Which Liveaboard trip? Want world class diving?

[Doubler]

It is starting to get dicey in Egypt again (Tour bus blown up this weekend) so that would move Socorro up on my list. Check out the Nai'a in Fiji.

 

[RJP]

It is starting to get dicey in Egypt again (Tour bus blown up this weekend) so that would move Socorro up on my list. Check out the Nai'a in Fiji.

I did a 3 week trip in Egypt (Cairo, Nile cruise, then Red Sea liveaboard) five years ago. Glad I did it then... as there's no way I'd do it any time in the foreseable future.

 

[Mossman]

Well the Red Sea certainly seems like the most affordable non-Caribbean destination, Socorro seems second. Anywhere I should consider? Or is it still better to pony up a little more money to make it to Komodo or the Maldives?

Is it that affordable for you to get to the Red Sea? Maybe it's cheaper than getting to Komodo or the Maldives, but the Socorros just involves a flight to Los Cabos, an easy connection from LAX and other American airports and apparently there are direct flights (some seasonal, some not) from various airports in Canada on Air Canada, Air Transat, Sunwing, and WestJet.

 

[Doubler]

In todays news:
CAIRO (Reuters) - A militant Islamist group has warned tourists to leave Egypt and threatened to attack any who stay after February 20, raising the prospect of a new front in a fast-growing insurgency in the biggest Arab nation.
The Sinai-based Ansar Bayt al-Maqdis group, which claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing that killed two South Korean tourists and an Egyptian on Sunday, made the statement on an affiliated Twitter account.

I'd re-think any Egypt plans.

 

[qwimjim]

Yes I've been to Egypt in the past and it was wonderful but it's not looking so great these days. That said my odds of being involved in an attack are probably slimmer than me getting killed on the road back home If not the Red Sea, is there anywhere else that's near the price range of Socorro for bang for your buck world class diving? Socorro is $3300 for the liveaboard and $600 for the flight. Like I mentioned before, not interested in Caribbean liveaboards, doesn't really do it for me and it's the kind of thing I can do land based on a family vacation.. if i'm going to go away for a week on a liveaboard I want it to be something I will never be able to get land based/bring the family.

 

[Doubler]

The Nautilus Explorer is a Canadian flagged vessel that dives Socorro. Socorro is blue water diving with sharks, whales, whale sharks and Mantas that love diver interaction. It was well worth it and a trip you wil
Talk about for years. Food is good and they treat you like an adult.

 

[drrich2]

With the type of diving you like, I have a proposal. Break it up. You like big stuff, and you like nice reefs. I'm trying to think about how many Caribbean threads & posts I've seen with big stuff over fairly shallow reef diving. Yes, it happens, but how often and in what places to plan a trip for that?

What I mean is, plan a trip for 'big stuff.' How about Tiger Beach in the Bahamas? Surely a 14 foot tiger shark named Emma coming at you could scratch the 'Big itch' for awhile? Also enjoy some shark fed diving with a bunch of smaller, but still a few feet long, sharks?

How about some of this charter boat diving out of Jupiter, Florida, and if shark feeding doesn't bother you, you might get to see lemon sharks, etc...? And how about dives to see the goliath grouper aggregations?

Or how about the wreck diving off North Carolina to see sizable numbers of sand tiger sharks? Granted, we're talking long boat rides across the Atlantic so rougher trips, colder diving and deep, too, from what I've read so far, and that's something to think about (mainly getting back up the ladder on the boat safely if the seas are rough, I would think).

People speak lovingly about a manta dive off one of the Hawaiian islands.

Richard.

 

[t4e]

Sounds like we like the same type of diving: High Voltage! Give Komodo a GO.

"real coffee from an espresso machine"...not NA wannabe coffee?...now that would convince me to go lol

 

[Worldwide Dive and Sail]

Well the Red Sea certainly seems like the most affordable non-Caribbean destination, Socorro seems second. Anywhere I should consider? Or is it still better to pony up a little more money to make it to Komodo or the Maldives?

Hi Qwimjim

From your description of what you are looking for (lots of sharks, big fish not interested in macro) then we would not recommend Komodo for you. Whilst of course we operate there and it does rate as a World Class destination, you may well be disappointed.

On a typical 10-night trip you will experience some "current-fuelled" "High-voltage" dives but this will see you flying along a coral reef, than than through a school of hammerheads. At sites such as Castle & Crystal Rock you will see reef sharks ,but more commonly in groups of 5-8 rather than 100s. Likewise with the mantas - our divers have seen up to 40 mantas at one time - which is of course absolutely wonderful! but more common is 8-15 mantas - again not to be scoffed at but perhaps not what you might be expecting.
You will get schools of fish but many of the best and most notable sites are concentrated on the variety of species and weird looking critters.

The southern Maldives (Gaafu/ Huvadhoo Atoll) is however a very good recommendation - but travel there for big fish life is really dependent on the time of year due to the currents. We operate there between Jan-Mar as this is the optimum time for the currents to be running in the kandus (channels). With current you can see schools of 100+ grey reef sharks, groups of eagle rays, schools of barracuda / snapper/ trevally, plenty of turtles and some macro life (pipefish, nudibranchs). But if there is no current - there are no big fish - hence its really quite a short season. Even further south towards to Equator you can be lucky to see Mola Mola & Tiger sharks - but you will need to find a resort or liveaboard that ventures the far and again the "action" can be hit or miss.

Soccorro is likely your best bet. But Fiji would be a good option. (latest reports from our team are of great reef shark action in Nigali Passage, manta rays and hammerhead sightings as well as big schools of barracuda)

Check for inclusions such as nitrox, refreshments, marine park fees etc. when making your final pricing. Destinations and Operators have varying costs for those things so whilst you may find the initial price looks good, extras can bump it up a bit.

All the best,
Siren Fleet

 

[sphyrnidus]

While others are telling that Egypt is to be reconsidderd, I would state that the bus incident is very far away from the normal Red Sea Dive sites. As is Caïro also. I go to Egypt twice a year for a liveaboard and so far in Hurghada or Marsa, there have been no incidents ever (relating to terrorists). The only thing noticeable is that the tourists are staying away. Remember the distances are great. From Caïro to Hurgahada is more than 400 km. Anyway next month I'm going again... On a liveaboard btw you land, go to the ship, sail for a week, spend a day at a resort and fly again, so the chances of an incident getting to you is very small.
There are places that are far more dangerous than the Red Sea...