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Dive Review of Nautilus Explorer in
Mexico (Western)/Guadalupe Island

Nautilus Explorer: "Awesome Great White Shark Encounter", Sep, 2018,

by Michael J. Millet, CA, US (Top Contributor Top Contributor 96 reports with 59 Helpful votes). Report 10501 has 1 Helpful vote.

No photos available at this time

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

Accommodations 5 stars Food 5 stars
Service and Attitude 5 stars Environmental Sensitivity 5 stars
Dive Operation 5 stars Shore Diving N/A
Snorkeling N/A
Value for $$ 5 stars
Beginners 5 stars
Advanced 5 stars
Comments In early September, I flew down to San Diego from Oakland and met the White Shark Express ( a very comfortable motor coach) at the Best Western on Shelter Island. We departed at about 7 PM and went thru Mexican customs at Tijuana. This required getting off the bus, gathering all luggage and presenting passport. It took about 20-30 minutes for the 22 guests. We arrived dockside at Ensenada at about 10 PM and started the 18 hour cruise to Guadalupe Island arriving at dusk the next day.

The next morning the cages were open. The Nautilus Explorer has 4 cages. 2 at the surface and 2 that are submersed about 20-25 feet. The air is all surface-supplied. One needs to be dive certified to go in the submersed cages. These cages have a DM inside and also backup air tanks available. For the 3 days at Guadalupe, each guest gets 3 turns per day in the submersed cages.

We had very good shark action on this trip. The Great Whites are attracted by the large chunks of frozen tuna that is trolled thru the water at the stern from wrangling platforms. Quite often, the sharks are successful at snagging the tuna.

For my experience, I found the shark encounters actually better from the surface cages versus the submersed cages. At the surface, there is better visibility and lighting. Also, there are more sharks in view and closer to the cages. The were parts of all 3 days when the visibility from the submersed cages was a bit murky.

We headed back to Ensenada in the late afternoon of the 4th day (3rd day in cages) arriving at about 2 PM on the 5th day. We headed back to San Diego doing the same luggage exercise crossing thru US customs. I was dropped off at the San Diego Airport in time to catch a flight that was 2 hours earlier than originally booked.

As usual, the crew of the NE was very friendly, helpful and professional. The food was plentiful and delicious. The accommodations are very nice with some upgrades to the boat such as new salon furniture and carpet through out.

A very, very good trip!!
Websites Nautilus Explorer   

Reporter and Travel

Dive Experience Over 1000 dives
Where else diving All over the Caribbean; Galapagos, Socorro, Fiji, Solomons, GBR, Vanuatu,
PNG, Philippines, Indonesia, Palau, Yap, Kosrae
Closest Airport San Diego (in the US) Getting There For the Nautilus Explorer trip, one flies in/out of San Diego and then take NE provided motor coach down to Ensanada to board the boat.

Dive Conditions

Weather sunny, dry Seas calm
Water Temp 66-68°F / 19-20°C Wetsuit Thickness 7
Water Visibility 50-100 Ft/ 15-30 M

Dive Policy

Dive own profile ?
Enforced diving restrictions Cage diving with surface supplied air. Must be dive certified for submersible cages.
Liveaboard? yes Nitrox Available?

What I Saw

Sharks Lots Mantas None
Dolphins None Whale Sharks None
Turtles None Whales None
Corals N/A Tropical Fish N/A
Small Critters N/A Large Fish 5 stars
Large Pelagics 5 stars

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

Subject Matter 5 stars Boat Facilities 5 stars
Overall rating for UWP's 5 stars Shore Facilities N/A
UW Photo Comments The Nautilus Explorer has undergone a much needed refitting. It now has a large, easily accessible camera table. The camera rinse is adequate; I recommend an additional, larger rinse tub for cameras. There is plenty of outlets for battery charging.

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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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