Liveaboard suggestions please

[divegirlFL]

Hi there!

We're looking for a small liveaboard (not 20 pack) suggestion for the Dry Tortugas for spearfishing and lobstering. Has anyone gone on one that they would recommend?

Thanks!

 

[ScubaLuke]

Hi there!

We're looking for a small liveaboard (not 20 pack) suggestion for the Dry Tortugas for spearfishing and lobstering. Has anyone gone on one that they would recommend?

Thanks!

The only small boat I've heard of is the Playmate through Seaclusive charters:
http://www.seaclusive.com/

The Ultimate Getaway has trips just for spear fishing and lobstering but they usually have over 20 people on board. Coincidentally I signed up for a trip with them in may through my LDS just yesterday.
Luke

 

[Dr. Doug Ebersole]

The Ultimate Getaway (www.ultimategetaway.net) is a good operation. It's not a small boat by any means but the trip I was on a couple of years ago had only about 10 people. Maybe that was an exception, but I'd at least check them out.

 

[Dive In Adventures]

Hey,

The Playmate is an awsome operator and they take 11 people max. We run two trips a year with them one in June and one in Sept. These guys know how to treat thier customers. Everyone says they will surely lose a few pounds around thier middle section and kill a few fish----this is WRONG. You will gain weight and kill ALOT of fish. The food is top shelf and the cabins are very nice. I even take the V birth cabin when I go and I love it. The Playmate is docked on Stock Island which is basically as close to Key West as you can get. The last trip I went on my guys all liked to party a little so we all did the Duval Crawl the night before departure and got back in time to get a few hours sleep. The nitrox was a huge help to me the next day

The diving is in the 60 to 80 foot range so you can pull some nice hour long dive on most dives. Several were a little deeper but you could shallow up if you choose to. When I got home I added up my bottom times and in 2 and half days of diving I pulled 16 hours of in water time. My buddy and I work very well togther in a one up one down combination to extend bottom time. Plus it helps to have 120's and 100's loaded with 32ean. Also it is really nice when you can see the bottom in 100 fsw.

I was in the bridge with Bob as we were heading for anchorage one evening and he was showing me his GPS locations. These guys have thousands of marked locations and none are off limits.

As for the Ultimate getaway, I have not been out with them and thus can not offer any opinion of them. Hopefully someone who has will give you some good info.