Alaskan Liveaboard?

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Has anyone tried the Alaskan liveaboards like Nautilus swell? I have always thought of Alaskan waters as low viz, grey and non-welcoming towards divers. Very scenic but not diver friendly. Can anyone share their experience if they have ever tried Alaskan liveaboard?

 

[Peter Guy]

I have always thought of Alaskan waters as low viz, grey and non-welcoming towards divers.

While I have not been in Alaskan waters, I have had a couple of trips part way to Alaska and understand the diving is pretty similar.

Low viz -- what do you mean? Viz may well be in the 30+ range which is VERY good by my standards.

Grey -- nope -- it will be green!

Non-welcoming -- ? -- water is water, just a bit colder the farther north you go.

Here are a few pictures from northern Vancouver Island -- several hundred miles south of Alaska -- BTW, the Nautilus Swell was there at the time I took these pictures. By all reports it is a wonderful liveaboard -- good food, good diving, good accomodations.

 

[Herb-alaska]

I have not been on an Alaska live a board so I can not speak to that experience however I do Live and dive in Sitka almost every week which is one of your stops on a live aboard to SE Alaska. Diving in Alaska is different than diving in Florida because it is cold water diving. The warmest dive I have been on the water temp was 61 (July)at at the surface and mid 50's at bottom. The coldest was in January and the air temp was 5 and 29 on the bottom. You will need a dry suit no mater what time of the year you come and the best diving is not in the summer the best diving is right now to March before the fish spawn and algae bloom . You will also need good lights and with all that you will have some of the greatest dives. Everything is truly bigger in AK and the diving in Alaska is great just not warm water diving. Give it a try you will love it.

 

[Lobzilla]

This summer I dove on Vancouver Island for the first time and was amazed about the quantity and size of marine life there. How does Alaska compare to this as far as diving is concerned. I remember that everything I pulled up on fishing pole in Alaska was plenty big but how about the critters that do not readily go after a lure?

 

[Shasta_man]

I believe there was a trip report on wetpixel.com/forum

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

I have not been on an Alaska live a board so I can not speak to that experience however I do Live and dive in Sitka almost every week which is one of your stops on a live aboard to SE Alaska. Diving in Alaska is different than diving in Florida because it is cold water diving. The warmest dive I have been on the water temp was 61 (July)at at the surface and mid 50's at bottom. The coldest was in January and the air temp was 5 and 29 on the bottom. You will need a dry suit no mater what time of the year you come and the best diving is not in the summer the best diving is right now to March before the fish spawn and algae bloom . You will also need good lights and with all that you will have some of the greatest dives. Everything is truly bigger in AK and the diving in Alaska is great just not warm water diving. Give it a try you will love it.

Bro - do you guys have a good land based diving scene in Sitka? How often do the boats go out? This has gotten me very excited. I was in Alaska on my trip to the Arctic and loved it. I wish I could spend more time though.

 

[Herb-alaska]

Bro - do you guys have a good land based diving scene in Sitka? How often do the boats go out? This has gotten me very excited. I was in Alaska on my trip to the Arctic and loved it. I wish I could spend more time though.

I wish we did Right now dive access is really tight. We had a great shop here until a august divorce between the owners turned out the lights. Juneau had our nearest shop option and they also have some great diving however the shop owner died Monday in a dive accident so that shop is closed and uncertain. So right now I say it is tough around here. I have my own gear, tanks and boat. I live 1/8 mile from the ocean and five minutes from my boat so i am always ready to get wet.To fly in and dive right now is a little tough. But soooo worth it if you were able to work out the details

 

[bjd001]

Searching for posts regarding "Sitka" I came upon this thread, so I thought I'd reply even tho' it's a few months old...

I'm heading up to Alaska for my second liveaboard trip next month. (I did the Nautilus Explorer in July 2006 and we had a GREAT time!) I've done several other trips on the Explorer (Vancouver Island and 2 trips to Mexico) and this will be my first trip on the Swell.

I do most of my diving in Monterey, CA, so I'm already used to bad viz and cold water and I'm very comfortable in my drysuit. Last Saturday's dive here was 46 degrees! IIRC, during the 2006 Alaska trip, the water temps were 46 - 48 degrees on most dives, but we did have one dive where my computer said 43 degrees. And I think it was 38 degrees the day we snorkeled amongst the icebergs.

What impressed me most about Alaska diving was the size and sheer numbers of the sea life. Vertical walls just completely covered with life. I think the juvenile sea lions up there are the size of the adults down here. And we saw some really impressive ling cod.

Plus, you can only do a couple of dives a day because you have to time them for the turning of the tides. So it's not like a warm water trip where you do 4-5 dives a day. But that leaves time for other activities. Like being on a mini cruise ship we had the opportunity for several "shore excursions" to check out various towns, go hiking, hang out in some hot springs, etc.

I would highly recommend diving in Alaska.

 

[leelee]

I HAVE BEEN on the Alaskan liveaboard Nautilus Swell. and am going back soon this summer. I am returning because i love the alaska diving and want more of it.
the visibility varies depending on the time of year of course, however would avg. 40-60ft.
the water temp did not vary very much at all and stayed about 8-9 celcius
entry and exits were giant strides and boat pick up so navigation back to the boat is not necessary
the dive sites are great and diveable. all sites you go in and come out on topography. There are some currents that you want to avoid but very easy to avoid if you follow the diveguides plan.

What i love so much about Alaska diving is the variety of sculpins, the octopus are playful. the variation of crabs, the prowfish, oh my gosh i love the prowfish and am so excited to find more. The wolf eel play pen. and i would have to say the sea lions even though the bug me in a way.
but what makes Alaska diving over the top is. the topside entertainment, the humpbacks, orcas, sea lions fishing and playing, the otters and eagles, bears and other special entertainment I will wait till we meet before I tell you about.