Socorro

Thanks for the responses!

I'll be on the Solmar Mar. 19....doesn't seem like I can wrong either way as long as I get a chance to dive the giant mantas and humpbacks.

Mike

I'll be on the Solmar Mar. 19....doesn't seem like I can wrong either way as long as I get a chance to dive the giant mantas and humpbacks.

I think you will just miss me: I'm on Solmar the week before! I heard some scary stories about Mexican waves earlier this year, so now I'm concerned for my camera...

Good luck!

Tim

Never been on the Solomar but have heard nothing but good. Been on the Nautilus 3 times, to the Socorros, Alaska and Guadalupe. The crew works very hard but told me they get very tense when the owner/captain is aboard. When there is a different captain they can feel more relaxed. The boat itself is fine though getting on and off the skiff in the Socorros when the water is choppy is just plain dangerous. While nothing bad happened when I was there, the potential was real.

I found the food to be very good. Because the owners of the boat keep kosher, do not expect bacon for breakfast, or, for that matter, any pork product but I didn't find that difficult to live with as I have high chlorestriol anyway. But I do love bacon and eggs. They have this weird rule that the divemasters cannot sit and eat with the guests. Personally, I love it when crew members sit and mingle with guests. It is part of the experience for me in many countries.

The cabins are well kept and roomy though what they call the 'dormatory' in the bow (somewhat lower cost bunks) is just horrible. No privacy at all as the crews cabins are also there and one very cramped bathroom. Your bunk is in the open so for the crew to get to their cabins they walk through and if the galley girl tries to get to her cabin and you're stark naked, oh well! During the White Shark trip last year, all the other boats were chumming and getting GW action while the NE was not and we were lucky to have some pass bys. I was very dissappointed during that one. Like someone else said, there was a European guest photographer and his wife who seemed to be getting special treatment at the expense of the other guests. I was a writer for Asian Diver Magazine at the time but I guess I didn't rate.

In Alaska, I found the briefings by the owner (not the divemaster) to be exceptionally long history lessons. There they use an excellent 2nd boat to dive off of and that was always great though the vis when I was there was usually 5 ft until the very last day of diving when I didn't go in wanting to dry my gear off before the flight. My friend went the following week and had great vis he said. Many guests were very upset that the owner/captain made no attempt to arrange transfers from the boat to the airport. He was busy with his new girlfriend and all the guests had to walk into town in the pouring rain and find a pay phone to call cabs and arrange to get taken to the airport. That one left myself and others very ticked off as he had said that pickups would be arranged.

Would I go on the NE again? Only if I was on assignment and it was being paid for.

Steve

I have to say I have a few issues with NE although my dive experiences have been great. 1) it is an older boat and there is definitely something wrong with the plumbing system. It is down right nauseating to flush the heads. This occured on both trips. 2) the first trip we had a guest chef and the food was EXCELLENT. the second trip we had the normal chef and it wasn't so good. After I told them I couldn't eat beef, beef was continually served so I ate a lot of rolls that week. Towards the end of the trip the chef acted like this was the first he had heard that I didn't eat beef.

Wow, interesting range of responses. I haven't been on the Solmar but I am booked on my fifth Socorro trip March 31, 2010 on the Nautilus. I really think they do an amazing job and the boat is very nice. I find the crew extremely nice and also very safety concious. I can't say enough about how enjoyable the trip is. Socorro is amazing. I love the boat and the crew. I can't imagine not loving the trip if you want pelagic diving/big ocean etc. They give as much independence as you want but briefings are very serious as they should be. The hospitality is first rate with drinks and towels waiting for you after every dive. The hot tub and beer selection is like heaven after an epic 4 dive day !!!! What else can I say, can't wait for my next trip in March. By the way, I have no affiliation with the Nautilus other than as a repeat customer.