From meeting the crew at the marina to our last day at sea, the Nautilus Belle Amie promised – and delivered — a magical experience. I chose this trip for a solo traveler adventure, and without previous dive experience. If you’re reading this and you’re debating booking a trip – DO IT. So what if your family thinks you’re crazy or none of your friends will come with you or you’ve never been diving before. Nautilus planned every detail around diving, meals, and comfort to maximize safety and time with great white sharks. Our traveling companions came from all walks of life; connected by our love for the ocean and protecting these beautiful creatures. It’s like traveling with an extended family.
My first time in the surface cage blew my mind. The crew helped me suit up properly, and taught me how to use the equipment to make sure I was safe. And when I was comfortable, they let me go into the surface cage whenever I wanted. Even with a full house, there were always open spots/times to dive. And there were ALWAYS sharks. I don’t know what I expected, but it was everything I ever imagined. We were eye to eye as the sharks swam by the cages. They are graceful and calming, moving beautifully through the crystal-clear water. And when I wasn’t in the cage, I was on the deck watching the shark wrangling and getting great pictures/videos of sharks coming out of the water. At the end of the day, we all compared pictures and videos, trying to identify the sharks we saw. We might have seen sharks that weren’t previously documented in the book.
- Sherilyn onboard the Nautilus Belle Amie
