SFLDiver3445
Contributor
I'm glad you enjoyed the pics - thanks!
Boat:
Let me start by saying that I'm a fan of the Nekton boats, because with all their faults, I think their design makes for a very roomy and comfortable diving experience. However, I did find the boat itself to be a bit more run-down than last year. The a/c's weren't doing a great job, my room's plumbing didn't exactly smell fresh and the shower had a not so great looking dark brown fiberglass patch on it. It's my understanding that the boat was heading for a major overhaul immediately after our trip.
Crew:
Last year we did the Nekton Pilot as well, and I really feel as though the crew made all the difference in the world. I found them last year to be very personable, knowledgeable and professional. This year, several of the same crew members were onboard, but not all of them. I feel as though they still did a great job and did their best to make sure we were happy and enjoyable trip. I did however find the dive briefings to be lacking in any real detail. Last year, Nelson gave an evening presention on Tunics and gave most of the briefings, and he always provided us with so much extra info about the what to expect on the dive site, that you really knew what to expect and what to look for. This year, Nelson was no longer onboard, and there was no evening presentation and the the briefings were adequate, but I didn't feel as though they were extremely thorough or had that extra touch incorporated. Bear in mind however, we had the entire boat to ourself this year, and we were a group of VERY EXPERIENCED rebreather divers, so we didn't really need our hands held. The crew quickly learned that on the dive deck, they didn't need to touch our gear, unless asked to, yet they still were always standing by to hand us cameras and help with our bailout/stage bottles. So I can't complain about the crew at all, I just felt that last years group showed to be a bit more experienced and polished.
Food:
I've been on a few livaboards before, but I've never eaten so well in my life. Heike (the cook), was the same cook we had last year. Last year the food was good, but this year, the food was amazing - they fed us like kings! I don't recall everything on the menu, but there was always variety and pleny of it. I recall everything from pastas, steaks and ribs, and it was all very very very tasty!! She always had the most awesome freshly baked cookies as a snack between dives, and her deserts after dinner were excellent as well. So I'm not sure what the other cooks on the Nekton ships are like, but Heike rocked!
Adrian
