Instant Reader Report
on Nekton / [same] in
Bahamas / Cay Lobos on
2003/07
by
Philip Hamilton , Texas, USA
Report Number 030712213658697

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 Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Bermuda, Barbados, St Lucia, Hawaii, Arabian Sea,
Flower Gardens, etc. 

Dive Conditions

130 ft max, no planned deco, Captain warned us in Cay Lobos area that we
were in Bahamas waters but Cuban airspace - any medical evacuation would
require a nine hour cruise to get into useable airspace.  

Water was a bit cloudy, making photos challenging.  Did wall dive in Cay
Lobos, hole dives in Cay Sal and Anguilla, and reef dives in Bimini.  

Overall Rating

Nekton Cay Lobos itinerary departs from Ft Lauderdale Saturdays. They run a
shuttle back and forth from the airport throughout the day, and deliver the
guests to the Las Olas Mall. At 7:00 pm, they return to collect the divers,
and take them to the vessel en masse. The Nekton Rorqual is, frankly, one
of the ugliest dive boats you will run across. Boxy and square, It looks
like a duplex mounted on pontoons. From the inside, however, it is roomy
and well laid out. The top deck contains the pilothouse, a covered area
for dive briefings and shade lovers, and a sundeck complete with hot tub.
One flight down is the galley, lounge, camera table, and some of the
cabins, while the lowest deck contains more rooms and crew quarters.
Suspended at the stern is the dive deck; a hydraulically operated unit
which is lowered to the water on site for diving, and raised while the
vessel is underway. The adverts claim it is seasick proof, but don’t count
on it. The boat does move, albeit less than a monohull – if you get seasick
easily, you will still need the pills. We had a few uncomfortable folks on
board. Due to the distance covered during this itinerary, there are only
two night dives, one at Cay Lobos, and one at Bimini on the last night, so
arrange your flight home accordingly if you want to night dive Friday. The
dive deck on the Rorqual is generally open from shortly after 8 am in the
morning until quarter to twelve, and again from about 1:30 pm until
quarter to six. Often this meant that we got in two dives per site, and
except for the first dive of the trip, the deck was not crowded. The crew
was friendly and competent - and always ready to buddy with you if you
needed one. We dove our own profiles, limited only by 130 foot depth
limit, and no planned deco.  Break the rules, and you will be out of the
water for 24 hours.  While not haute cuisine, the food was very good, and
plentiful.  Nekton encourages BYOB, and will stop on the way to the boat
for you to buy your own soft drinks and adult beverages, and they provide
an ice chest for them.  The boat uses steel 95s, which are 6 pounds more
negative than AL80s, and give you a bit more bottom time.  Nitrox was
being installed in July - 16 stations in place - by publication time,
should have 100%.  It cannot be stressed enough to bring lots of swimsuits
and T shirts, very few other items of clothing.  No shoes worn all week. 
Bring more wetsuit than you think, and perhaps even a hood - possible 24
dives during the week will chill you.  I wore a 3mm full in avg 83f water,
and was comfortable. 

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