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electrix

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Scuba Instructor
Divemaster
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Location
Mesquite, Texas
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I need to choose between the Cayman Aggressor and the Turks and Caicos Aggressor for a spring trip what are the highlights of each ?
 
Before you choose, read this: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/liveaboards-charter-boats/442168-carib-dancer-cancellation.html

Granted most Aggressor & Dancer ops are independent franchisees, but they all operate under the same umbrella. Buyer beware.
At least clarify IN WRITING their policy in the event the boat is unable to sail for a non-weather related reason.

I’d consider the Explorer Ventures boats as well. Their T&C and especially their St. Martin/St. Kits/Saba route is great -for Caribbean diving.
 
My son and I did a trip on the Cayman Aggressor Spring 2011. The biggest highlight by far was diving Bloody Bay wall (Little Cayman). The crew, food, and boat is great; my issue about this trip is the reliability of making the crossing to Little Cayman (due to weather), I was not aware of the frequency of not making it; when we were briefed on the 1st night onboard the crew seemed unusually excited about the fact that we were going to make the crossing the next day, and I then learned they hadn't made it the prior 5 weeks. The 6 sites we did around GC (first and last days) were OK, but after diving Little Cayman and Cayman Brac I realized how disappointing it would be to do this trip and not make it across. We just came back yesterday from doing a week aboard the Sun Dancer last week, and one of our shipmates mentioned having don't the Cayman Aggressor twice and not being able to make it over to Little Cayman on either trip. As much as we did enjoy this trip, the next time I go I think I will just go land based at the Little Cayman Breach resort, and avoid any chance of not making it over. I could dive Bloody Bay Wall for 10 days and not be bored!

As for T&C, I only did land based (from Provo) ~20 years ago, in Feb. The weather and diving was awesome, the one negative memory I had was how far away the dive sites were, so I do intend to go back and do a liveaboard one of these days, as this is a logical destination for liveaboard diving for how spread out the diving is. I cannot comment on the T&C liveaboard options, but as far as Explorer Ventures we did have a great experience on the Caribbean Explorer II (Saba-St. Kitts) this past April, and I do have some concerns about Aggressor given the stories about the Carib Dancer issues (even though we thoroughly enjoyed both our CA IV and Sun Dancer trips). The office staff at Explorer Ventures seemed more accommodating than Aggressor’s; I got a little “take it or leave it” attitude from them when exploring their options for some trips. I filled out their questionnaires, which were mostly positive but I did include a few (relatively minor) constructive comments; never heard a word back from them, and while they don’t “owe” me anything a brief we appreciate your taking the time and thank you would have given me a little bit of a feeling that they gave two cents about passengers concerns or suggestions. However I will state that the crews on all our boats, and the trips, were very very good.
 
I'll never book with this organization based in the thread list. http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=442168

Bad move.


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---------- Post added December 31st, 2012 at 11:59 AM ----------

You guys might think about some peer correction. Somebody is going to cost you some money.


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This trip is a Christmas gift for us so I am going to stick with it, thanks for the info on the crossing to Little Cayman. We spent a week on the Belize Aggressor III last year and it was great. The Kittiwake seems a plus for the Cayman Aggressor and direct flights from DFW.
 
I did the T/C Explorer 2 years ago. Aggressor does the same route - in fact she was often at the next mooring over during the week. The highlight of that trip has to be French Cay - I wish they'd spend all week there. In one dive I literally saw 4-5 reef sharks, 4-5 turtles - at least a dozen stingrays, huge lionfish, several barracuda, lots of macro stuff, about a dozen fish nurseries, and one huge eagle ray. That same site at night there were monster crabs, dozens of conch, lobsters and near the end of the dive we watched the pelagics hit the baitfish attracted by our lights. I boarded but my buddy said a few minutes later they watched the sharks hit the pelagics. It's one of those areas where the fish are completely indifferent to the presence of divers - I liked that.

West Caicos was also very good diving, lots of turtles, supposed to be dolphins - we didn't see any - and supposed to be huge grouper - missed them also. Both boats moor just in off the wall so there's a lot of very good diving nearby. We were there in late May and conditions were perfect - bright sunny days and warm nights.

I've only dove Grand Cayman, never the Sisters - mostly around NW Point/West Bay - I consider T/C diving to be slightly better. Both would make anyone's top 5 Caribbean list.

Some idea of what you'll see - credit to Mike Southard: Saudio's Trip Reports
 
Thanks for the trip report ! diversteve
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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