LiveAboard

[UniformGuy]

Got any more info to share on this bare bones fill your own tank operator? WWW site, prices, name?

The boat is the Isla Mia, Doug and Terry Mitchell are the operators. I have an old card but the phone is 561-466-0148. I really enjoyed this trip. The boat is a converted lobster trawler. It has 8 bunk style beds in a main area with 4 bunks foreward. We used the forward area to keep our dry clothing. My son and I enjoyed sleeping on the provided mats on the top part of the boat. I would suggest smaller size parties, the boat only has the capability to fill one tank at a time. We put as many as 14 on the boat, but this diminishes dive time. Doug and Terry are super. Doug has many sites that only he is familiar with. I have never seen any other boat on one of his dive sites. He can also arrange a shark dive at Walkers Cay. If you need more info let me know.

 

[jdf]

We are putting together a trip on the Cayman Aggressor for June 2004. Need 6 more people.

 

[ArcticDiver]

The advice to fully check out each boat, AND likely passengers is the best your going to get. For example: I've done the SeaFever out of Miami into the Bahamas twice. Great food, excellent crew, good briefings, good diving facilities and you get to dive your own profile. It seems to attract serious divers with fairly wide experience levels.

On the other hand I've seen Blackbeard's boats and have a couple friends who have been on them. They cater to a completely different group of people. The reference to a "camping trip" is most apt. Plus, the atmosphere must be a lot different than I'd be comfortable with. Example: One day they sailed down the side of another vessel while a member of the Blackbeard crew mooned that vessel. Not my cup of tea. Nor, something that is likely to occur on any of the other dive boats I've been on.

So, check out the boat and the likely passengers and match yourself to the one you think is going to work out best for you.

 

[Mverick]

The advice to fully check out each boat, AND likely passengers is the best your going to get. For example: I've done the SeaFever out of Miami into the Bahamas twice. Great food, excellent crew, good briefings, good diving facilities and you get to dive your own profile. It seems to attract serious divers with fairly wide experience levels.

On the other hand I've seen Blackbeard's boats and have a couple friends who have been on them. They cater to a completely different group of people. The reference to a "camping trip" is most apt. Plus, the atmosphere must be a lot different than I'd be comfortable with. Example: One day they sailed down the side of another vessel while a member of the Blackbeard crew mooned that vessel. Not my cup of tea. Nor, something that is likely to occur on any of the other dive boats I've been on.

So, check out the boat and the likely passengers and match yourself to the one you think is going to work out best for you.

Just to let you know. Some of the Sea Fever Crew are from Blackbeards.

Just got off one. It was a blast. 2 people from France. Only one spoke english. 4 people from Canada. 10 people from Michigan. 1 from Germany. 2 from Cali. Don't know where others were from. Couldn't keep up with names well either. I'm horrible with names.

Crossing was extremely rough. All but 3 or 4 on our boat were on the deck hurling all night. We were going to Andros and after 6 hours turned to go to Bimini. I was just to rough. And almost all of the people on the deck had taken Seasick pills or Transderm. Didn't work. It was that rough. Got stuck in Bimini the first day as seas were still to rough. But it was Superbowl so I wasn't to upset. Conch salad and Fritters are awesome there too...

Coming back was fine. Still bumpy. But not a big deal.

If you go to Bimini. Ask the captain to let you dive the Shark dive site as a night dive. It was awesome. Had one 14 foot reef buzz me at about 2 feet distance. Freaked me out....LOL But it was awesome. My buddy was taking pics of a Shrimp or something. Missed the whole thing. At the shark dive there is a little nurse that thinks he's a puppy. Loves to have his head scratched. He went behind one girls flippers and I started petting him. She moved and I quit. So he could swim away. No dice. He turned and bumped into me and stopped. Wanting to be petted more... Could have taken him home if I had a place to keep him...LOL.. There was a hammerhead at the shark dive too.....

I liked having different cultures on the boat. Really, Really, Really enjoyed the trip. And in Bimini. Check out the end of the world bar. My Boxers are the Red and Black plaid ones close to the back door. LOL...... I kinda got a reputation there.. Had alot of fun watching superbowl....LOL Too much maybe....LOL

Oh, I brought a 3mm full Henderson Gold, and a Dacor 5mm With a gold style interior, and a 3mm Hooded vest. Got a little cold in the 3mm. With the Hooded vest and 3mm I was toasty. Never used the 5mm Temp ranged from 71 to 75.

Have fun.... Crew,Andre and Ed, was great. Captain, Bill, was great. First mate,Pete, great. Dive Master,Sean, was Great. Cook,Kate, was incredible.

Morning Star is the boat I was on. And the crews rotate. So you might get different people. They all knew the boat and had no problems with it. And from the way they talked. Mooning another boat would get them fired. There head boss doesn't mess around with that. Now, I might have mooned the other boat. But I'm not the crew....

 

[chrpai]

Yes every mooning I've witnessed has been by the passengers.

 

[Marcos]

Hey I'm going on blackbeard's from 3/26 - 3/30, anybody else going that weekend? I'm a solo diver so I could use a dive buddy.

 

[ArcticDiver]

Yep, I know that one of the SeaFever crew used to be on the Morning Star. That's how I knew it was a Morning Star crew member who mooned. Still not my idea of a professional operation.

There is really nothing wrong with a "camping trip" atmosphere. If that is what you want. Like I said; different boats for different crowds. Just be sure you are getting on a boat that matches your expectations.

The LiveAboard trips I've been on all had divers from different countries. I like that. Even with language barriers we were able to dive safely with each other and have a good time. On the other hand just because the diver is from the US is no guarantee you will be compatible or be able to dive safely with that person.

 

[AmyJ]

hi,

just reading this thread and thought I'd ask a question. My husband and I are new divers OW-c-card at the moment, but I am planning ahead and would love to find a liveaboard for our 10 year anniversary. This gives me two years to save and plan and up the diving skills, but wondering if anyone had thoughts on a good trip/boat. We LOVE to dive together, but wouldn't necessarily want to be with a crowd all the time (chance to celebrate... kids with grandma... wink). Love to hear any ideas. Thanks

 

[chrpai]

Well, I assume at 10 years your inhibitions are gone. On my last trip the other couple who was sharing the cabin with us simply announced that they would need "private time" now and then.

No problem, we complied. But I how do I say this without breaking the TOS? The bunks are like coffins.

 

[Scuba_Signer]

My first open water trip was on the Aquacat liveaboard in the Bahamas last October. They can take on around 22 guests and have 10-12 on the crew. The 102 ft catamaran was roomy, although the dive deck gets busy as everyone suits up. Private head/shower in each cabin. The DM/Instructors are lots of fun and are very organized. It was great just leaving my BCD on the tank all week and getting it refilled during surface intervals. The food! Oh! The food! I went with a small group including my LDS instructor and worked on my AOW. Yeah, I'll go back! http://www.aquacatcruises.com

Steve