Aqua Cat - Exumas

[Barracuda2]

I need some "I-did-that-charter" critique on the Aqua Cat out of Nassau. It looks good on their web site, but you know how that goes. Any first hand experience info would be appreciated.

Barracuda2

 

[DiverDave76]

I'm anxious to follow this thread. I saw the boat from a distance while in Nassau several months back. Didn't look quite the same as the picture. Looks a bit bigger than what we have typically experienced with Aggressor. I have promised to take my daughter on a liveaboard in the bahamas for her gradustion in a couple of years. Aqua Cat looks like about the nicest boat offering that type of service in the area.


Dave

 

[Doc]

I'm anxious to follow this thread. I saw the boat from a distance while in Nassau several months back. Didn't look quite the same as the picture. Looks a bit bigger than what we have typically experienced with Aggressor. I have promised to take my daughter on a liveaboard in the bahamas for her gradustion in a couple of years. Aqua Cat looks like about the nicest boat offering that type of service in the area. Dave

The AquaCat is a catamaran, it has a more interior space effect than the Aggressor and will ride better than any of the monohulls.

Wait till you see the Nekton, Dave. :sappy:

 

[Rosie]

.. it was fantastic! They had to throw me off the boat when it ended. The boat was really comfortable, the crew are great and special mention should be made of Jim and Sylvia (Chef and Sous-Chef). The food was incredible, something very important to my husband and me, as we are both very greedy - still trying to run it off now and we arrived home three weeks ago.

Diving was great as well; the dive team were brilliant fun and endlessly patient with our 'not dived for a while, got new equipment' problems.

The only slight downer was that the weather wasn't great, but compared to the UK, it was still an improvement!

I would not hesitate to recommend this boat, nor to travel on it again - in fact, we are already trying to decide when would be the best time to go on it next year.

If you would like any further info, please let me know.

cheers
Rosie

 

[JPTM]

We were with Aquacat last June and we loved it. The boat is very good, the crew fantastic (as Rosie says, Jim and Sylvia cooked delicious meals) and the diving was awesome. We travel a lot and did several dive trips and the liveaboard with Aquacat was one of the best. Go for it.

Take care

 

[Barracuda2]

If you would like any further info, please let me know.

cheers
Rosie[/QUOTE]

Rosie:Thanks for the comeback. i feel much more confident in booking a charter. I've done several Carib Aggressors and was somewhat concerned that I may be spoiled. if i charter in Jan. or Feb., will I need a full wetsuit with hood? or wll a 1mm tropical jumpsuit and a shortty over that be enough? I shoot video and lug around everyting I need for that. Does the Aquacat have an adequate photo work/storage table for photographers and videographers? Do they offer night dives every night? The Aggressors are quite liberal in allowing divers to "do their own thing" (don't have to follow a DM or stay in groups.) How is the Aquacat in that regards? Thanks for your coming reply.

Barracuda2

 

[Dan Gibson]

It's a nice boat and roomy, but can very very unstable in bad weather. If you are in the dinning area on level 2 when big waves hit, you can be thrown around. I did this trip in January 2002. Furniture, food and the computer on this level went flying several times during the trip. This is because the boat is very tall. Things were also not anchored to the floor.

The food wasn't as good as Blackbeard's. Too much tomato based foods. There were quite a few complaints about the menu. It should be remembered that when I went, they boat had only been in service for about 6 months. I'm sure they have figured out a few things since then including finding better dive sites. The boat never ventured farther than 50 miles from Nassau.

The AquaCat is a catamaran, it has a more interior space effect than the Aggressor and will ride better than any of the monohulls.

Wait till you see the Nekton, Dave. :sappy:

 

[Rosie]

Hi Barracuda,

To answer your questions:

1. The coldest water temperature we had was 23C (sorry, don't know what that is in F). I had a 3mm farmer john and 3mm long-sleeved shortie over the top and did get a little cold - but I feel the cold a lot anyway. I did see one diver with a hood, but they weren't common

2. Not being a photographer, I am not an expert, but the facilities seemed pretty good. There was slide processing and slide tables were available (all the coffee tables in the main cabin double as illuminated slide tables) and there were separate tanks for cameras - most of the photographers/videographers seemed very happy

3. There were night dives every night

4. Aquacat was also very liberal in allowing you to do your own thing, which we found great, as it meant we could pootle around under the boat at our own pace - quite a difference to our previous experience in Thailand, where you were regimented

Also, in response to Dan's email about the food, there was a very wide variety and if it was overly tomatoey, I certainly wasn't conscious of it. I can only recollect tomato-centric dishes at Pizza lunch and Pasta dinner. Jim does a fabulous roast with mashed pots, gravy and caesar salad on Thursday night, and pray for someone to have a birthday, as his warm sponge cake with maple-butter icing is great!!

Dan is right about the waves; we were pretty unlucky with the weather and had one very rough evening, but the Captain moved the boat as soon as it started to get rocky and it was calm for the rest of the night. The computer was fine, which was just as well, as we were too busy trying to save the wine to worry about it! Seriously though, I get seasick in the bath, but I was fine apart from one morning when I'd had too much wine the night before.

Sorry for the length of the response, but I hope this helps

cheers
Rosie

 

[Dan Gibson]

That's good that the menu has been revised. I think they were still learning what they should make when I went. I think they also had just gone through some of their first turnover in staff and that can't possible help. Not that I mind tomato based foods, but many people can't tolerate this while diving.

All in all, I would say it's a nice trip to do. I hope they are finding more dive sites. When I went, they were still a little unfamiliar with the area. Pillar Wall was the nicest dive area when I went.

Also, in response to Dan's email about the food, there was a very wide variety and if it was overly tomatoey, I certainly wasn't conscious of it. I can only recollect tomato-centric dishes at Pizza lunch and Pasta dinner. Jim does a fabulous roast with mashed pots, gravy and caesar salad on Thursday night, and pray for someone to have a birthday, as his warm sponge cake with maple-butter icing is great!!

 

[Barracuda2]

All in all, I would say it's a nice trip to do. I hope they are finding more dive sites. When I went, they were still a little unfamiliar with the area. Pillar Wall was the nicest dive area when I went.

From what I understand, they dive the Exuma cays. Pretty remote so I thought the diving might be pristine. Also, they advertise a Shark dive and I would love to get that on video. When I do a Live-a-board, I usually go a day early. Do you know of any place near the boat dock that would be OK to lay my head for the night before boarding on Sat.?

Barracuda2