Dive Review of Caribbean Explorer II in
Saba

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Caribbean Explorer II, Jan, 2013, by Ms Lynda Durfee, VA, US ( Top Contributor 49 reports with 24 Helpful votes). Report 6865.
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	N/A
Overall Rating
Value for $$
Beginners
Advanced
Comments	My fourth trip on this boat, 3rd on this itinerary. Crew did an amazing job considering the boat was nearly full (17 guests). Cabins are small with private baths, clean, relatively comfortable. Food was outstanding (I need a week on land afternwards to work off the weight gain), with plenty of meats, salads, veggies, snacks and desserts. Those with special dietary requests (no seafood) were readily accommodated. Wine, beer and liquor included, but no diving after drinking. We did four dives off St. Maarten on Sunday instead of Saba due to high swells on Saba the previous day (as the boat was returning to St. Maarten). Surprisingly good, much better sites than when I dove with a local dive shop two years ago. Made transit to Saba Sunday evening, so night dive, but night dives offered Mon-Thur. Two days diving Saba-didn't make it to Diamond Rock because of strong currents. Two 1/2 days diving St. Kitts--visibility so-so on wreck dives because of sand/ash particles in the water from winds and swells days before. Made it to Monkey Shoals (far south end of St. Kitts) for two dives Friday morning (first time for me), with outstanding visibility, lots of critters (including a pair of scorpion fish). Lion fish on almost ever dive this week. One of the DMS actively hunts them. Offshore opportunity on Saba Tues afternoon for sightseeing or just walking (miss dive #4 that day) and Fri afternoon on St. Kitts. Friday eve dinner is at your own expense; most of group went to Ballyhoo. I checked out and used a free night reward certificate at the Marriott, since we had to be off the boat by 9 am Sat. morning anyway. Great week despite cold water (I was cold in a 3 mm, 5mm was OK), wind, and change of itinerary. This would have been a good value at the full price ($1900 plus nitrox, port fees, etc.), but they made it a last-minute special (Dec 1) at $999 to fill the boat. I plan to go again sometime next year. The itinerary reverses in alternate weeks (St. Kitts to St. Maarten with 3 days SK and 2 1/2 days Saba). You will need to plan for an open jaw ticket (US to SXM or SKB and back from the other island). Flights to/from St. Kitts on weekends only. I stayed an extra week at the Marriott (see my separaate report on Pro Divers St. Kitts. My 500th dive was on the boat--outstanding!
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	501-1000 dives
Where else diving	Caribbean, Key Largo, Lake Tahoe, Hawaii, Palau
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny, windy, dry	Seas	choppy
Water Temp	74-77°F / 23-25°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	50-100 Ft/ 15-30 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	no deco; depth for nitrox 32% at 110 feet
Liveaboard?	yes	Nitrox Available?	N/A
What I Saw
Sharks	Lots	Mantas	None
Dolphins	None	Whale Sharks	None
Turtles	> 2	Whales	None
Ratings 1(worst) - 5 (best):
Corals		Tropical Fish
Small Critters		Large Fish	N/A
Large Pelagics	N/A
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter	N/A	Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's	N/A	Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	I'm not a photographer, but they have a separate table on the dive deck for cameras and rinse bucket (strictly inforced) and separate towels. Recharging station on dive deck. Handing cameras to divers on a line at the entry oint.

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Dive Review of Caribbean Explorer II in Saba

Caribbean Explorer II, Jan, 2013,

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 Caribbean Explorer II in
Saba