Liveaboard newbie looking for a first liveaboard

[mmmbelows]

Been diving for over 20 years all over the world, skilled and experienced enough to tackle most any recreation diving scenarios, but have never done a liveaboard. Due to extensive traveling (non diving) we've been neglecting our diving this year with the exception of a 10 day trip to Cozumel in the beginning of the year and need to remedy that!

Would like to do a liveaboard closer to home (Colorado) meaning no 16 hour flights! Love indo pacific for diving but don't want to go that far, a direct flight would be a miracle, a flight with a single connection not more than 6 hours total would be great! The closer and easier the better but want a good diving experience with lots of marine life (bigger than nudis please, not interested in muck or macro stuff at this point) more wow factor the better. Simpler to plan the better.

Time frame in the next 3 months would be great, would like to be doing this between now and Jan/Feb if possible. We like to time things to where we are there at the times when people in the know go because they are there for the "good stuff" that happens at a particular time of the year, if there is an aggregation, a concentration a spawning, a "this is the time you want to be here!" happening somewhere between now and Feb, that's even better.

We are both retired so even doing a piggy back land trip before and after the liveaboard would be nice if it works out. I've heard nice things about the Sea of Cortez but don't know anything about the details of liveaboarding it. Have done lots of Caribbean diving, all the typcial places Roatan, Belize, Mexico, but always shore based diving.

What do you think? Any ideas? If you need more information let me know.

 

[scubadada]

Wow, great picture of your dog!!

 

[Wookie]

First class boats in your area include the Nautilus Explorer family of boats going to Socorros. Traveling a little farther and saving a little money the Caribbean Explorer II and Turks and Caicos Explorer. There are some budget liveaboards, shark liveaboards, and others too. What exactly do you want to do and how much luxury and "new" do you need?

 

[KathyV]

You didn't mention budget, but by mid or late December you will be in the high season when things will be most expensive and the busiest.

Since you are in Colorado, you can probably fly to Honolulu in about 8 hours, enjoy the local sights for a few days and then fly to the Big Island to embark on the Kona Aggressor cruise. After the cruise you could spend some time on the Big Island.

It is great diving IMO but different from the Caribbean. Healthy reefs but hard corals, not the beautiful sponges and soft corals of the Caribbean - but the night dive with Manta Rays is a terrific experience. I remember seeing lots of sea life, large and small, many unusual fish, turtles, and octopus and some sharks in Hawaii and we also saw whales from the boat.

We did a Baja liveaboard in the Sea of Cortez a number of years ago and it was a great trip, lots of sea lions and other large creatures, but I have never been there in the winter so I'm not sure what it is like.

Check the average water temps for Hawaii, Baja, the Bahamas, and the Atlantic to see they meet your expectations because they are likely to be colder than the Caribbean at that time of year.

This is a tough year for the Caribbean because of all the hurricane damage. Also, the islands that were not severely impacted by hurricanes will be more crowded this year because lots of travelers are switching destinations - so you shouldn't wait too long to make reservations.

You can usually find easy and sometimes direct flights to Grand Cayman and there will be opportunities to enjoy the island of GC before boarding the Aggressor and that will give you the opportunity to dive the best sites off of all 3 Cayman islands.

After the trip you can stay on GC or hop over to either of the Cayman sister islands. Bloody Bay Wall off Little Cayman is some of the best diving in the Caribbean in my opinion, but keep in mind that if the weather is bad, the Aggressor won't make the crossing to the sister islands and you will spend the week diving off of GC - still good diving, but you don't really need to be on a LOB to enjoy it.

Another choice for great liveaboard diving in the Caribbean/Atlantic would be the Turks and Caicos, but they were hit hard by hurricanes recently. You can check the status of recovery efforts and see if you would like to go now or wait for another year. Lots of big animals including sharks and eagle rays on most dives. There are 2 popular liveaboards that work the T&Cs, the Explorer and the Aggressor, but both boats will divert to the Silver Banks in the DR from mid January through March for whale watching trips - so you would have to go sooner rather than later. Another good reason to pick a LOB for a T&C trip is because you will be able to dive the best, more remote sites that require long boat rides from Provo.

The Aggressor runs 2 very popular liveaboards in Belize and there is very good diving in Belize but it can be a bit difficult to get to Belize City. I wouldn't want to spend much time in Belize City before or after the cruise - but there are nice places to stay on the atolls, and I have never been to Placencia but it is very popular.

The Aggressor has a new Roatan liveaboard that has been getting good reviews (search this forum) and the itinerary includes some of the other Bay Islands like Utilla. I was a little underwhelmed by Roatan diving but it was fun, and I never did a LOB in that area. It can also be difficult to get to Roatan; but the boat might be a little cheaper because it is still a new itinerary.

There are some liveaboards that work the Bahamas, including the Aggressor and the Aquacat. Not the best corals but with good fish life and you are likely to see lots of sharks.

Both Saba and St. Martin were hit hard by hurricanes, but I understand that the Caribbean Explorer II is back in service diving around St. Kitts and Saba out of St. Martin. It was a great trip when we did it years ago but I don't know the impact of the recent hurricane damage. Typical Caribbean diving but the sea mounts are interesting. St. Martin can also be a fun place for a pre/post cruise, land-based trip - depending on the status of recovery efforts.

I have never taken a trip on the Juliet but it offers LOB cruises in the Bahamas and St. Croix. The Virgin Islands were all hit by hurricanes so you would have to check the recovery status of St. Croix, but it is a fun place for a land-based trip and good, solid Caribbean diving for a liveaboard - and the Fredricksted Pier is an outstanding shore dive - or at least it used to be, I don't know if things have changed.

Lots of choices, search Scuba Board for more information about these LOBs and other destinations!

 

[mmmbelows]

First class boats in your area include the Nautilus Explorer family of boats going to Socorros. Traveling a little farther and saving a little money the Caribbean Explorer II and Turks and Caicos Explorer. There are some budget liveaboards, shark liveaboards, and others too. What exactly do you want to do and how much luxury and "new" do you need?

Luxury - Don't need 1st class but can't handle a dormitory on the other side of the scale either. Something clean and decent would be all that is required, we AirBnB it all over the world now, wife wants to be comfortable and clean.

Budget - figure anywhere in the $2500-$3000 per person would be comfortable, can push if warranted.

Want to do - something easy and fun, have seen plenty of sharks over the years, but great whites, mantas, real whales, whale sharks, dolphins are always a plus! Diving Rangiroa with the wild dolphins was a highlight. Don't think I could remain focuses with say an entire week with diving Tiger beach, a day of that would be plenty.

 

[uncfnp]

Wow, great picture of your dog!!

Amazon.com: Underwater Dogs (8601400182369): Seth Casteel: Books

 

[mmmbelows]

You didn't mention budget, but by mid or late December you will be in the high season when things will be most expensive and the busiest.

Well of course! Seems to be the way we travel lol...

Since you are in Colorado, you can probably fly to Honolulu in about 8 hours, enjoy the local sights for a few days and then fly to the Big Island to embark on the Kona Aggressor cruise. After the cruise you could spend some time on the Big Island.

It is great diving IMO but different from the Caribbean. Healthy reefs but hard corals, not the beautiful sponges and soft corals of the Caribbean - but the night dive with Manta Rays is a terrific experience. I remember seeing lots of sea life, large and small, many unusual fish, turtles, and octopus and some sharks and we also saw whales from the boat.

Ah, the Kona manta ray night dive, have always wanted to do that... that's a good one, didn't think about Hawaii...combining a liveaboard with Hawaiian islands is sure to be a wife pleaser.

We did a Baja liveaboard in the Sea of Cortez a number of years ago and it was a great trip, lots of sea lions and other large creatures, but I have never been there in the winter so I'm not sure what it is like..

How would you rate your Sea of Cortez trip against your other experiences, I've never been able to quite get a handle on the Sea of Cortez, sometimes it seams that people rave about it being incredible and other times they are just so-so...

You can usually find easy and sometimes direct flights to Grand Cayman and there will be opportunities to enjoy the island of GC before boarding the Aggressor and that will give you the opportunity to dive the best sites off of all 3 Cayman islands.

After the trip you can stay on GC or hop over to either of the Cayman sister islands. Bloody Bay Wall off Little Cayman is some of the best diving in the Caribbean in my opinion, but keep in mind that if the weather is bad, the Aggressor won't make the crossing to the sister islands and you will spend the week diving off of GC - still good diving, but you don't really need to be on a LOB to enjoy it.

You are good! Never thought about GC as a liveaboard, have been trying to get to little Cayman forever as a land diving trip, a liveaboard there is probably the best way to experience the Caymans anyways. That's a real good one to mull over.

Another choice for great liveaboard diving in the Caribbean/Atlantic would be the Turks and Caicos, but they were hit hard by hurricanes recently. You can check the status of recovery efforts and see if you would like to go now or wait for another year. Lots of big animals including sharks and eagle rays on most dives. There are 2 popular liveaboards that work the T&Cs, the Explorer and the Aggressor, but both boats will divert to the Silver Banks in the DR from mid January through March for whale watching trips - so you would have to go sooner rather than later. Another good reason to pick a LOB for a T&C trip is because you will be able to dive the best, more remote sites that require long boat rides from Provo.

Hmmm, that makes sense too, however it sounds like timing might not be in our favor at this time. T&C is another one I've never been able to get a handle on the quality of the diving there?

There are some liveaboards that work the Bahamas, including the Aggressor and the Aquacat. Not the best corals but with good fish life and you are likely to see lots of sharks.

Do you think the Bahamas are worth a liveaboard trip? Always kind of thought souly based on the low prices there that it might be a bit disappointing if you've got a lot of diving experience? Are the bahamas a 'dolphin rich' place with a liveaboard, that could be worth it alone...

You are a wealth of information Kathy, thank you for your time responding!!!

 

[mmmbelows]

Wow, great picture of your dog!!

I wish it was! That's more a representation of me and how I'm feeling about getting back into some diving, Way past due!

 

[Wookie]

Luxury - Don't need 1st class but can't handle a dormitory on the other side of the scale either. Something clean and decent would be all that is required, we AirBnB it all over the world now, wife wants to be comfortable and clean.

Budget - figure anywhere in the $2500-$3000 per person would be comfortable, can push if warranted.

Want to do - something easy and fun, have seen plenty of sharks over the years, but great whites, mantas, real whales, whale sharks, dolphins are always a plus! Diving Rangiroa with the wild dolphins was a highlight. Don't think I could remain focuses with say an entire week with diving Tiger beach, a day of that would be plenty.

I wasn't going to recommend me. You're a little short budget for the Nautilus Explorer, but they just refit the Undersea Hunter and named it Nautilus Undersea. I may be driving it. They may give you a discount if you have to go with me. In reality, Its a new boat in a new destination, they may be discounting it. Socorro is known for Mantas, sharks, and other charismatic megafauna. Leaves from Los Cabos, which were known as pretty good diving, but now get more press for the danger there. I can't speak to that.

Wild Dolphins are a treat and a joy anywhere. I don't know where they are reliable.

The Nautilus boats are truly world class. They cost a little more, but they pay their crew like professionals.

 

[drrich2]

How important is warm water? The Bahamas can get chilly in winter. I believe Blackbeard's website has a listing of temp.s for different times of year. Haven't dove there; I stood in waist deep water for a sea lion encounter at Blue Lagoon on a cruise stop once in winter, and subjectively, it was COLD. You're way more experienced than the typical 1st time live-aboard diver, I imagine, but here are some links that might be of interest.

Picking a Caribbean Live-aboard - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/li...ats/495738-picking-caribbean-live-aboard.html

Sun Dancer 2 (Belize) May 2015 - http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/li...ving-belize-via-sun-dancer-2-may-2nd-9th.html

Cayman Aggressor IV May 2016 - http://www.scubaboard.com/community/threads/cayman-aggressor-iv-trip-may-2016.527640/

Richard.