- Messages
- 189
- Reaction score
- 31
- # of dives
- 500 - 999
Okay, so what have I got myself into? was the thought bouncing around my head as I counted down the weeks before I would board the Nekton Pilot for the March 8th sailing. The recent disaster at sea post that started with a good, bad and ugly scathing report and then spiralled out of control with bandwagon jumpers made me wonder whether I was jumping on a (literally) sinking ship.
I guess I boarded the wrong boat. The Pilot I found was the ship so staunchly defended by many past guests on the original thread and bore little resemblance to the falling apart before your very eyes depicted by a few others.
Its not pretty. Entered in a beauty contest against the sleek and sexy Belize Aggressor or Wind Dancer II, this boat would be lucky to win third prize. Looks aside, however, this box is an extremely functional and comfortable dive platform and place to call home for a week of great diving. The SWATH technology works well and, in spite of high seas and winds during the transit from Belize City to Turneffe, only one of our passengers suffered appreciably and probably would have been worse on many other ships.
The dive deck was more than adequate and the idea of gearing up only once for the week and being assigned a station with storage works well. One of our fellow guests, having been on nine previous sailings, commented that even with a full compliment of passengers, the only real congestion comes on the first dive on Sunday when everyone is in a rush to gear up and get wet. Different dive profiles, frequency of dives and surface intervals spread things out for the balance of the week. On our trip we never had any issues since we were lightly booked with nine guests served ably by eleven crew. Long fill whips would be used to pressurize the steel 95 tanks (nice to be able to shed some lead) between dives and the deck was dedicated half to air and half to nitrox. O2 percentages ranged from 31% - 34% all week. Crew is there to assist in and out of the water and will let you do as much or as little for yourself as you wish. There are several camera rinse tanks and a dedicated camera table. Rinse showers and warm towels are near by.
The upper sundeck is huge and comfortable with a covered section for shade and dive briefings, the bridge, a hot tub that could be larger and higher, lots of hangers for drying swimsuits and neoprene and a good supply of chaises, tables and chairs. This is a good place to interact with the crew, whether they are on a break or doing bubble watch and I found the crew to be open, friendly and knowledgeable about the ship and their duties.
The middle deck is a combination of passenger staterooms, TV and computer lounge, the galley and a somewhat spartan but effective and comfortable eating area. Food was abundant and tasty and, while not gourmet, I doubt that anyone would lose weight over the course of a week. The crew politely wait for the guests to eat first but this policy has the negative effect of separating guests and crew and, if you want to sit with them, save them a place and extend an invitation.
I cant comment on rooms with condensation issues other than to note that the safety and information briefing acknowledged the problem and that they expect improvements once in the shipyard. My cabin was more than comfortable, had no condensation, was very spacious and, according to guests who have sailed on other liveaboards, considerably larger than the industry standard. When I asked the engineer about beefing up the hot water to my shower it was done right away. That seemed to be an important key to a successful sailing .communicating any issues or concerns to the crew and giving them a chance to resolve the problem and not just complaining at the end of the week.
The diving in Belize has a well deserved reputation for being very good. Barrel and tube sponges were healthy and abundant and there are wide varieties of thriving coral, including lots of impressive black coral stands. Most every dive would include jacks, large grouper, tarpon, snapper, lobster, moray eels, elusive toadfish (heard but hard to locate) and the usual suspects of common reef fish. More often than not we were moored over or near impressive walls that featured dramatic drop-offs. There were certainly times when it was tempting to switch from Nitrox to air so as to be able to explore a little deeper. We were able to dive anytime the dive deck was open and, on average, that meant anywhere from three to six dives per day. Visibility was reasonably good given the sustained high winds the region had been experiencing in recent weeks.
A good crew makes all the difference and this one was helpful, friendly and willing to go the extra mile .literally. One couple, having travelled from Europe expecting to dive the Blue Hole (which is not normally on the Nekton itinerary), were accommodated as the Pilot acted as a mother ship and all the divers were shuttled to the dive site on the two (slow) skiffs. While the dive is deep and relatively short and the visibility was sub par, it was still a dive that most felt was worthwhile and it was highlighted by us being joined by about a dozen gray reef sharks and one bull shark during our safety stop. On yet another memorable dive we were treated to the sight of seventeen dolphins that flew past us within about twenty feet of reach.
As a solo traveller I wondered about whom I would buddy with but any concerns were quickly dispelled as I hooked up easily with a couple of other solo guys. If they werent getting wet I dove with several other passengers or always found a willing and available crew member. As a result I never missed a dive.
I am always wary of reviews where the critique concludes that an operator is the best or the worst without having the benefit of experiencing the other competitors. Even worse is the reviewer who draws conclusions without ever having tried any liveaboard. I have favourite dive operators in several destinations that have pleased me to the extent that I wont bother looking elsewhere but anointing them best is highly subjective, very personal and depends of what one is seeking. Most of all it is not fair to dive operators I have not tried and who may well also be deserving of praise. The same applies to liveaboards and my ability to compare is limited to Nekton and Blackbeards and they are apples and oranges and both have their strengths and relative values.
Is the Nekton Pilot for everyone? I think it is suitable for the majority of divers who want a good dive platform on a comfortable but utilitarian boat and want to minimize the potential of motion sickness. I know that I will go again as, I believe, would most or all of my boat companions. Before anyone decides they should try and separate fact from fiction and then determine their own personal expectations and make a judgement as to whether or not Nekton can likely meet them.
Weather is a variable beyond and dive operators control. I am writing this as I sit out dives around Ambergris Caye because high winds have blown everyone on the island off the water. The Pilot, probably more so than most ships, can handle adverse conditions but only to an extent and, at some point will lose dives to high waves and resulting safety concerns. If the ship was falling apart before your (his) very eyes as per a recent post, then this crew has done a fine job of putting it back together. I actually think that particular critique was highly exaggerated as the Pilot we found was quite pristine. Sams (Nekton Dive Master) response to that earlier thread was honest, straightforward and accurate. He addressed any shortcomings candidly and correctly refuted the misconceptions and errors in the original post. It was suggested that Sam had a vested interest in defending the Nekton and I really dont think that is true. While he does take pride in the operation, he doesnt gloss over what deficiencies do exist and need not be concerned about his job as he would be a highly regarded addition to any dive operation.
The crew is (and probably always will be) a mix of old and new. The dive industry is filled with young vagabonds who continually seek out new adventures and, no doubt, there will be new faces on a future cruise. They are not constrained against discussing the recent loss of a friend and co-worker but it is understandable that it would be painful and, as Sam said, speculation is unprofessional and contrary to PADI incident report policy. I never witnessed any safety issues and found the crew knowledgeable and professional.
Research for trips taken by my wife and I always includes the web ScubaBoard, Trip Advisor, etc but we tend to discount isolated scathing or overly glowing reports and, instead, go with the majority opinion good or bad. I feel sorry for those posters on the original thread who are willing to write off Nekton based on a few negative reviews. They may well be missing out on a good trip by prejudging it too harshly. People do need to recognize that it is what it is and then decide whether or not it will likely meet their needs or if they should spend their dollars elsewhere. The also need to understand that it is a dive boat and not a cruise ship with diving and it might not be suitable for non-divers or young children who may not yet have a passion for diving.
There is always room, in any operation, for improvements and Nekton is no exception. The skiffs could be replaced with faster RIBs that could be used for mother ship diving. The website should be revamped, updated and kept current and should accurately reflect what customers should actually expect. They need a major marketing effort and should be targeting loyal repeaters with last minute specials. Pricing should be adjusted to reflect dive conditions, seasonal tourist volume, cabin size and quality and individual load factors. They need to professionally address the condensation issue rather than jury-rig short term fixes and perhaps it might be necessary to schedule a down week once in a while to spruce things up. There should be a separate sound system in the staterooms so that guests turning off the satellite music are not shut out of general boat announcements. The rear projection TV should be swapped for a current plasma or LCD model and the computer station could be more user friendly. I am sure that there are many more tweaks that could be made.
Conclusion? At least for me? I would go with them again and I would recommend them to a friend and feel confidant in that endorsement. The key, I think, is to determine your expectations and then decide whether or not this boat is likely to meet or exceed them and then book (or not) accordingly.
I guess I boarded the wrong boat. The Pilot I found was the ship so staunchly defended by many past guests on the original thread and bore little resemblance to the falling apart before your very eyes depicted by a few others.
Its not pretty. Entered in a beauty contest against the sleek and sexy Belize Aggressor or Wind Dancer II, this boat would be lucky to win third prize. Looks aside, however, this box is an extremely functional and comfortable dive platform and place to call home for a week of great diving. The SWATH technology works well and, in spite of high seas and winds during the transit from Belize City to Turneffe, only one of our passengers suffered appreciably and probably would have been worse on many other ships.
The dive deck was more than adequate and the idea of gearing up only once for the week and being assigned a station with storage works well. One of our fellow guests, having been on nine previous sailings, commented that even with a full compliment of passengers, the only real congestion comes on the first dive on Sunday when everyone is in a rush to gear up and get wet. Different dive profiles, frequency of dives and surface intervals spread things out for the balance of the week. On our trip we never had any issues since we were lightly booked with nine guests served ably by eleven crew. Long fill whips would be used to pressurize the steel 95 tanks (nice to be able to shed some lead) between dives and the deck was dedicated half to air and half to nitrox. O2 percentages ranged from 31% - 34% all week. Crew is there to assist in and out of the water and will let you do as much or as little for yourself as you wish. There are several camera rinse tanks and a dedicated camera table. Rinse showers and warm towels are near by.
The upper sundeck is huge and comfortable with a covered section for shade and dive briefings, the bridge, a hot tub that could be larger and higher, lots of hangers for drying swimsuits and neoprene and a good supply of chaises, tables and chairs. This is a good place to interact with the crew, whether they are on a break or doing bubble watch and I found the crew to be open, friendly and knowledgeable about the ship and their duties.
The middle deck is a combination of passenger staterooms, TV and computer lounge, the galley and a somewhat spartan but effective and comfortable eating area. Food was abundant and tasty and, while not gourmet, I doubt that anyone would lose weight over the course of a week. The crew politely wait for the guests to eat first but this policy has the negative effect of separating guests and crew and, if you want to sit with them, save them a place and extend an invitation.
I cant comment on rooms with condensation issues other than to note that the safety and information briefing acknowledged the problem and that they expect improvements once in the shipyard. My cabin was more than comfortable, had no condensation, was very spacious and, according to guests who have sailed on other liveaboards, considerably larger than the industry standard. When I asked the engineer about beefing up the hot water to my shower it was done right away. That seemed to be an important key to a successful sailing .communicating any issues or concerns to the crew and giving them a chance to resolve the problem and not just complaining at the end of the week.
The diving in Belize has a well deserved reputation for being very good. Barrel and tube sponges were healthy and abundant and there are wide varieties of thriving coral, including lots of impressive black coral stands. Most every dive would include jacks, large grouper, tarpon, snapper, lobster, moray eels, elusive toadfish (heard but hard to locate) and the usual suspects of common reef fish. More often than not we were moored over or near impressive walls that featured dramatic drop-offs. There were certainly times when it was tempting to switch from Nitrox to air so as to be able to explore a little deeper. We were able to dive anytime the dive deck was open and, on average, that meant anywhere from three to six dives per day. Visibility was reasonably good given the sustained high winds the region had been experiencing in recent weeks.
A good crew makes all the difference and this one was helpful, friendly and willing to go the extra mile .literally. One couple, having travelled from Europe expecting to dive the Blue Hole (which is not normally on the Nekton itinerary), were accommodated as the Pilot acted as a mother ship and all the divers were shuttled to the dive site on the two (slow) skiffs. While the dive is deep and relatively short and the visibility was sub par, it was still a dive that most felt was worthwhile and it was highlighted by us being joined by about a dozen gray reef sharks and one bull shark during our safety stop. On yet another memorable dive we were treated to the sight of seventeen dolphins that flew past us within about twenty feet of reach.
As a solo traveller I wondered about whom I would buddy with but any concerns were quickly dispelled as I hooked up easily with a couple of other solo guys. If they werent getting wet I dove with several other passengers or always found a willing and available crew member. As a result I never missed a dive.
I am always wary of reviews where the critique concludes that an operator is the best or the worst without having the benefit of experiencing the other competitors. Even worse is the reviewer who draws conclusions without ever having tried any liveaboard. I have favourite dive operators in several destinations that have pleased me to the extent that I wont bother looking elsewhere but anointing them best is highly subjective, very personal and depends of what one is seeking. Most of all it is not fair to dive operators I have not tried and who may well also be deserving of praise. The same applies to liveaboards and my ability to compare is limited to Nekton and Blackbeards and they are apples and oranges and both have their strengths and relative values.
Is the Nekton Pilot for everyone? I think it is suitable for the majority of divers who want a good dive platform on a comfortable but utilitarian boat and want to minimize the potential of motion sickness. I know that I will go again as, I believe, would most or all of my boat companions. Before anyone decides they should try and separate fact from fiction and then determine their own personal expectations and make a judgement as to whether or not Nekton can likely meet them.
Weather is a variable beyond and dive operators control. I am writing this as I sit out dives around Ambergris Caye because high winds have blown everyone on the island off the water. The Pilot, probably more so than most ships, can handle adverse conditions but only to an extent and, at some point will lose dives to high waves and resulting safety concerns. If the ship was falling apart before your (his) very eyes as per a recent post, then this crew has done a fine job of putting it back together. I actually think that particular critique was highly exaggerated as the Pilot we found was quite pristine. Sams (Nekton Dive Master) response to that earlier thread was honest, straightforward and accurate. He addressed any shortcomings candidly and correctly refuted the misconceptions and errors in the original post. It was suggested that Sam had a vested interest in defending the Nekton and I really dont think that is true. While he does take pride in the operation, he doesnt gloss over what deficiencies do exist and need not be concerned about his job as he would be a highly regarded addition to any dive operation.
The crew is (and probably always will be) a mix of old and new. The dive industry is filled with young vagabonds who continually seek out new adventures and, no doubt, there will be new faces on a future cruise. They are not constrained against discussing the recent loss of a friend and co-worker but it is understandable that it would be painful and, as Sam said, speculation is unprofessional and contrary to PADI incident report policy. I never witnessed any safety issues and found the crew knowledgeable and professional.
Research for trips taken by my wife and I always includes the web ScubaBoard, Trip Advisor, etc but we tend to discount isolated scathing or overly glowing reports and, instead, go with the majority opinion good or bad. I feel sorry for those posters on the original thread who are willing to write off Nekton based on a few negative reviews. They may well be missing out on a good trip by prejudging it too harshly. People do need to recognize that it is what it is and then decide whether or not it will likely meet their needs or if they should spend their dollars elsewhere. The also need to understand that it is a dive boat and not a cruise ship with diving and it might not be suitable for non-divers or young children who may not yet have a passion for diving.
There is always room, in any operation, for improvements and Nekton is no exception. The skiffs could be replaced with faster RIBs that could be used for mother ship diving. The website should be revamped, updated and kept current and should accurately reflect what customers should actually expect. They need a major marketing effort and should be targeting loyal repeaters with last minute specials. Pricing should be adjusted to reflect dive conditions, seasonal tourist volume, cabin size and quality and individual load factors. They need to professionally address the condensation issue rather than jury-rig short term fixes and perhaps it might be necessary to schedule a down week once in a while to spruce things up. There should be a separate sound system in the staterooms so that guests turning off the satellite music are not shut out of general boat announcements. The rear projection TV should be swapped for a current plasma or LCD model and the computer station could be more user friendly. I am sure that there are many more tweaks that could be made.
Conclusion? At least for me? I would go with them again and I would recommend them to a friend and feel confidant in that endorsement. The key, I think, is to determine your expectations and then decide whether or not this boat is likely to meet or exceed them and then book (or not) accordingly.
