Dive Review of
Nekton in
Bahamas/Cay Lobos

Cozumel, Grand Cayman, Bermuda, Barbados, St Lucia, Hawaii, Arabian Sea,
Flower Gardens, etc.

Dive Conditions

130 ft max, no planned deco, Captain warned us in Cay Lobos area that we
were in Bahamas waters but Cuban airspace - any medical evacuation would
require a nine hour cruise to get into useable airspace.  

Water was a bit cloudy, making photos challenging.  Did wall dive in Cay
Lobos, hole dives in Cay Sal and Anguilla, and reef dives in Bimini.  

Overall Rating

Nekton Cay Lobos itinerary departs from Ft Lauderdale Saturdays. They run a
shuttle back and forth from the airport throughout the day, and deliver the
guests to the Las Olas Mall. At 7:00 pm, they return to collect the divers,
and take them to the vessel en masse. The Nekton Rorqual is, frankly, one
of the ugliest dive boats you will run across. Boxy and square, It looks
like a duplex mounted on pontoons. From the inside, however, it is roomy
and well laid out. The top deck contains the pilothouse, a covered area for
dive briefings and shade lovers, and a sundeck complete with hot tub. One
flight down is the galley, lounge, camera table, and some of the cabins,
while the lowest deck contains more rooms and crew quarters. Suspended at
the stern is the dive deck; a hydraulically operated unit which is lowered
to the water on site for diving, and raised while the vessel is underway.
The adverts claim it is seasick proof, but don’t count on it. The boat does
move, albeit less than a monohull – if you get seasick easily, you will
still need the pills. We had a few uncomfortable folks on board. Due to the
distance covered during this itinerary, there are only two night dives, one
at Cay Lobos, and one at Bimini on the last night, so arrange your flight
home accordingly if you want to night dive Friday. The dive deck on the
Rorqual is generally open from shortly after 8 am in the morning until
quarter to twelve, and again from about 1:30 pm until quarter to six. Often
this meant that we got in two dives per site, and except for the first dive
of the trip, the deck was not crowded. The crew was friendly and competent
- and always ready to buddy with you if you needed one. We dove our own
profiles, limited only by 130 foot depth limit, and no planned deco.  Break
the rules, and you will be out of the water for 24 hours.  While not haute
cuisine, the food was very good, and plentiful.  Nekton encourages BYOB,
and will stop on the way to the boat for you to buy your own soft drinks
and adult beverages, and they provide an ice chest for them.  The boat uses
steel 95s, which are 6 pounds more negative than AL80s, and give you a bit
more bottom time.  Nitrox was being installed in July - 16 stations in
place - by publication time, should have 100%.  It cannot be stressed
enough to bring lots of swimsuits and T shirts, very few other items of
clothing.  No shoes worn all week.  Bring more wetsuit than you think, and
perhaps even a hood - possible 24 dives during the week will chill you.  I
wore a 3mm full in avg 83f water, and was comfortable. 

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