Help me find a liveaboard for April...

[doctormike]

Hi,

I'm not sure if any of you have any ideas where I could look, but I'm going to be in Florida this April, arriving in Orlando on the 9th and scheduled to leave at the end of the week on the 12th. However, I could switch my return flight to Miami, and could return as late as Tuesday or Wednesday (the 16th or 17th).

I would love to do a 4-5 day liveaboard leaving from somewhere in Florida. The only lead I had - Juliet Sailing and Diving - is booked up then.

Any ideas? I guess I could just do day trips from somewhere on the coast, but if I could find a liveaboard for that time it would be great...

Thanks!

Mike

 

[diversteve]

Spree has 9 open spaces on a April 12-14th Dry Tortugas/Vandenberg trip. You'd have to board the night of the 11th. In Key West.

Spree Expeditions

It's [user]Wookie[/user]'s boat if you have any questions.

 

[Amazz]

There's a reason why the Juliet stays full. Great boat, great crew, outstanding dive deck. I'd go back in a heartbeat. Still haven't been on the Spree, but from the reviews, I'd say go for it.

 

[doctormike]

Spree has 9 open spaces on a April 12-14th Dry Tortugas/Vandenberg trip. You'd have to board the night of the 11th. In Key West.

Spree Expeditions

It's [user]Wookie[/user]'s boat if you have any questions.

OK, that sounds promising! I have heard great things about the Spree... So the question is logistics. I would need to get from Orlando to Key West. That's a pretty big drive, but I suppose that I could do it. Maybe I could fly back from Key West? Then would have one way car drop off to figure out... Or fly from Orlando to Key West?

Looks like I have some googling to do!

M

 

[Wookie]

Lots of Orlando flights to Key West on Southwest, I think 4 per day this time of year.

 

[sportxlh]

Several other airlines like American also have flights to Key West from Orlando: many make a stop in Miami though, but if my memory is correct, the fares are pretty cheap: like the low $100's.

I dove on the Spree last May and had a blast! You'll enjoy it. Bring plenty of sunscreen though.... if you spend any time on the sun deck in the bean bag chairs, you'll burn up and look like a Maine lobster in no time!

I've also dove the Ultimate Getaway out of Ft Myers: its a similar operation that goes to the Dry Totugas but does a lot more spearfishing trips than photography/sight seeing trips. In 2010, I took a photo trip and had fun as well.

Both these operators are great values: if you were to do an equal number of dives in, say, the Keys and then added up all your hotel bills and food, you'd probably spend more $ and miss some of the most interesting reefs I've seen (I love the Keys, but the Dry Tortugas reefs are very unique!).

I'm really looking forward to when the MV Spree starts some Bahamas trips.

 

[doctormike]

Lots of Orlando flights to Key West on Southwest, I think 4 per day this time of year.

OK... your'e on!

I need to confirm that I can move a clinic from Monday to Thursday, but I should be able to do this. If I can, gonna see if I can switch my Delta return flight (now scheduled to leave form Orlando on the 12th) to a flight from Key West to NYC on the 16th. Then I just need a one way ticket from Orlando to Key West on the 11th, or drive with a one way rental drop off (THAT doesn't sound like fun!).

I'm going to be alone. Think you can find me a buddy who doesn't mind a photographer?

 

[Wookie]

Won't be a problem, or we'll have a pony if you have a solo card...