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Yesterday I wrote a brief trip review on our week aboard the Nekton Pilot Nov 3-10 and was asked to start a new thread.
Another question was Did you accompany a dm on the dives or just go out on your own? We mostly paired on our own, but there is a standing "invite a member of the crew, we like to dive" offer. I made dives with a couple of crew/divemasters and one with the captain.
Greetings from NCDiver, recently returned from a great week aboard the Nekton Pilot!!!
I just got in yesterday after a 1 hour AA delay in Bleize Airport turned into a missed flight in Miami and an overnight stay for a flight Monday morning back to Raleigh. Seems I have a problem getting thru Miami on AA every time.
I am afraid that time will be a bit tight to do a better trip report until I get my desk back under control, but thought some of you might like an initial cut.
Basically, if there were problems, they have been corrected. The crew was friendly, helpful, and seemed to like each other and what they are doing. The Captain, Capt. Grant, is personable, laid back, good sense of humor and really seams to know what he is doing. Maintenance items were addressed quickly, meals were good and on time and the dive deck was well run. One completed her open water and loved her instructor. Several did Adv OW and one did his Nitrox cert. again with positive feedback.
The weather was dreary the first of the week and the vis varied from 50 to 70 most days with one site somewhat less. Water warm, about 82 with cool / warm spots occasionally. No real thermoclines. Current overall mild to none but one site was pretty stiff and the dive deck was closed and we moved to another site where we did 2 afternoon dives, a night dive and a dawn dive making 6 dives that day.
Everyone on board got along well. Don't think there was one person who got out of joint about anything. Talked with the group about doing it again and got 100% let me know when, from all the passengers, our group as well as the others. I plan to go again, maybe next year about this time.
I will post more later and a reoprt with photos on my site soon. But wanted to keep my promise to post a report as soon I could.
Hope this helps those of you who have a trip coming up. I will try to answer questions as I have time.
Thanks Perry, for the complimentary trip report on your dive trip onboard the Nekton Pilot in Belize. The vast majority of Nekton guests are returning guests - that is to say that after they have experienced a Nekton vessel the first time, they come back again and again to experience other itineraries offered by Nekton.
For your next group, you may want to consider the Puerto Rico/St. Croix itinerary next year at about the same time of year. Nekton put it on this year for the first time and cabin space sold quickly for all weeks starting in November through the second week in January. Nekton is already booking space for November '08 through January '09.
Hey Pdixon.
Which dm's did you get to dive with. I am just curious. They are all great though! I am glad to hear that you had a good week. I would expect nothing less for a report.
Nicole
Thanks Perry, for the complimentary trip report on your dive trip onboard the Nekton Pilot in Belize. The vast majority of Nekton guests are returning guests - that is to say that after they have experienced a Nekton vessel the first time, they come back again and again to experience other itineraries offered by Nekton.
For your next group, you may want to consider the Puerto Rico/St. Croix itinerary next year at about the same time of year. Nekton put it on this year for the first time and cabin space sold quickly for all weeks starting in November through the second week in January. Nekton is already booking space for November '08 through January '09.
I've read a couple of posts by reefexplorer and would be very suprised if he didn't have some sort of vested interest in Nekton. I've dove with them before and had a great experience, but I'm sick of reading your advertisements disguised as posts.
Back to Belize diving, pdixon and ncdiver what did you think of the reefs overall? How was the fish life? How would you compare to other Caribbean destinations? Lots of color? Turtles? Anything unusual or interesting you have never seen before?
I'm curious to read a detailed report too. Actually, I probably shouldn't read it since I'm already booked for the Pilot Belize in December.
ronscuba, I can't wait til you get back from your trip! I want to see your videos again. I really loved all your Roatan stuff and going on the Nekton is going to be a blast for you. I had just gotten my video rig when we did the Nekton Cay Sal in 2006 and I averaged a tape per day of footage (some topside, most underwater). I really wish I had shot more!
There are two really big camera tables on the middle level deck which is where we set up. One hint - get a collapsable cooler to take. We kept ours right there next to our photo/video gear with a chamois, white hand towel to use as tent over rigs, lens cleaner, spare tape, batteries, etc. inside. That way we never had to run down to the room between dives unless we wanted to. We did usually take the camera & camcorder into our room to change tapes & batteries, but there is always the one time when you don't have time. It was nice to have that stuff right there. There are two rinse tanks right on dive deck for your rig, but we always took ours out after a few minutes and took them up to those camera tables to dry off with chamois and/or use the air gun there. They would be sitting there dry (and in the shade) and ready to go for the next dive! We had 3 videographers and 6-8 photographers on the boat, plenty of room for everyone's stuff.
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Originally Posted by reefexplorer
what did you think of the reefs overall? How was the fish life? How would you compare to other Caribbean destinations? Lots of color? Turtles? Anything unusual or interesting you have never seen before? 
