gstroupe
Guest
Last week I had the pleasure of cruising and diving with the crew and passengers aboard the Nekton Rorqual. The itinerary was the Cay Sal Banks, Bahamas. This was my first liveaboard so I was not quite sure what to expect but I can assure you that this will not be my last.
The crew was wonderful! First off, they are divers...just like you and me. They love diving and it shows. They get just as excited about the dives as the passengers do. Not only that but they go out of their way to make sure you have everything you need and are comfortable.
The accommodations were comfortable and not overly cramped (granted, I was alone in a cabin
) There was plenty of room to eat in the dinning area and the salon area was great for relaxing and taking in a movie or viewing photos of the days dives. One thing I found to be very positive was that they had a computer hooked up to the big screen TV where you could load and view your digital photos right after a dive to see how they came out (perfect for instant gratification folks like me). If you think the food will be lacking or not quite up to snuff I can assure you that is not the case. The food on board is as good or better than many restaurants on shore and there is PLENTY of it...7 lbs and counting :11: (and that's with 4-5 dives per day).
The diving was outstanding. We caught some weather a couple of days but for the most part had excellent visibility and low to moderate currents. The sites that we went to were perfect. I've never seen reefs in such good condition it was as if no one else had ever dove them before. The fan coral and other delicate life were untouched and thriving. If you are looking for wrecks then the Cay Sal Banks is not the itinerary you want but if dolphins, sharks, turtles, rays, and the like are interesting to you then it's perfect. The diving was relaxed and never rushed. We dove steel 95's and I opted for the nitrox package to extend my bottom times. You never want for air on the dives and are never forced up because you've been down too long like many shore dive ops.
On the last day of the cruise there was some really bad weather and the skiff capsized bringing passangers back from Bimini. The crew immediatly snapped into station and did what had to be done to ensure the safety of the passengers. No one was hurt but the skiff was lost, I guess that's what insurance is for. Hats off to the crew for how they handled themselves and the situation.
I have posted a few photos and will post more soon but I just can't say enough about the great time I had with Nekton. For the price, they are a great value!
The crew was wonderful! First off, they are divers...just like you and me. They love diving and it shows. They get just as excited about the dives as the passengers do. Not only that but they go out of their way to make sure you have everything you need and are comfortable.
The accommodations were comfortable and not overly cramped (granted, I was alone in a cabin
) There was plenty of room to eat in the dinning area and the salon area was great for relaxing and taking in a movie or viewing photos of the days dives. One thing I found to be very positive was that they had a computer hooked up to the big screen TV where you could load and view your digital photos right after a dive to see how they came out (perfect for instant gratification folks like me). If you think the food will be lacking or not quite up to snuff I can assure you that is not the case. The food on board is as good or better than many restaurants on shore and there is PLENTY of it...7 lbs and counting :11: (and that's with 4-5 dives per day).The diving was outstanding. We caught some weather a couple of days but for the most part had excellent visibility and low to moderate currents. The sites that we went to were perfect. I've never seen reefs in such good condition it was as if no one else had ever dove them before. The fan coral and other delicate life were untouched and thriving. If you are looking for wrecks then the Cay Sal Banks is not the itinerary you want but if dolphins, sharks, turtles, rays, and the like are interesting to you then it's perfect. The diving was relaxed and never rushed. We dove steel 95's and I opted for the nitrox package to extend my bottom times. You never want for air on the dives and are never forced up because you've been down too long like many shore dive ops.
On the last day of the cruise there was some really bad weather and the skiff capsized bringing passangers back from Bimini. The crew immediatly snapped into station and did what had to be done to ensure the safety of the passengers. No one was hurt but the skiff was lost, I guess that's what insurance is for. Hats off to the crew for how they handled themselves and the situation.
I have posted a few photos and will post more soon but I just can't say enough about the great time I had with Nekton. For the price, they are a great value!
