My gal and I have been diving for a couple of years up here in Montana. We have been diving different lakes throughout the region and we have been enjoying that! However, the time has come to look into diving some salt water. We have been thinking about loading up our slide in camper and doing a cross country road trip to Florida then getting on a livaborard for about a week. I have found a few prospects on Google, but from what I've seen Florida does not seem to have as large of a livaboard diving market as some other diving destinations. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Florida Livaboard
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AdivingBel
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The Juliet www.julietsailinganddiving.com
Wookie
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To expand a little bit on this, Florida has a number of Liveaboards, but you'll find that they aren't luxury liveaboards like you see in the slick advertisements in Scuba Diving Magazine. Many are purpose built or converted to accomplish specific types of charters.
There is a thread on Florida Liveaboards that is quite comprehensive, but to summarize, you have the Ultimate Getaway out of Fort Myers, mostly spearing and technical diving, but also recreational and research charters to the Dry Tortugas, Florida Middle Grounds, and planning for the Panhandle next year. They run typically 3-5 day trips. Juliet is a 104' sailing vessel that runs out of Miami to the Florida Keys or Bahamas in the summer, and out of St. Croix in the winter. They are not bare bones at all, if sailboats are your thing. Dolphin Dream is a converted Shrimp boat that runs shark and dolphin charters out of Fort Pierce/Stuart to the Bahamas year round. R/V Kate runs from Key Largo to the Florida Keys on wreck treks or Bahamas on shark and dolphin charters. Makai is a new boat that runs from my old slip in Key West to Dry Tortugas, and it's owned by the captain of the Playmate, a spearing charter boat from Key West to Dry Tortugas.
Ana
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Wookie, do you know the routine on the new boat? if you were to ever go on a liveaboard would that be one you'd go in?
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Which boat? Makai?
Ana
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Yep the website doesn't say a whole lot, I figure you had your fill of liveaboards but knowing that you would use it means something.
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His business model is a little different, as he does not have to earn a living with his boat. He mainly does research. That said, I am dying to go out with him. Even though I have my own boat now, and it's pretty fancy, his boat was Remington (the gun guy's) personal yacht, and it's easily as nice as my new boat. My boat sleeps 2 (Me and Melanie), the Makai sleeps 12 in luxury. He charters the whole boat for a day rate, bring 1 or 11 of your friends.
So it isn't like buying a spot on a boat, it's more of a charter and go do what you want.
The price is reasonable, at least for research. I've seen him a couple of times out in the Tortugas with families onboard. And the Navy (my facility) has chartered him to do a few charters. I'm just hoping Joe will call me to run a trip for him when he is double booked (Makai and Playmate).
So, yes. If Joe's business model is something that appeals to you, I wouldn't hesitate. I would trust Joe as much as I would trust myself to run a trip.
sportxlh
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Just did the Juliet Sailing and Diving trip a couple of weeks ago. Caught the boat in Miami and dove for a week in the Bahamas.
The Juliet is one of the best values in diving that I've found. You'll have private (2 person) rooms rather than a barracks type of set up, so you'll have some privacy. The beds themselves are fairly comfortable.
The diving was phenomenal, the crew first rate and the food really good. The boat does probably need a little TLC since it has a bit if surface rust in places but for the price, who cares. It's a real bargain. You can't dive, stay in a hotel and eat in the Keys for the same price
It's also just downright cool to be on a sailboat for a week and not set foot on land. Best of all, there's little to no cell service where they dive so your work can't bug you with e-mails or calls
The trip I took a few weeks ago was my 2nd time on the boat and I'm sure I'll do it again next year or the year after
The Juliet is one of the best values in diving that I've found. You'll have private (2 person) rooms rather than a barracks type of set up, so you'll have some privacy. The beds themselves are fairly comfortable.
The diving was phenomenal, the crew first rate and the food really good. The boat does probably need a little TLC since it has a bit if surface rust in places but for the price, who cares. It's a real bargain. You can't dive, stay in a hotel and eat in the Keys for the same price
It's also just downright cool to be on a sailboat for a week and not set foot on land. Best of all, there's little to no cell service where they dive so your work can't bug you with e-mails or calls
The trip I took a few weeks ago was my 2nd time on the boat and I'm sure I'll do it again next year or the year after
iamrushman
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good question and great answers...
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