Nekton Pilot in Belize

[NCDiver]

Hi, missed your question earlier. The answer is no, we did not see the Blue hole from the Nekton. We may have been in sight of it, but the rim well underwater so you can't see it from a boat. Even when we anchored there several years ago, all you could see is the shadow along the wall. Didn't look like a hole.

The Nekton probable doesn't go there because the channel is tight. We went slow in a 30' dive boat. ANd I have to agree with the been there, done that, have the t-shirt crowd, not worth doing except to get the shirt. Enjoy your trip.

 

[vladimir]

Hi, missed your question earlier. The answer is no, we did not see the Blue hole from the Nekton. We may have been in sight of it, but the rim well underwater so you can't see it from a boat. Even when we anchored there several years ago, all you could see is the shadow along the wall. Didn't look like a hole.

The Nekton probable doesn't go there because the channel is tight. We went slow in a 30' dive boat. ANd I have to agree with the been there, done that, have the t-shirt crowd, not worth doing except to get the shirt. Enjoy your trip.

I may very well be mistaken, but as I understand it, the larger vessels (Aggressor, Peter Hughes) use a different mooring than the day boats, in the Northeast quadrant of the hole, if I recall correctly. (I agree, the Nekton probably has a much broader beam and may not fit.) They are then limited by the wind: they need a wind blowing them away from the circumference of the hole rather than towards it, so they don't run aground. If you do the dive from the day boat mooring (Southwest?) you may be treated to a half dozen gray reef and bull sharks. I think the dive to the stalactites at ~140 ft is worth doing because it is a unique sight, rather than to say you did it. (Where would you wear that T-shirt?) It is a cool sight from above as well, so run up to the sundeck as your boat approaches.

 

[NCDiver]

I may very well be mistaken, but as I understand it, the larger vessels (Aggressor, Peter Hughes) use a different mooring than the day boats, in the Northeast quadrant of the hole, if I recall correctly. (I agree, the Nekton probably has a much broader beam and may not fit.) They are then limited by the wind: they need a wind blowing them away from the circumference of the hole rather than towards it, so they don't run aground. If you do the dive from the day boat mooring (Southwest?) you may be treated to a half dozen gray reef and bull sharks. I think the dive to the stalactites at ~140 ft is worth doing because it is a unique sight, rather than to say you did it. (Where would you wear that T-shirt?) It is a cool sight from above as well, so run up to the sundeck as your boat approaches.

vladimir, I can see you are far more knowledgable on navagation and piloting than me, so I defer to your expertise. However considering the trouble for a short, poor vis dive, I would not recommend it. And the point is not whether one would actually have the t-shirt, but to say that it is an otherwise unremarkable experience. I am sure no one you know is dorky enough to ever wear a souvenir t-shirt.

 

[vladimir]

Perry, I think I sounded a little more caustic (as usual) than I intended. I agree that the Blue Hole is an overrated dive. On the other hand, you can do 100 dives in Belize and not see a bull shark--this dive can almost guarantee them (from the day boat mooring.) How many non-cave divers see stalactite formations? Not many. So the dive does have some appeal. If you haven't done it, and you can do it safely, I recommend it. Once. But I have chosen to skip it on one occasion in favor of a sun-tanning, off-gassing session, just to put it in perspective.

Edit: You have totally over-estimated my navigation and piloting skills. My dad was a ship's captain, but apparently there's no hereditary component.

 

[vladimir]

.....

 

[NCDiver]

vladimir, said like a gentleman and a scholar. I agree completely, Like many others I had to do it once, glad I did, but unless I can dive my own profile I probably won't do it again.

Hope to see you on a SI someday soon

 

[UnderwaterBumbleBee]

Well the sharks are tempting and I have yet to see anything like stalactites but even I am coughing at the cost per person. Hard to justify spending that when I'll get plenty of diving on the Nekton. I have less than a week! I'll be sure to provide a zillion photos in a few weeks!

 

[Sue_W_AZ]

Thanks Perry, for the complimentary trip report on your dive trip onboard the Nekton Pilot in Belize. The vast majority of Nekton guests are returning guests - that is to say that after they have experienced a Nekton vessel the first time, they come back again and again to experience other itineraries offered by Nekton.

For your next group, you may want to consider the Puerto Rico/St. Croix itinerary next year at about the same time of year. Nekton put it on this year for the first time and cabin space sold quickly for all weeks starting in November through the second week in January. Nekton is already booking space for November '08 through January '09.

Personally I would never go on another Nekton trip. In my experience (2 trips) the boats are badly maintained and the crew provides bad customer service. After trip 1 I had no desire to return, but was seduced by another "fabulous" itinerary, Cay Lobos. Still sounds fabulous on the website. We left Ft Lauderdale in August 2005 to do the Cay Lobos itinerary on the Rorqual. The boat had engine trouble immediately. We spent the entire week around Grand Bahama island. No apologies, no refund, not even a credit (heck, you know Nekton made money off that trip, they used a whole bunch less fuel. Good deal for them). It's not that the diving is bad in Grand Bahama, but that's not the itinerary I paid for or got so psyched up for.

 

[divingmedic]

Thanks Perry, for the complimentary trip report on your dive trip onboard the Nekton Pilot in Belize. The vast majority of Nekton guests are returning guests - that is to say that after they have experienced a Nekton vessel the first time, they come back again and again to experience other itineraries offered by Nekton.

For your next group, you may want to consider the Puerto Rico/St. Croix itinerary next year at about the same time of year. Nekton put it on this year for the first time and cabin space sold quickly for all weeks starting in November through the second week in January. Nekton is already booking space for November '08 through January '09.

I am getting ready to write a trip report on the PR/St Croix run. Not worth the time nor the money.

 

[cowdog77]

Thanks for taking the time to report.... appreciate your honest eval. Our dive dollar comes hard and we have to spend it judiciously.