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Dive Review of Solmar V in
Mexico (Western)/Sea of Cortez

Solmar V, Jul, 2002,

by Mike Toombs, TX, USA . Report 40.

No photos available at this time

Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Accommodations 1 stars Food 3 stars
Service and Attitude 1 stars Environmental Sensitivity N/A
Dive Operation 1 stars Shore Diving 1 stars
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ N/A
Beginners 1 stars
Advanced 2 stars
Comments Advertised as a luxury yacht. Would have gladly traded the etched glass and fancy paneling for more sound deadner and roll dampeners. Rooms were miniscule, 6ft x 7ft. Being 6ft2in, I could not even stretch out on the horrible mattress. The room was SO noisy and vibrating and the boat rolled so much, we slept on top deck when the friend of the owner(a non PAYING guest) was not having a loud drunken party. The room A/C was either on, a freezing 66F, or off, hot and stuffy. The mini combination shower, head, stunk. There was no storage space and we had a SUPERIOR room. The dive briefings were lousy. You were not told about the ripping current that slamned you back into the boat after doing a giant stride. You were told to stay with the divemaster, who proceeded to do aerobic enduro swims, so when you stopped to take a picture, he was gone. The boat men were evidently used to this, as we were picked up fairly quickly even when spead out. The food was okay, but if you were unlucky to be in the two tables closest to the kitchen, you had to evacuate immediately when finished, so the crew could be fed. This was our 9th liveaboard. After being on a "Dancer" and "Agressor", this boat is definitely third rate. Peter Hughes or Agressor need to put a boat there. The diving could have been interesting, but the information supplied by the boat pre-trip said the water would be 80-82F, it was 73-74F. We FROZE.

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving PNG-3x, Palau-3x, Yap, Truck, Solomons, Wakatobi, KBR, Biak Indonesia. Sipidan, Bahamas-2x, Belize-10x, Cozumel-8x, Rotan-3x, Cayman-2x
Closest Airport Getting There

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny Seas currents
Water Temp 73-76°F / 23-24°C Wetsuit Thickness 3
Water Visibility 20-40 Ft/ 6-12 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile yes
Enforced diving restrictions 130 max
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available? N/A

What I Saw

Sharks None Mantas 1 or 2
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles None Whales None
Corals 1 stars Tropical Fish 2 stars
Small Critters 1 stars Large Fish 1 stars
Large Pelagics 1 stars

Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):

Subject Matter 2 stars Boat Facilities 1 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 1 stars Shore Facilities 1 stars
UW Photo Comments Table used by everone for everything, with electrical connections under the stairs, where dripping water from those going to top deck ran onto plugs, chargers, batteries and photo equipment.
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Note: The information here was reported by the author above, but has NOT been reviewed nor edited by Undercurrent prior to posting on our website. Please report any major problems by writing to us and referencing the report number above.

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