Liveaboards

[smw]

I'm looking for the road less traveled. My husband and I are looking for a week on a liveaboard in early January - preferably in Mexico as it is easy to fly to from the west coast. Has anyone been on any of the small companies' liveaboards?

Thanks for any info...

 

[Doc]

I'm looking for the road less traveled. My husband and I are looking for a week on a liveaboard in early January - preferably in Mexico as it is easy to fly to from the west coast. Has anyone been on any of the small companies' liveaboards?

Thanks for any info...

If you're talking about the Pacific side, there are possibilities. I have only done the Cocos-Sea of Cortez, but this is not a delightful cruise for new divers. On the Caribbean shore, I know of none- you'd have to look to Belize. (Unless you're talking about the ones that schlepp all the way to Cuba)

There are excellent shore based dive ops to pick from.

Live aboards, in general, are not the road less travelled. If you are talking of a live aboard that is not widely known and utilized, indeed there are reasons for that. With size comes the economy of scale. The way to get maximum diving is on a known live aboard, not off of a 65' Motor Sailer... but they can be idyllic.

 

[LynnLong]

I would like to take a liveaboard from Cancun to Cuba--- can anyone suggest a company?
thanks,. Lynn

 

[jasondcrawford]

Like Roatanman said, I'm not aware of any other than those in the Sea of Cortez area (such as the SolmarV), which is advanced diving. Belize would be a good option, and if you can get down to Florida (probably just as easy as getting to Central America) the Nekton leaves from Ft. Lauderdale.

I dove with Nekton in Belize and absolutely loved it. Highly recommend it.

 

[tvictory]

Try this:

Oceanus Liveaboard Scuba Diving Expeditions

They used to conduct fish counts on board so that American passengers could claim to be on an academic mission to Cuba and, thus, not guilty of illegal trading with the enemy.

 

[divergirl50]

Mexico would be difficult in the winter I agree...for one the water temps would be cold on the Pacific side. Nautilus Explorer is a good start as is the Solamar.
I would suggest Belize also or turks and Caicos explorer...love those liveaboards.
The one in Belize just got a make over and the Tand C boat is very awesome and the diving there was wonderful! If you really need help you can contact me 817 281 3922 weekeday at the office.

 

[caymaniac]

Yet as a "road less traveled" please remember that liveaboards are not the main stream of what people use to take a vacation. I have enjoyed them immensely, if you are looking for a liveaboard less traveled then you would have to travel to a place that is difficult to get to such as Papua New Guinea. We have taken the trip aboard StarDancer and indeed it was spectacular, it was difficult getting there, 29 hours of air time + one overnite in Cairns and then a 45 min. van ride to Waildi on the Island of New Britain, the ritual of going though customs in Port Moorseby is challenging. The reward is spectacular diving as well as the treat of another culture, all the while having good food water and Nitrox!

[/IMG]

 

[robint]

I would consider checking out Explorer Ventures: Adventures in Live-Aboard Diving and see what they have available for Turks & Caicos or other islands in Caribbean. There is also the Nekton Diving Cruises - Comfort, Stability, Worldclass Diving which have boats in Belize and Puerto rico/st. croix during this winter.

 

[divergirl50]

One small company liveaboard is the Juliet...normally leaves from Miami and goes over around Bimini....it is fantastic. It has alot of repeat business. It is a sailing ship plus motor boat. Only carries 12 people. In the winter they move to Turks and Caicos. They sell out so not sure about space for this month!

 

[Rickg]

I'm looking for the road less traveled. My husband and I are looking for a week on a liveaboard in early January - preferably in Mexico as it is easy to fly to from the west coast. Has anyone been on any of the small companies' liveaboards?

Thanks for any info...

smw,

Sea of Cortez is one option but as others have said JAN is not the best time for diving there. Here are links to several companies that have LOBs in that area.

Club Cantamar (if you do a Scubaboard search for Cantamar you will find lots of posts about their resort and dayboat dive operation but not much about their LOB trips)

Club Cantamar, Baja California

Solmar V - this time of year they are making trips to the Revillagigedos Islands that are are 250 miles due south into the Pacific Ocean from the tip of the Baja Peninsula, Mexico. Diving is supposed to be superb but not for the faint of heart. Doing a Scubaboard search on Socorro or Revillagigedos (of which Socorro is one island) will return a lot of posts on this area.

Cabo Vacation Suites, Cabo San Lucas Resorts, Cabo San Lucas Vacation, Scuba Diving, Sport Fishing, Los Cabos Hotel
Amigos del Mar
Solmar V Live-Aboard - Sea of Cortez and Socorro

Nautilus Explorer - this time of year they are also making trips to the Revillagigedos Islands that are are 250 miles due south into the Pacific Ocean from the tip of the Baja Peninsula, Mexico. Diving is supposed to be superb but not for the faint of heart.

Nautilus Explorer -

Don Jose - the first Sea of Cortex LOB and still doing her thing.

Live Aboard Baja Expedition's Don Jose
Liveaboard Don Jose [Archive] - ScubaBoard
Gil Zeimer- The Insider's Guide to Baja - Magazine Article

That covers the LOBs that I am aware of in the Sea of Cortez and the Pacific side of the Baja peninsula.

Here is a link to a post by me regarding our Cantamar LOB trip.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/mexico/173770-sea-cortez-la-paz-lob-pic-s.html

And here is the link to a post by another Scubaboard member (Ken Kurtis) about the Don Jose and sounds like they had a great trip.

http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/tr...mexico/207656-sea-cortez-trip-report-pix.html

Good look with your search.

Rickg