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No photos available at this time
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Ratings and Overall Comments 1 (worst) - 5
(best):
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| Accommodations |
 |
Food |
|
| Service and Attitude |
|
Environmental Sensitivity |
N/A |
| Dive Operation |
|
Shore Diving |
 |
| Snorkeling |
N/A |
Overall Rating |
| Value for $$ |
N/A |
| Beginners |
 |
| Advanced |
|
| Comments |
The Sky Dancer is a great boat in good shape. We were on a special itinerary allowing 4 days at Wolf and Darwin on a 7 day trip. We did check out dives in Los Lobos with sea lions and snorkeled with penguins before making the 12 hour crossing to Wolf Island. Conditions there were challenging- heavy currents, surge and cold(65degree) water temp. The divemasters used reef hooks- which I would do next time. We hung on the rocks and watched the superhighway of pelagics pass- hundreds of hammerheads, mantas, galapagos sharks, eels. Conditions at Darwin were better, the water was warmer, but I still used a 7mm suit, vest and hood. The dive site was the same for each of 4 dives per day for the 3 days- the base of Darwin's arch. We dove from Zodiacs with experienced drivers who dropped us together with a backroll into the water. The group of 8-10 divers would descend to the platform to hang on in the current and wait for the whalesharks. One dive the zodiac captain dropped us on top of a whaleshark! If the whaleshrk didn't come after about 10 min. the divemaster would signal to leave the platform and we drifted with the current until we saw one. In 3 days and 12 dives at Darwin between the 2 Zodiacs there were 18 sightings, including dives in which we would see 2 whalesharks. One dive we saw a large whaleshark during the safety stop @ 15ft. Also hundreds of hammerheads- we joked that we had to push the hammerheads out of the way to see the whalesharks! The crew was great, the boat was clean and nice, the food good. After each the dive the crew would take your gear to prepare for the next dive, including rinsing and hanging our wetsuits. Someone always had warm towels, snacks, and hot chocolate or tea ready as we came aboard. There are some land tours, to see the turtles, sea lions, bird life. Most days we were offered 4 dives, and one day a night dive was offered for 5 total, but conditions were not good for night dives- ie current. A great trip if you like big animals. My husband and I have already signed up to go back June 2004. This has to be amoung the best diving in the world! The crew and 12 other divers on board were great. This may not be a trip for begining divers because of the current and cool waters.
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Reporter and Travel |
| Dive Experience |
101-250 dives |
| Where else diving |
Utila, Grand Turk, San Salvador, Antigua, West Caicos, Provo, Cozumel |
| Closest Airport |
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Getting There |
|
Dive Conditions |
| Weather |
sunny |
Seas |
currents |
| Water Temp |
65-75°F / 18-24°C |
Wetsuit Thickness |
7 |
| Water Visibility |
30-80 Ft/ 9-24 M
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Dive Policy |
| Dive own profile |
no |
| Enforced diving restrictions |
Diving was from Zodiacs in strong currents. There were 8-10 divers to each boat who backrolled together and descended. We stayed together with the divemaster as a drift dive
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| Liveaboard? |
yes |
Nitrox Available? |
N/A |
What I Saw |
| Sharks |
Lots |
Mantas |
Squadrons |
| Dolphins |
Schools |
Whale Sharks |
> 2 |
| Turtles |
1 or 2 |
Whales |
None |
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
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| 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 |
[None] |
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