DiveMaven
Contributor
Make sure you guys post trip reports when you get back!
Nekton cayman trip?
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Jaydiver
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Hi. Just got back from the May 13-20 Nekton Rorqual Caymans trip. It was my first live aboard so I can't compare it to anything but I thought it was great!
As with anything there are pluses and minuses. First let me say that the crew was really great, friendly, fun, helpful, and they could not do enough for you. They were always happy, running around doing things. The cook graciously made me alternate meals.
For someone who gets seasick, the boat was incredibly stable. Each room had their own bathroom, and as the boat had 28 divers on board out of a max of 34, I travel alone and I had my own room. There was a crew of 9.
A typical day was pretty much what is on the Nekton web site.
Breakfast 7-8, plenty of food, hot and cold and a lot of choices. 8-8:15 a dive briefing then the dive deck was open till about 11:45, this was plenty of time for two dives and 1-2 hours of surface time. Surface time was spent on the sun deck which had lots of space. The cook would make snacks, and Sirius radio was playing music in the background (Channel 14). Lunch was till about 1:30 when there was another dive
briefing then diving till about 5:45-6:00 (people were still getting back till 6:15), Dinner till 7:30/8 then the night dive.
Every lunch and dinner were different, usually there were choices, salad every night, Again their web site was pretty close. The crew would offer to serve you seconds, coffee and desert, and take away the dirty dishes.
The two morning dives were at one site, The boat moved (hard to feel) during lunch and the afternoon dives and the night dive were at the second dive site of the day.
The tanks were steel 95's the usual fill was between 2800 and 3000, The crew was filling your tank within minutes of getting out of your gear. On the dive deck the crew gave whatever assistance anyone needed, besides the help with equipment, cameras, etc. they would do instant repairs if they could, or come up with alternate equipment.
Getting off of the dive deck into an outside hot shower to rinse off and into a heated towel, heavenly.
Wednesday everyone had to get off of the boat for the afternoon on Cayman Brac for refueling, I rented a jeep with another diver and went sightseeing, others rented scooters, jeeps, vans, etc. prices were cheap. The island has a population of 1800-2000, bat caves, museum, restaurants, the Bluff.
Most of the dive sites for the week were (I missed a few):
5/14 Grand Cayman Round Rock N19 21' 52.76" W 081 24' 31.7"
Hammerhead Hill N19 23' 00.6" W081 18' 35.1"
5/15 Little Cayman Patty's Place N 19 39' 18.0" W 080 05' 53.4"
McCoys Wall N 19 40' 39.2" W 080 05' 47.4" Live dive
The Bluff N 19 42' 29.2" W 080 03' 05.8" Live dive
5/16 Little Cayman Magic Round About N 19 41' 39.2" W 080 04' 10.2"
Cayman Brac Russian destroyer, Tibbits Wreck N 19 41' 43.1 W 079 53' 05.0"
5/17 Cayman Brac Radar Reef N 19' 42' 59.5" W 079 50' 02.7"
5/18 Little Cayman UnNamed Wall N19 41' 19.5" W 079 59' 21.8"
Don's Delight N19 40' 40.6 W 080 01' 06.2"
Black Hole N19 39' 19.5" W 080 05' 29.8"
5/19 Grand Cayman Eagle Ray Rock N19 16' 24.0" W 081 23' 42.9"
Tug Boat Wreck
One morning there was also an additional dawn dive at 5:30.
Due to weather we didn't get to sting ray city.
Each night a different crew member did a powerpoint presentation on some aspect of Caribbean sea life. Several knew the subject and could comment on more then the words on the TV, one or two just read the words.
The Nitrox compressor was broken, so we received a refund. The part they needed comes from overseas, and they were not expecting it anytime soon.
There were hot snacks during the day, fruit, fresh cookies, pudding, spring rolls, chicken on a stick, the cook was busy. Popcorn at night.
I have nothing to compare it against, I was in a bathing suit from dawn till dusk, treated great by the crew, I had a great safe time.
I left out the fish life, coral, sea critters, etc. yes, they were all there, bountiful, colorful.
I found a dive trip report of the Nekton Pilot going to Belize Central some months ago:
http://www.yellowtangsoftware.com/pu...blog=5&paged=1
from the thread http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=141062
The photos could have been taken on the Rorqual, and the descriptions, were similar to mine, but expressed better
As with anything there are pluses and minuses. First let me say that the crew was really great, friendly, fun, helpful, and they could not do enough for you. They were always happy, running around doing things. The cook graciously made me alternate meals.
For someone who gets seasick, the boat was incredibly stable. Each room had their own bathroom, and as the boat had 28 divers on board out of a max of 34, I travel alone and I had my own room. There was a crew of 9.
A typical day was pretty much what is on the Nekton web site.
Breakfast 7-8, plenty of food, hot and cold and a lot of choices. 8-8:15 a dive briefing then the dive deck was open till about 11:45, this was plenty of time for two dives and 1-2 hours of surface time. Surface time was spent on the sun deck which had lots of space. The cook would make snacks, and Sirius radio was playing music in the background (Channel 14). Lunch was till about 1:30 when there was another dive
briefing then diving till about 5:45-6:00 (people were still getting back till 6:15), Dinner till 7:30/8 then the night dive.
Every lunch and dinner were different, usually there were choices, salad every night, Again their web site was pretty close. The crew would offer to serve you seconds, coffee and desert, and take away the dirty dishes.
The two morning dives were at one site, The boat moved (hard to feel) during lunch and the afternoon dives and the night dive were at the second dive site of the day.
The tanks were steel 95's the usual fill was between 2800 and 3000, The crew was filling your tank within minutes of getting out of your gear. On the dive deck the crew gave whatever assistance anyone needed, besides the help with equipment, cameras, etc. they would do instant repairs if they could, or come up with alternate equipment.
Getting off of the dive deck into an outside hot shower to rinse off and into a heated towel, heavenly.
Wednesday everyone had to get off of the boat for the afternoon on Cayman Brac for refueling, I rented a jeep with another diver and went sightseeing, others rented scooters, jeeps, vans, etc. prices were cheap. The island has a population of 1800-2000, bat caves, museum, restaurants, the Bluff.
Most of the dive sites for the week were (I missed a few):
5/14 Grand Cayman Round Rock N19 21' 52.76" W 081 24' 31.7"
Hammerhead Hill N19 23' 00.6" W081 18' 35.1"
5/15 Little Cayman Patty's Place N 19 39' 18.0" W 080 05' 53.4"
McCoys Wall N 19 40' 39.2" W 080 05' 47.4" Live dive
The Bluff N 19 42' 29.2" W 080 03' 05.8" Live dive
5/16 Little Cayman Magic Round About N 19 41' 39.2" W 080 04' 10.2"
Cayman Brac Russian destroyer, Tibbits Wreck N 19 41' 43.1 W 079 53' 05.0"
5/17 Cayman Brac Radar Reef N 19' 42' 59.5" W 079 50' 02.7"
5/18 Little Cayman UnNamed Wall N19 41' 19.5" W 079 59' 21.8"
Don's Delight N19 40' 40.6 W 080 01' 06.2"
Black Hole N19 39' 19.5" W 080 05' 29.8"
5/19 Grand Cayman Eagle Ray Rock N19 16' 24.0" W 081 23' 42.9"
Tug Boat Wreck
One morning there was also an additional dawn dive at 5:30.
Due to weather we didn't get to sting ray city.
Each night a different crew member did a powerpoint presentation on some aspect of Caribbean sea life. Several knew the subject and could comment on more then the words on the TV, one or two just read the words.
The Nitrox compressor was broken, so we received a refund. The part they needed comes from overseas, and they were not expecting it anytime soon.
There were hot snacks during the day, fruit, fresh cookies, pudding, spring rolls, chicken on a stick, the cook was busy. Popcorn at night.
I have nothing to compare it against, I was in a bathing suit from dawn till dusk, treated great by the crew, I had a great safe time.
I left out the fish life, coral, sea critters, etc. yes, they were all there, bountiful, colorful.
I found a dive trip report of the Nekton Pilot going to Belize Central some months ago:
http://www.yellowtangsoftware.com/pu...blog=5&paged=1
from the thread http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=141062
The photos could have been taken on the Rorqual, and the descriptions, were similar to mine, but expressed better
lemurs2
Contributor
Great report. We are booked for the Aug 19 trip in Caymans and can't wait. This will be our 1st liveaboard too
Thanks for the report. I'm booked on the Nekton Pilot June 3 thru June 10. I appreciate the info. This will be my first live aboard and from what you say, I'm really looking forward to it.
Art
Art
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