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Sitting in our hotel room in Belize City after a week onboard the Nekton Pilot. Great weather and great diving. Forth time with Nekton and never disappointed. The bad news is that we fly back to the snow in Wyoming tomorrow and head back to work on Monday.
Seems like a lot of repeat business on this boat! Was there a couple of weeks ago and will be going back. No snow here though unless you count the mountains.
My family and I loved our two trips aboard the Pilot. The crew is ready, willing, and able to help; the food is pretty good; and the diving is fun. We really liked staying in cabin 1 because it's the biggest cabin, it's right by the galley, and the diving position is nearest one of the jumping-off spots.
I think I am going to cry.... I looked this fall when our vacation week is scheduled and they are repositioing the USGS so I can't go the the Bahamas as anticipated on Nekton.
We were on the Pilot in December to Belize and absolutely fell in love with liveaboard diving, and the wonderful trip with the Pilot crew! We're now planning another trip with them for next year and can't wait to spend another week on-board, this time to Cay Sal Banks.
I have only been on one other live aboard so take this with a grain of salt.
Necton's biggest advantage from my perspective is its stability. On the previous liveaboard (cat boat type hull) I spent the entire first day ensuring I didn't get seasick. i.e. standing on deck, watching the horizon when not diving. Works, but always at the edge of queazy. On the Nekton, the first hour or so just to be sure then didn't worry about it the rest of the trip. We did have one day where the wind picked up and I would normally be very very careful re seasick but again not even a twinge. While I am new at liveaboards I have owned several boats so know exactly what will cause me to lose my lunch
Accomodation is good the cabins are smallish, but adequate. You get a bed, a few shelves to put things a sink and an enclosed head and shower. Four plugs in my room for recharging stuff. It is an all metal boat so condensation is a problem - some complained about dripping water, and sound travels. Someone slams a door you will hear it. The food is good, not excellent, not complaining, chef does a great job with what she has to work with. The diving is the focus on this boat.
The dive deck is excellent. I like the layout. This is a boat that was designed to dive from. You are at most four steps from entry if you want to do a giant stride off the side from about 4' up. If you want to go down the stairs at most you are about 10 feet from the top of the stairs, and can walk down in fins if you want. Camera tank on both sides of the stairs. Nitrox was at 32 all week, you can dive air - most did, but if you want to do 5 dives a day and max your bottom times on the large tanks Nitrox is the way to go. my buddy on air was in the yellow on his computer pretty regularly, I could have stayed down another 10 - 15 minutes on most dives - lots of air left, but no point pushing your buddy's NDL.
The top deck is a great place to get some sun - lots and lots of room. The lounge is large enough for everyone to spread out a bit. Widescreen TV with DVD, VCR and computer hookup. A couple of computers if you want to look at your photo's and don't have a laptop. It might be a bit crowded with a full boat however.
Two camera tables - one with compressed air to blow off the water and a separate dunk tank.
The crew was excellent, better than that even. Always willing to lend a hand, go diving, whatever to make your trip better. if they weren't having fun they faked it well
I suspect that you get a more "first class" kind of experience on Peter Hughes or Aggressor the two other boats that were always tied up next door. When I poked my nose into one of them (can remember which now) the crew was in a "uniform" that was sort of "fake navy". I prefer the more relaxed atmosphere of the Nekton. The diving is virtually identical - all three boats were within sight of each other for most if not all of the week. A good healthy swim would take you to the next boat in line.
I think(not sure) that both other boats do the Blue Hole - my preference was not to bother as it is a very deep dive and would limit diving for the rest of the day, but that is a personal preference. As I said, the stability was the most important criteria for me.
Recommend flying out Sunday or even Monday, many were disappointed that they couldn't do all the dives on the last day.
I suspect that you get a more "first class" kind of experience on Peter Hughes or Aggressor the two other boats that were always tied up next door. When I poked my nose into one of them (can remember which now) the crew was in a "uniform" that was sort of "fake navy". I prefer the more relaxed atmosphere of the Nekton. The diving is virtually identical - all three boats were within sight of each other for most if not all of the week. A good healthy swim would take you to the next boat in line.
I also suspect the "more first class" thing is true from what I've heard and seen, though I've only been on Aggressors and Hughes and not Nekton yet. They're both very casual too though, and you don't see those uniforms all the time - mostly when you first board, leave, and at dinner. No epaulets on their wetsuits.
I think(not sure) that both other boats do the Blue Hole - my preference was not to bother as it is a very deep dive and would limit diving for the rest of the day, but that is a personal preference.
That's true they usually do, and that is something that would sway me to try the Nekton next time in Belize (though the Sun Dancer is so nice) - I'd rather do more other dives that waste my time at the Blue Hole.
I should add, one of Peter Hughes "things" is they have these nice fluffy terry bathrobes in the cabins, and they seem to make a point of telling you - probably to set the atmosphere and let you know you don't have to dress up like the crew! - that these are acceptable dress for any meal. People do it, too.
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TURTLES TURTLES RA RA RA TURTLES TURTLES HA HA HA MMM.....I LOVE TURTLES 
Originally Posted by Darnold9999
