Nekton Diving Cruises !!

[Trwmodela]

Since moving to Florida I decided it was now time to get SCUBA certified. My 21 year Fire Department career made transiting from SCBA to SCUBA easier. In the summer of 2005 I received my OW certification. It was my decision to build experience by doing 25-30 dives before taking my AOW. I found Key Largo and Marathon to be great places for that activity. During that time I took the Enriched Air Specialty Course. This year I took the AOW and Deep Diver Courses. But, something was still missing from my diving. How do I build a week of diving experience without all the normal hassles?

Soon, I started researching Live-aboard Diving Cruises. Nekton stood out with countless positive comments and reviews on the ScubaBoard. I checked out their web site and asked for information. Then I remembered one of my diving instructor's was working again on Nekton. Captain Nelson was running the Nekton Rorqual out of the Cayman Islands. It was time to take advantage of their summer specials. So I booked the Rorqual for the week of Oct 1, 2006.

It would be possible for me to write an entire book about this trip. But, I just want to say loud and clear. If you have ever considered trying a Live-aboard Diving Cruise don't hesitate anymore! Diver's this is what real recreational diving is all about. The Captain and his crew waited on us for the entire week. They make diving so easy you just can't wait to get back into the water. The dive deck is one amazing piece of engineering. It lowers you down so you can just step off into the deep blue. Making five dives per day is easy and a few folks even did dawn dives. After each dive hot showers are only a few steps away. Then comes the hot bath towels to dry you off. But most important the hot freshly baked cookies in the morning. In the afternoon we were served fresh fruit between the dives.

The meals were excellent and there were seconds if you chose. Drinks were available in the salon 24 hours per day. (many types of fruit juices, water, coffee, hot tea, ice tea and hot coco). The cabins were comfortable with plenty of storage room. The boat is spacious with three decks. There is more than enough room around the boat for everyone. This vessel is similar to a large three deck house boat. The swath design is very stable and no one go sea sick during the week. Several divers on my trip were making their third Cayman trip in 6 months!

I enjoyed this Nekton Diving Cruise so much I came home and booked another. My next is February 2007 aboard the Nekton Pilot in Belize. My plans now call for a minimum of two Nekton Cruises per year.

Book Nekton Diving Cruises and enjoy a real diving adventure!

http://www.nektoncruises.com/Default.aspx

(800) UW-WORLD
(800) 899-6753
(954) 463-9324
(954) 463-8938 FAX

Tim

 

[fda483]

Tim

Thanks for the report. 11 days and I head off to Belize on Nekton, will do a report for sure when I return!!!

Joe

 

[cruisegirl]

Tim, thanks for the review and info. I want to do a Nekton cruise sometime next year...... I like their boats and the reviews I've seen.... But I've no dive buddy that wants to go.... Were there any singles? Wondered what it's like on those boats being a solo/single diver???

 

[diversteve]

Were there any singles? Wondered what it's like on those boats being a solo/single diver???

There were 7 on our Pilot trip this summer. Including me. Although 3 of us had buddies. The other four met on and were paired up on the boat. Nekton requires that you share a cabin with another single unless you pay the single supplement - 1/2 again of the regular rate. Although I've heard that on less full trips, sometimes you get your own room.

On our trip the boat was completely full, only one woman had her own room. Since all you pretty much do is sleep and shower in your room, it didn't seem to be a problem.
Meals and other activities are mostly done as a group. Most people congregate on the top deck when not diving anyway.

By about the third day, everyone was diving in mixed groups with everyone else, so there didn't seem to be any issues being single. We dove (at various times) with 1, 2, 4, and once 6 others depending on the dive. And if you dive CaySal, at least 3 of the dives are group dives, the shark feed and the Tuna Alley drifts.

 

[FloridaCaveDiver]

Tim, thanks for the review and info. I want to do a Nekton cruise sometime next year...... I like their boats and the reviews I've seen.... But I've no dive buddy that wants to go.... Were there any singles? Wondered what it's like on those boats being a solo/single diver???

You be very interested in an announcement coming very soon here on Scubaboard.

-=B=-

 

[Trwmodela]

Our trip only had three couples so many were single divers. I dove in a group of three most of the week. But sometimes one of the divers was busy with a PADI Class or taking a short afternoon nape. So, I still had my other dive buddy for these dives. At the dive briefings a DM is always assigned to the dive if anyone needs a buddy. We used the DM once as a guide on a site and this was helpful. The crew loves diving so if you need to buddy just ask them. You should find plently of divers willing to buddy up during the week. One morning I dove the Tibbetts Wreck with another female. Her husband is an excellent photogragher and he was busy taking pics.

Hint: I purchased two Henderson Hot Skins full body style from Leisure Pro. They cost around $22.00 each. I rinshed and hung the skin on the upper deck between dives. I always had a dry skin to put on first before my damp wet suit. The skin makes putting on and taking off the wet suit much easier too.

BTW....I did 22 comfortable dives during the week. If required delete an afternoon dive so you are rested for the night dive.

Tim

Tim, thanks for the review and info. I want to do a Nekton cruise sometime next year...... I like their boats and the reviews I've seen.... But I've no dive buddy that wants to go.... Were there any singles? Wondered what it's like on those boats being a solo/single diver???

 

[diveborg]

You be very interested in an announcement coming very soon here on Scubaboard.

-=B=-

Where will we be able to see this announcement?

 

[Monkey-Diver]

My wife and I are looking to go on a dive cruise and we are looking into Nekton as well as Aquacat... I am a fish and have no prblems with anything the sea offers but my wife has the curse of seasickness...She usually can control it with drugs... Are the Nekton or Aquacat boats calmer than traditional hull boats???

 

[Trwmodela]

Nekton is the only Live-aboard boats using the Navy Swath design. Their boats sit up high above the water line on two large submarine looking pontoons. The pontoons get ballast delivered to them in the form of sea water. This helps in a major way to stabilize the boat and reduce movement. A traditional hull boat feels all the movement of the seas and this is only reduced when the vessel is in a forward motion. The Nekton Boats are even stable at a mooring and that makes exiting and entering the boat safer. See their web site for more information on the Swath Advantage.


http://www.nektoncruises.com/Liveaboards/SWATH.aspx

Tim

 

[Doc]

Nekton is the only Live-aboard boats using the Navy Swath design.

The Nekton fleet of SWATH vessels are the only such designs in the Caribbean/Bahamas being used a liveaboards.

The trick is "displacement". These ships present a very tiny profile to the ocean (note the very limited area of hull that is in the "wave zone".

Huge torpedo like "hulls" are underwater, "displacing" a huge volume of water in comparison to the ship's profile and overall weight.

I have been aboard a Nekton is 12 foot seas. No one was thrilled, but only one person felt sea sick. That, obviously, is an extreme condition.

There are no "quarter round" wooden spill rails on the tables. The ship doesn't hardly move, more of a gentle surge.