Just Back from St Croix on Rorqual

[NAIBdiver1]

RoatanMan

Nice pictures and thanks for the details !

How many were on theboat during your trip. Many ? Was that a hassle

Art

 

[robint]

thanks, Roatanman, that is exactly what I was looking for! Those dives, the pier and Armageddon, look awesome and I am sure we would both enjoy those. The wrecks sounds fun too, without that current though.

Fishlife - I know several reports had said that they saw very few fish, mostly juvies. Was that your experience? I know your photos show lots of great small stuff, but I also know that is what you prefer to see! Did you see alot of variety? Any large schools or primarily singles? The dolphins sound fantastic, we have only had that happen once and it was on the Nekton in Bahamas.

Nighttime - did they dock off the pier each night like reported by others? Was it noisy?

We have also been talking about the Mona trip as well as the new one to Mayaguana. They both look interesting.
Mayaguana
Mona Passage
I wish they were doing alternate itineraries each week - one week St Croix and next Mona, but I know it would be a hassle for them as they leave from different areas of PR. But it would be nice for guests who want to do back to back trips.

robin

 

[NAIBdiver1]

RoatanMan
Thanks for the pictures and the detailed comments.

On your trip was the boat quite full ? Any comments about that ?

 

[Shasta_man]

Just to be clear, though they did stay at the pier over night while diving the pier, the rest of the time it wasn't off the pier, but out on a mooring in the bay in front of the waterfront.

 

[Shasta_man]

Wow, those ARE cool pics, Doug. The dolphin experience must have been priceless.

 

[NAIBdiver1]

Dolphins were totally cool. I have my fingers crossed for the same ! I have videos of many different animals - but so far no dolphins

Almost finished packing !

 

[Doc]

There were only 15 divers aboard (9/27>10/3/09), so it was a light load for the understaffed crew. I believe they will be back up to speed very soon, next week they have a full boat with a dive club. The crew looks forward to new guests, but they also related interesting stories about "nude week". :mooner:

Everyone who wanted one had a private room, plus there were two left over... that's the ones I photographed (on the other thread) and found that the musty smell disappeared after running the A/C for a day. The boat was empty from the week before, so the crew tooke that and the light load this week to enjoy some minor creature comforts versus their cramped crew quarters.

I have read more than one complaint about the crowded dive deck, and with a full boat- indeed it can be... if you trot down immediately after the briefing. Take a breath, wait only 5 minutes, have a drink of water... then go down and suit up. I have been aboard the Nektons when they are fully loaded and I have found this method to work just fine. As with all things, slow down, it usually will work more smoothly.

As ShastaMan confirms, they only dock at the Pier when they are diving there. It costs money to do so, but they are not at all unwilling to park it there- if someone wants to dive it. Throughout the entire trip, the crew was absolutely ready to move the boat upon guest request and consensus. We moved around a lot, usually during meals.

 

[TheNitroxinator]

I've been pretty busy, so its nice to see something written up on the St. Croix trip.

I liked the itinerary; the highlights were Cane Bay and the pier. The other sites were decent, and sure beat sitting at a desk programming. Frederiksted pier is one of the best macro dives I've done, and getting to do it 6 times totally exceeded my expectations. An added bonus for me was that I got to use my 60mm EOS macro lens extensively for the first time. The Patima housing for the Rebel XTI and the lens is just awesome! And now I'll feel terrible since I just put together a video DVD to sell and might need to go back to taking video.

I'd sure like to see pix of that critter that Mik found under the pier and hid from us.

Actually I was the one who ran across that. It looked like it was a weed, I did a double take because I saw the fins and pulled Mik back. My fiance are trying to get a diving photo site put together, the frogfish and around a hundred other photos from the St. Croix trip will be there eventually. In the mean time I attached it to this post. Based on research it does appear it was a striated frogfish.


BTW, no pictures of my dive bag? I suppose I'll post something in the artwork section for that eventually.

We flew home with one of the crew members and he said he has not been paid regular pay nor credit card tips in the last 8 weeks. I do not consider that just a "they will have to wait to recieve it". To me that is not getting paid.

I got to talk extensively with that same crewmember; This is a true quote. I won't elaborate beyond saying you should tip in cash for the time being.

 

[Doc]

BTW, no pictures of my dive bag? I suppose I'll post something in the artwork section for that eventually.

I never ascribed to the "hide your dive gear" hooey, anyway. I assume it survived un-stolen through the airports, just as we survived a week aboard the much maligned Nekton. We're planning another trip soon just to see if it was a fluke.

 

[Brodydog]

Still loving that striated frogfish pic. Nicely done! Can't wait to see the rest of the photos from that trip. Let us know when you get them posted on your site. Would love to see the eagle ray photo again too. Can you post that one here for us?