Nekton - Cayman Islands Itinerary

[Footslogger]

Would be interested in anyone's thoughts on the new itinerary announced by Nekton. Haven't been to the Caymans yet and am thinking of giving them a shot. Been with Nekton before in the Bahamas and Belize and the experience has always been positive.

'Slogger

 

[laserdoc]

Would be interested in anyone's thoughts on the new itinerary announced by Nekton. Haven't been to the Caymans yet and am thinking of giving them a shot. Been with Nekton before in the Bahamas and Belize and the experience has always been positive.

'Slogger

Thinking about this live aboard because of my problem with sea sickness.
Your thoughts??

 

[Footslogger]

Thinking about this live aboard because of my problem with sea sickness.
Your thoughts??

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I've been on 4 itineraries with Nekton now and both boats (Pilot and Rorqual). The first 2 days of this last trip to Belize were some of the roughest seas I've experienced onboard the Nekton boats and although I wouldn't go so far as to call it a calm ride ...the other boats in our view (Aggressor and WindDancer) were really rockin and rollin, while we sat relatively steady in the water.

No water craft is smooth enough to eliminate sea sickness in someone who is otherwise predisposed ...but I think you'd fare better onboard Nekton than many of the others.

'Slogger

 

[Ber Rabbit]

Take your seasick meds and you should be a happy camper. I was able to get away with the minimum dose which is unusual for me. I never did get my sea legs and staggered around the boat like a drunk the whole time but I didn't get sick and I slept like a baby because the boat wobbles instead of rocking. A friend who was with us ended up getting so sick he had to be taken off the boat by Coast Guard helicopter and spent 3 days in ICU on Marathon. He could have bought a lot of seasick meds for the cost of that much time in an ICU
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[Debraw]

I took the Cayman Aggressor December 24-31 this past holiday and it was not that great. We never went to Little Cayman and Cayman Brac. Turns out they do not make that crossing very often. Supposedly for rough seas, so if the Nekton will help you get across then take it. Also we had plumbing and AC problems on the 1st full day and the boat had been in drydock for three weeks prior to our trip. Carpets were dirty, towels were not washed between dives, and food consisted of fruit, cereal, eggs, sandwiches, lasagna, oreos and rice krispie treats. The crew said they were not worried about the Nekton coming in taking their business. I think they should be petrified. I have been to Cayman 7 times, 6 by land and 1 by liveaboard. I think I will stick to the land trips and get a better choice of dive sites on my own next time. The Nekton has a great reputation. Take it before you take the Aggressor.

 

[djanni]

We were in G Cayman 2 months ago. Diving with a local operator we mostly dove sites along 7 mile beach. The diving is good in G Cayman so that wasn't a problem at all.

It just so happens we noticed the Aggressor nearly every day and the boat Captian said he was hearing a lot of complaints because it never ventured more that a mile or so from the Island. He said that was the case with the Nekton as well.

I hate to say that about the Nekton not knowing if it's true and also because we've been on their Belize itinerary and are booked for the Bahamas trip in August. We like the Nekton and her crew.

Rough seas would always be a good reason not to venture out too far but even if that's the case you'll still like the diving and you'll about as much as you can stand.

 

[Pam_In_Paradise]

"It just so happens we noticed the Aggressor nearly every day and the boat Captian said he was hearing a lot of complaints because it never ventured more that a mile or so from the Island. He said that was the case with the Nekton as well. "

Don, since Nekton's first Cayman trip is still a week away, it would be impossible for that Captain to know how successful they will be in diving all three islands I do know that Nekton is totally committed to diving all three of the Cayman Islands and will do so every week that it is safe and within the comfort zone of the guests to make the crossing over to the sister islands. Nekton may trade beauty for stability with the SWATH design, but this itinerary may well prove that beauty can be over rated. Having said that - my disclaimer...I work for Nekton so I cannot be considered as "unbiased" and besides that....I'm going on the first (shakedown) cruise on April 29th and she better be making that crossing "cause I've been waiting for this day for a long, long time...

 

[ScubaLuke]

No water craft is smooth enough to eliminate sea sickness in someone who is otherwise predisposed ...but I think you'd fare better onboard Nekton than many of the others.

'Slogger

That's true. You'll definitely know you're on a boat but if you're prone to sea sickness you're far better off by far being on the Nekton.

This is a picture from the Mona Island itinerary which they don't do any more. The crew member (Rookie) is standing on the top of the ladder platform. We had some fairly large swell that trip but I only know of one person on the boat that got queasy.

That said, last year on the NW Bahamas itinerary one of our group had persistent motion sickness problems on her return. It turned out to be ear/sinus infection related but it gave her real problems.
Luke

 

[laserdoc]

with me prone to seasickness I maybe better off on land. I would hate to pay all that cash and find out to late that meds did not really help that much. It would be a couple of grand over the rail

 

[Ber Rabbit]

with me prone to seasickness I maybe better off on land. I would hate to pay all that cash and find out to late that meds did not really help that much. It would be a couple of grand over the rail

I just have to look at a boat to get seasick and I have a comprehensive seasickness management system that I have to make sure I follow if I'm getting anywhere near a boat (or a rollercoaster, or a plane, or the back seat of a car--you can rule out getting me in any kind of simulator). I took my normal dosage of Meclizine for two days prior to leaving for the Nekton trip and I took my faithful saltine crackers along. I was down to one Meclizine a day (and probably could have gotten along without it) and never touched the crackers (I usually eat 1/4 to 1/2 box a day on a boat). Normal people take about a day to get used to the wobbling, I was the only one on the boat who didn't have sea legs by day 2; I never did get my sea legs and that was a source of amusement for everyone else on the boat

Can you go out on calm water with meds? If you can manage calm water you can manage the Nekton. I always take my meds as a precaution but that boat really does minimize seasickness and it's DEFINITELY worth a trip, the food is great and we had some great dives.
Ber :lilbunny: