Dive Review of Explorer Ventures/Caribbean Explorer II in
Saba

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Explorer Ventures/Caribbean Explorer II, Dec, 2008, by Celia Liner, MS, USA ( Sr. Reviewer 7 reports with 3 Helpful votes). Report 4579.
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	The Good: CEX II dive operation was well worth the money. It was my first liveaboard, and I went alone. Enjoyed every minute of it! There were only 8 divers; only one new, inexperienced diver. It just happened that 7 of us were in the over-45 age group, which we all really enjoyed. The crew was friendly, experienced and informative. Rachel and Claire were terrific divemasters. Zack, the cook, provided lots of delicious homemade soups, breads (yes, he baked fresh bread most days!!), casseroles, steak, fresh grilled fish, veggies. Cabins were comfortable and each had private head. Great hot water shower and warm towels on dive deck. Unlimited Nitrox was reasonably priced ($150 for the week); up to 5 dives/day. With central lines for air and Nitrox, you set up your tank only once. There was plenty of room to store all your gear. The weather was perfect, but the water was cool (it was winter...). I really loved being able to dive my computer and not being herded. They treated you as competent, experienced divers and it was appreciated greatly. Thanks CEX II! The Bad: the diving wasn't that great. Viz was marginal the entire trip. We went from St. Kitt's to Statia, Saba, then St Maarten. St Kitts had loads of trash, some from Hurricane Omar, some was already well established. Two days at St Kitts was one day too much. Statia was better, having a marine park and some nice spots, but Saba had the best diving and well worth the 2 1/2 days we spent there. I was surprised at how few fish and critters I actually saw--and nothing really big except the nurse sharks. Few turtles. But the sponges, sea fans and soft corals were impressive. I would not recommend a liveaboard for beginners. Wish I had known: didn't need to bother bringing a shorty. Only one dive had 80 degree water. If you're doing 5/day, bring a 5 mil as well. Book a room at a local hotel for the last day, if possible. They literally kick you off the boat at 9 a.m. and got rather testy about you coming back on board for anything--even your luggage--before the taxi came to take you to the airport in St. Maarten. And the airport...that was a saga in itself. Just don't plan on doing anything quickly or effortlessly in an airport at Christmas. Would I do it again? Absolutely.
Reporter and Travel
Dive Experience	101-250 dives
Where else diving	Cozumel, Yucatan, Pensacola
Closest Airport		Getting There
Dive Conditions
Weather	sunny	Seas	surge, currents
Water Temp	78-80°F / 26-27°C	Wetsuit Thickness	3
Water Visibility	20-60 Ft/ 6-18 M
Dive Policy
Dive own profile	yes
Enforced diving restrictions	Divemaster accompanied each dive, but did not ride herd on group; no deco diving only; back on boat with 500 psi; dive with buddy if not following divemaster (but not strictly enforced).
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
Large Pelagics
Underwater Photography 1 (worst) - 5 (best):
Subject Matter		Boat Facilities
Overall rating for UWP's		Shore Facilities	N/A
UW Photo Comments	Large central table and towels for cameras on dive deck; dedicated barrels for rinsing; air hose at table.

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Dive Review of Explorer Ventures/Caribbean Explorer II in Saba

Explorer Ventures/Caribbean Explorer II, Dec, 2008,

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 Explorer Ventures/Caribbean Explorer II in
Saba