This is my 3rd trip in 6 years and should they figure out another destination near LAX∑forget it, I think I‚ll just move in and live here. If you have never been on a live-aboard start with this one and you‚ll be spoiled. Standards are set high and achieved. The ship is super clean and the staff-some of whom have been on board for years-are happy to be here, work really hard and are knowledgeable. Reservations are simple online and tolerate a million questions, thank you Jill and Susan! The bang for your buck, outstanding. The accommodations are superb, comfy with lots of amenities. A hot tub on top on is like frosting on the cake. Lounging is easy in the large community room that is stocked with movies, a library, charging stations, art on the walls and a bar. The bar has several micro-brews, liquor and wine. There is a BBQ on the stern and tonight we are having chicken teriyaki kabobs. The dining room separate, spacious and I think the kitchen must be larger than the whole common area for the amount of food that the talented chef turns out all day long. You don‚t have to be a diver to be on this white shark dive. You can be a diver of any level on any of the itineraries. Don‚t think that live-aboard ships are for the experienced only. It is especially great if you are a photographer. There is a schedule but there is lots of free time too. Today on the very first cage dive I saw 2 large white sharks circling the cages. There are 4 cages; 2 that are submersible and 2 that are fixed at the stern. 12 divers or more can be in the water at one time. A Mako shark and a very large pregnant female white shark named „Bella‰ hung out for a long time this afternoon. Sea lions are not at all afraid of the white shark as they know very well the sea lion can out swim the shark. It is humorous to see the sea lions taunting the white sharks. There is a huge colony of sea lion on Isla Guadalupe I spied with binoculars. Opps, time for dinner!
Nothing short of fabulous thanks to the terrific service on board this stunning ship, the Nautilus Explorer. Guadalupe. October 8th, 2012.
