Other Guadalupe Trips

The Nautilus Explorer, an excellent live-aboard dive boat that covers British Columbia in the summer – we gave them a good review in October 2004 – and visits Mexico’s Socorro Island in the winter, voyages to Guadalupe in September and October. The owner/captain, Mike Lever, says on his website: “While our past white shark sightings have been excellent and continuous all day long, these are wild animals and there is no guarantee that all future trips will have the same number of sightings.” Prices for either a four night or five night trip run $2150, $2550 or $2950 depending on whether you want dormitory, stateroom or executive suite accommodations. Phone 01-604-657-7614 or visit www.nautilusexplorer.com

Lawrence Groth runs Great White Adventures and says he has led more than 400 great white trips since 1998. He uses the Searcher, but also runs “luxury trips” on the Solmar V, a good live-aboard that normally runs out of Cabo San Lucas. It’s $2595 for Searcher trips. Solmar trips run $2895 for five days and there’s a seven-day trip for $4195. They offer certified divers the rush of being lowered 25 feet in their topless, submersible two person cage. Want that “open water” thrill sitting on top of the cage with circling great whites? The Solmar trip includes a night in a basic San Diego hotel and a two-hour bus ride to Ensenada, which shortens the boat ride. www.greatwhiteadventures.com or 866-352-7075

San Diego Shark Diving Expeditions, run by “Doc” Paul Anes, visits Guadalupe Island on two different craft normally used in California diving. The Horizon has eight cabins with open berthing and daily room make-up. The Odyssey has one carpeted air-conditioned berth room with daily room makeup. Both boats have two shared restrooms with hot showers and the Odyssey has a hot water deck shower. Five-day trips on either boat are $2550. Anes also charters the Nautilus Explorer. www.sdsharkdiving.com or 1-888-SD-SHARK