Dive Review of Nautilus Explorer in
Mexico (Western)

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Nautilus Explorer, Mar, 2010, by DAVID SHEMTOV, LONDON, GB ( Sr. Contributor 21 reports with 4 Helpful votes). Report 5411.
No photos available at this time
Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Accommodations		Food
Service and Attitude		Environmental Sensitivity
Dive Operation		Shore Diving	N/A
Snorkeling
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	We were lucky in so far that the ban on visiting Socorro imposed by the Mexican Navy was lifted on the 15th of March, enabling us to dive the waters off that island. The previous several charters were restricted to San Benedicto and when conditions allowed, Roca Partida. Unfortunately, I found visibility and the limited sightings of mantas, sharks and dolphins disappointing. The best dives took place in Roca Partida. Due to anticipated conditions, we were able to dive that site only one day. I had one dive where a single manta made a close, majestic pass and a couple where dolphins interacted with us for a few minutes, but that was it in terms of diving. Yes, there were the grey tips, white tips, a few gallapagos sharks, a sad turtle that was harrassed by one of the divers, eels, jacks, tuna, etc. Some of us saw a couple of distant hammerheads. Still, many dives were very poor with little to see through the murk. These, like me, expecting a Darwin/Wolf or Cocos experience were disappointed. The crew was clearly trying hard, but certain things were beyond their control. One time we could forfeit a dive and join five others on a 2 hour zodiac ride in search of humpback whales. We were allowed to go into the water with them and almost all of us had an opportunity see them while snorkelling. Visibility was poor. Conscious of the 2007 incident in the Silver Banks where a snorkeller was injured by an ascending whale, we were discouraged from remaining in the water when the whales rose. This, and poor visibility, made the encounters less satisfying for me than I had in Rurutu, French Polynesia, a few years ago. Mike Lever, the owner, was not on board. This did not translate to any fall-off in service standards. If anything, I found the crew enthusiastic and helpful. I don't think they could have done more for us.
Websites	Nautilus Explorer
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	Over 1000 dives
Where else diving	Palau, French Polynesia, Maldives, Cocos, Malpelo, Myanmar, Thailand, Red Sea, Mediterranean, Norway, Carribbean, Truk, Indonesia, UK...
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy, cloudy, dry	Seas	choppy, surge, currents
Water Temp	23-26°C / 73-79°F	Wetsuit Thickness	7
Water Visibility	10-40 Ft/ 3-12 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Pretty relaxed, but no deco. Availability of 10L steel tanks [at $36 extra for the trip] allowed for longer dives.
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	yes
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	1 or 2
Dolphins	1 or 2	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	1 or 2	Whales	> 2
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Setup is excellent, however visibility and sightings disappointing.

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Dive Review of Nautilus Explorer in Mexico (Western)

Nautilus Explorer, Mar, 2010,

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

Overall Rating

Reporter and Travel

Dive Conditions

Dive Policy

What I Saw

Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):

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

Dive Review of Nautilus Explorer in
Mexico (Western)