that we see schooling silkies. Also best time for schools of tuna AND the possibility of being in the water with pilot whales.

We post daily blogs at Nautilus Explorer Liveaboard Diving Adventures and the archives there will give you a lot more material actually written by our guests and crew while at sea over the many years we have operated at Socorro. Solmar V also posts great blogs and logs on their website which gives you a real feel for each of these boats and the experience. I'm not aware of the other boats doing that on a regular basis.

I think it would be inappropriate for me to say anything about Mark's comments about fastest or stable boat going to Socorro. If you PM me, I would be happy to give you a list of factual questions that you could send out to each operator to get a clearer understanding of the pro's and con's of each boat.

I wish you good luck and good diving and hope that you will take advantage of our "special" to visit Socorro this May.

Sincerely
Captain Mike
Nautilus Explorer
:admin:

 

[Layla]

I'm booked with Nautilus May 25th - Socorro + Sea of Cortez

I think you should book that one
It's going to be a great trip

Thanks for the input - my husband and I were considering this boat for end of May as well. I have been on many liveaboards and they have all been a fantastic experience - sounds like this one will fall short. Any other suggestions for good diving end of May?

 

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

Good input and the feedback I have received on the Baja Aggressor does cause me grave concern. There are now 5 liveaboards that operate scheduled trips to Socorro and the 3 best boats are no doubt the Nautilus Explorer, Solmar V and the Rocio del Mar. Here are all available spaces for May 2011. Traditionally best weather + diving season for Socorro have been November thru May, but a study of weather patterns, sea conditions and expected marine encountesr has prompted the Nautilus Explorer to extend her season thru June.

May 4-11 7 nights Sea Escape – Cabo to Socorro
May 5-15 10 nights Nautilus Explorer – Socoro/Sea of Cortez Combo – 2 spaces
May 9-17 8 nights Rocio Del Mar – Cabo to Socorro
May 16-24 8 nights Nautilus Explorer – Cabo to Socorro – 1 male share space
May 23-30 7 nights Sea Escape – Cabo to Socorro
May 23-31 8 nights Baja Aggressor - Socorro 10 spaces
May 25-Jun 4 10 nights Nautilus Explorer – Socorro/Sea of Cortez Combo – 3 spaces
May 31-Jun 8 8 nights Solmar V - Socorro 9 std spaces @ $2995pp inclusive Special
May 31-Jun 8 8 nights Baja Aggressor - Socorro 13 spaces

Rachael - I am sure you will have excellent conditions at Socorro at end of May and there are 2 special trips aboard the Nautilus and the Solmar at that time. We can even offer you a special rate on the Solmar.

For alternative destinations, I suggest you review our website at DIVE ADVICE TRAVEL - Welcome to Dive Advice Travel or send me an e-mail and I will be happy to send you our 39 page availability upadte of every top liveaboard in the world, with latest dates and spaces.

Dominick Macan
Dive Advice Travel
dom@diveadvice.com
DIVE ADVICE TRAVEL - Welcome to Dive Advice Travel

 

[Dom@DiveAdvice]

Hi again Rachel - I may just have the best option for you. We are just about to offer an 8 night Socorro trip aboard the Nautilus Explorer for Jun 22-30 at a special rate of $2840 pp which includes a hotel night prior, all transfers, free nitrox, cabin upgrade subject to availability, $100 bar credit on board, and a whole lot more. If you cannot travel so late in June, let us know and we can see what we might do for other dates earlier in June. Should be a phenomenal experience ! Let me know. Best Dom

 

[Shasta_man]

travel agent: please post your info in the sub forum made for this purpose or send a PM. This isn't a free bulletin board to post your products/services for every person going on vacation. We're here on this board to get objective information from other divers who have been to these locations, not look through a list of travel agent ads. I already know where to go when I want to buy the trip. If you post your services in the travel sub-forum you could be on that list too.

 

[Shasta_man]

Very helpful info, Capt Mike. I'll see you some day.

 

[Joe Burns]

I was on the Baja Agressor. It was not the best run Liveaboard I've ever been on. It's clear that this crew is still learning. That said, I still had a good time and never felt unsafe. There is s tring of minor complaints about items working or not working on the boat (compressed air to the camera table is probably my biggest complaint), but I am chalking that up to it being a relatively new operation for the franchise and they are still working the bugs out... Physically, the boat was OK. Not great, but OK. There was indeed some rust, and some areas that were freshly re-painted. But again, I never felt unsafe or that I was "slumming" on this boat.

The rooms were comfortable and well appointed. The food was good. The main dive equipment was reliable - I never had a problem with my Nitrox fills. The dive masters were good, but crew was not the most experienced and didn't have the intuitive efficiency that you see on some operations where the crew just intuitively knows when to be there to help you and when to stay out of the way. But, they were attentive and I know they were eager to learn. The rest will come with practice.

There's been a lot of digital ink spilled about this operation and the perceptions/mis-perceptions surrounding their entry into this market. Personally, I chalk all of it up to "Never go to a restaraunt on opening night". For an operation like this, I'd say opening night lasts for about the first year. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt that their passion for diving and to living up to the Aggressor's standards in the industry will make it a much better experience when I return next spring.

 

[Texas.Crude]

I was on the Baja Agressor. It was not the best run Liveaboard I've ever been on. It's clear that this crew is still learning. That said, I still had a good time and never felt unsafe. There is s tring of minor complaints about items working or not working on the boat (compressed air to the camera table is probably my biggest complaint), but I am chalking that up to it being a relatively new operation for the franchise and they are still working the bugs out... Physically, the boat was OK. Not great, but OK. There was indeed some rust, and some areas that were freshly re-painted. But again, I never felt unsafe or that I was "slumming" on this boat.

The rooms were comfortable and well appointed. The food was good. The main dive equipment was reliable - I never had a problem with my Nitrox fills. The dive masters were good, but crew was not the most experienced and didn't have the intuitive efficiency that you see on some operations where the crew just intuitively knows when to be there to help you and when to stay out of the way. But, they were attentive and I know they were eager to learn. The rest will come with practice.

There's been a lot of digital ink spilled about this operation and the perceptions/mis-perceptions surrounding their entry into this market. Personally, I chalk all of it up to "Never go to a restaraunt on opening night". For an operation like this, I'd say opening night lasts for about the first year. I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt that their passion for diving and to living up to the Aggressor's standards in the industry will make it a much better experience when I return next spring.

I hope you're right, though I'm surprised that so many of the complaints are focused on the boat itself -- you'd think it'd be in top shape.