Nekton Liveaboard - Sal Cay Banks, Bahamas

[Footslogger]

Keep the comments/reports coming !! Have not been on the Cay Sal itinerary yet. Have done 5 Nekton trips so far. Looking at the PR/USVI in December and then Cay Sal next year.

 

[robint]

Cay Sal is definitely NOT for beginners, however, I think anyone with good air consumption and bouyancy can do it. The least experienced divers we had on our trip were a couple who only had about 30 dives and a teenager who was diving with his very experienced grandfather. All of them did fine and when there was a dive that concerned them, they sat it out. (the drift dives are real ROCK AND ROLL dives and not for anyone weak of heart or unable to stay down at 100' in blazing currrent and then do several staged safety stops on a tank). The dives at the Holes are deep also and anyone who is afraid of dives with no bottom in sight should skip this trip. You aren't supposed to go below 130' and some people did and got warned they would sit out the rest of the day if they did it again (DMs do check computers if they suspect you are violating depth limits).
All that being said, we would do Cay Sal Bank on Nekton again in a heartbeat. Great fun deep dives, more sharks than you can shake a stick at, and crew that works their *****es off to make sure you have a great time.

 

[Darnold9999]

You can dive on air, but I would echo a previous post. The buddies I have gone with who were on air took more dives "off" than those who didn't. I always dive Nitrox on Nekton and rarely take a dive off. May be self fullfilling - but on the one liveaboard that I did do - not Nekton - that I dove air - I was absolutely wasted after three days. On Nitrox after three days I am just tired. If the budget can take it I would go Nitrox, but it is not a deal breaker. Lots, in fact most people on the trips I have done, dive air.

 

[Trwmodela]

I have done two Nekton trips (Caymans Island & Belize) and both on air. I dive five times per day with most dives averaging 55-60 minutes. My SI's are 60-90 minutes and I never push myself. Nitrox would not help me because my tank is getting low by 60 minutes of multi-level diving. :14:

 

[ECPaul]

Agree with all the earlier posts regarding Nitrox. Just did my second Nekton trip about a month ago (their NW Bahamas trip - fabulous time) and I was one of only 4 Nitrox divers on board. I felt a bit sorry for the other 11 who were not breathing Nitrox and who always appeared a bit more worn out.

Diving Nitrox on Nekton - doesn't get much better.

Now I'm trying to figure out my next liveaboard adventure - Nekton's new itinerary to Puerto Rico and USVI, or the Turks and Caicos on the Explorer II. Decisions, decisions...

 

[jenandmurr]

We have done three great trips with Nexton and none on Nitrox. Last trip, Cay Sal, we did 29 dives and had no problems. You'll love it. Some divers do Nitrox but it's certainly not necessary. Can't say enough good things about the Nexton gang. Have a great trip.
J&M

 

[Rick Patterson]

I would have to agree with the majority of the posts about being in favor of diving nitrox on a liveaboard trip. If your budget can handle the additional expense I think it is worth the added bottom time. I have used nitrox on the last four liveaboard trips I have taken and had a positive experience each time. I have also had buddies that have been on air the entire trip and had no problem keeping up with the number same number of dives. I did notice on a liveaboard in Provo that my buddy who was on air was pushing deco on his computer on the fourth or fifth dive every day though and I was still well within my limits on my computer with very similar dive profiles. This is the primary reason I have chosen to pay the extra and dive air each time since that trip. You will have to balance you depth limitations when you go to some of the deeper dives if you would like to change over to just an air fill and go a little deeper than you can safely go on nitrox, but the crew can easily handle that for you if you let them know before they fill your tank, or you can switch to an air tank if one is available. I am personally still undecided on any benefits of diving with enriched air and “feeling better”. I have never noticed feeling any different after diving with nitrox or air. I have had used up to 39% O2 and could not tell any difference than when I used 21% so I can not speak to the “you just feel better” effect that I have heard so many people explain both here on this board and at my LDC or Dive club. In short, I do know I get more bottom time on Nitrox, and I am investing a lot of time and money to go diving, so it is worth the effort and cost to extend that bottom time if I can do so safely.

 

[DiveMaven]

I have to agree about Rick's "feeling better" remarks. We noticed no difference between using 32% nitrox and air on our 2 weeks on the Pilot earlier this month. I believe it's really a placebo effect, but either way it doesn't matter...if people believe it makes them feel better, then cool for them.

For the extra bottom time and shorter surface intervals it was worth the money for us.

 

[Footslogger]

Wonder what would happen if you mixed a little nitrous oxide with the EANX32 ??

 

[Doc]

Wonder what would happen if you mixed a little nitrous oxide with the EANX32 ??

MommY? -Dennis Hopper, Blue Velvet

That aside, you can't beat the Nekton.