NAIBdiver1
Contributor
Uh oh - another Nekton Report ! Seems like new places we go that have been flamed on Scubaboard turn out to be the best places and become favorites of ours. We loved our trip to St. Croix aboard the Nekton Rorqual. First time to St. Croix and first time on a Nekton boat. (Not our first LOB though).
We met the boat in Peurto Rico where we were met and driven to the boat. it was a 10 hour overnight ride to St. Croix. The only bad experience was the restaurant at the marina for our first night's supper, slow, expensive and mediocre food I wish I would have picked up McDonald's on the way. Oh - you do stop at a grocery store to pick up your personal beer, wine, spirits and carbonated beverages. There are none of these on the boat. I would suggest bringing a netted sack to place your beverages in. All the beverages are placed in a common cooler aboard. Having them in your own sack keeps yours separate from the others. There was no problem with other guests helping themselves - just housekeeping.
Crew- great, helpful, cheerlful and friendly
Food- Very good and plentiful
Room - large and comfortable - no awful smells at all. I brought air freshener because of earlier reports but didn't need at all.
Diving- Surprisingly good
I was surprised and very pleased about the diving. Very little dive pressure in the area. I saw the biggest undamaged fans ever. The condition of the reef is awesome. Much better than many other places in the Caribbean that we've visited.
I was quite nervous about the number of divers on the boat (28), but that turned out to not be a problem. First, it's a big boat. Secondly, I really liked the way they (Nekton) arranges the dive schedule. The dive platform was open from 0800 to 1145 in the morning. 1300 - 1745 in the afternoon and 1900 - 2045 for night dives. So, you could in essence make your own dive schedule. Some people went in right away, some later - never any pressure. The dive deck was never crowded. Not like some other boats where you have to go in at specific times for morning, afternoon and night dives.
The dive sites were at first chosen by the captain, but returns were by popular demand among the divers.
We dove:
"Alien Nation"
"Kings Cross"
"Shallow Wrecks"
"North Star"
"Armageddon"
"Pavilion"
"Cane Bay"
"Deep Wrecks"
"Fredericksted Pier"
The sea life was varied, plentiful and very interesting. We saw many species that you would normally see alone, but here they were in pairs or groups. Cane Bay and the Pier were maybe my favorites, but they were all wonderful. However, we did not see any large Grouper (Nassau, Tiger, Black or Goliath), or Yellowtail Snappers - obviously fished out. Another surprise, we didn't see one Lionfish. Saw turtles on most dives. Some divers saw sharks deep (below 110), but I never went that deep - so much to see shallower.
We missed night dives for three nights because of sea wasps. Very unusual for 3 days. They did leave by the time we got to the Pier and were able to do night dives there. Lots to see under that Pier! On the last diving day (Friday) you could dive as many dives as your outbound flight schedule permitted (18 - 24 hour rule). Since our Saturday flight wasn't until after 1500, we made two morning dives on the Pier and then on early afternoon dive at Alien Nation. The boat didn't make the return trip until 2100, so if your flight schedule permitted, a night dive could have been possible.
Mentioned above - many people (28) - all a great group and good divers ! Bring your passport, you will need them to clear customs when you return to Peurto Rico, even though St.Croix is part of the American Virin Islands - customs does check when the boat returns. No problem, just a formality.
Water Temps - Oct 10 - 17th 2009. Constant 84 top to bottom. Swim trunks and a "t' shirt all week.
Would I go again to this itinerary - defiantly. Would I go again on the Nekton to a different destination - defiantly.
NAIBdiver1
We met the boat in Peurto Rico where we were met and driven to the boat. it was a 10 hour overnight ride to St. Croix. The only bad experience was the restaurant at the marina for our first night's supper, slow, expensive and mediocre food I wish I would have picked up McDonald's on the way. Oh - you do stop at a grocery store to pick up your personal beer, wine, spirits and carbonated beverages. There are none of these on the boat. I would suggest bringing a netted sack to place your beverages in. All the beverages are placed in a common cooler aboard. Having them in your own sack keeps yours separate from the others. There was no problem with other guests helping themselves - just housekeeping.
Crew- great, helpful, cheerlful and friendly
Food- Very good and plentiful
Room - large and comfortable - no awful smells at all. I brought air freshener because of earlier reports but didn't need at all.
Diving- Surprisingly good
I was surprised and very pleased about the diving. Very little dive pressure in the area. I saw the biggest undamaged fans ever. The condition of the reef is awesome. Much better than many other places in the Caribbean that we've visited.
I was quite nervous about the number of divers on the boat (28), but that turned out to not be a problem. First, it's a big boat. Secondly, I really liked the way they (Nekton) arranges the dive schedule. The dive platform was open from 0800 to 1145 in the morning. 1300 - 1745 in the afternoon and 1900 - 2045 for night dives. So, you could in essence make your own dive schedule. Some people went in right away, some later - never any pressure. The dive deck was never crowded. Not like some other boats where you have to go in at specific times for morning, afternoon and night dives.
The dive sites were at first chosen by the captain, but returns were by popular demand among the divers.
We dove:
"Alien Nation"
"Kings Cross"
"Shallow Wrecks"
"North Star"
"Armageddon"
"Pavilion"
"Cane Bay"
"Deep Wrecks"
"Fredericksted Pier"
The sea life was varied, plentiful and very interesting. We saw many species that you would normally see alone, but here they were in pairs or groups. Cane Bay and the Pier were maybe my favorites, but they were all wonderful. However, we did not see any large Grouper (Nassau, Tiger, Black or Goliath), or Yellowtail Snappers - obviously fished out. Another surprise, we didn't see one Lionfish. Saw turtles on most dives. Some divers saw sharks deep (below 110), but I never went that deep - so much to see shallower.
We missed night dives for three nights because of sea wasps. Very unusual for 3 days. They did leave by the time we got to the Pier and were able to do night dives there. Lots to see under that Pier! On the last diving day (Friday) you could dive as many dives as your outbound flight schedule permitted (18 - 24 hour rule). Since our Saturday flight wasn't until after 1500, we made two morning dives on the Pier and then on early afternoon dive at Alien Nation. The boat didn't make the return trip until 2100, so if your flight schedule permitted, a night dive could have been possible.
Mentioned above - many people (28) - all a great group and good divers ! Bring your passport, you will need them to clear customs when you return to Peurto Rico, even though St.Croix is part of the American Virin Islands - customs does check when the boat returns. No problem, just a formality.
Water Temps - Oct 10 - 17th 2009. Constant 84 top to bottom. Swim trunks and a "t' shirt all week.
Would I go again to this itinerary - defiantly. Would I go again on the Nekton to a different destination - defiantly.
NAIBdiver1
Last edited: