45 replies to this topic

[WreckWench]

Yes we are off to a great start! Everyone has arrived and you would think we were long lost friends. The diving last week was incredible according to Rick aka Ricochet....so hopes are high for more of the same. I'm in thelast group to hit the store...get beverages for the week and then start the PARTEE!!!

More soon....

[fbp]

So where you staying??? web site???

Sounds like fun...

[Ricochet]

By now the last people should be emerging from their Wednesday night dive, you may be preparing for a dawn dive, and everyone will be absolutely addicted to Arminda's cookies. I wish I was there!

On the Nekton site, I can see you spent the first days at Long Caye and are now at Half Moon Caye. I loved both, and hope you've seen as many amazing things as I did. I'm curious to hear all about it.

Thanks again for letting me tag along for dinner Saturday, and I look forward to hearing all about the trip!

Rick

fbp - they are on the Nekton Pilot, www.nektoncruises.com

[Latitude Adjustment]

and everyone will be absolutely addicted to Arminda's cookies. I wish I was there!

Rick

A few years ago when Captain Eppy announced that the diving was canceled and we were heading to Key West to avoid Hurricane Francis, are there any questions? The first one was; "Will Arminda still be making us cookies?", not how are we getting home from Key West!
As the big swells rolled the Pilot pots were sliding around in the galley, she picked up the phone and called the bridge; "Keep this boat steady, I'm trying to cook down here!" Captain Eppy knows his place in that chain of command.

[pir8]

If there is anyone of the crew that you want to keep happy it is the chef. Boats/Ships /Armies move on their stomach.

[Ricochet]

So true about Arminda's cookies and place on the boat. Last week there was a group of 18 from Cincinnati - repeat customers - who brought Arminda a Cat-o-nine-tails ... they knew who ran things! And she used it on both the crew and one or two passengers during the trip.

Edited by Ricochet, 26 April 2007 - 04:24 PM.

[BubbleBoy]

Bubble Boy’s -Trip Report

As one of the first passengers to return from this trip, I’m happy to say that the cruise was everything described. As my first live-aboard trip, I quickly realized this is the best way to dive any area. By the time I had to stop diving on Friday, I had done 28 reef dives, including 5 night dives and one dawn dive. The crew, passengers, and surface interval partying were all great; especially Arminda’s cookies. Some underwater highlights of my trip included:

- Squeezing into a narrow swim through about 50 ft. long, and finding myself nose to nose with a 10 ft. Nurse Shark.

- Having a Hawksbill Turtle come and join me and my two dive buddies for about half of an entire dive. When we started heading back north to our boat, the turtle kept circling back trying to get us to continue south with it. After a third try it gave up, took a dump, and left.

- Watching a 6 ft. Moray Eel free swimming and hunting out in the open.

- Watching a 5 ft. Barracuda get its big shiny teeth cleaned by some little shrimp.

- Discovering a new species. Yes, it's true. The Screaming Yellow Chicken Fish, yet to be given a formal scientific name, nests in shallow coral heads and dive boats. It feeds on plankton by keeping its mouth wide open at all times while attaching itself to divers like remoras do to sharks and turtles. The symbiotic relationship between the Chicken Fish and divers extends beyond the host diver. For some unknown reason, other divers in the vicinity become attracted to the Chicken Fish and its host, while exhibiting erratic behavior commonly known as the Chicken Dance. Many photos are sure to follow.

[pir8]

Bubble Boy’s -Trip Report

As one of the first passengers to return from this trip, I’m happy to say that the cruise was everything described. As my first live-aboard trip, I quickly realized this is the best way to dive any area. By the time I had to stop diving on Friday, I had done 28 reef dives, including 5 night dives and one dawn dive. The crew, passengers, and surface interval partying were all great; especially Arminda’s cookies. Some underwater highlights of my trip included:

- Squeezing into a narrow swim through about 50 ft. long, and finding myself nose to nose with a 10 ft. Nurse Shark.

- Having a Hawksbill Turtle come and join me and my two dive buddies for about half of an entire dive. When we started heading back north to our boat, the turtle kept circling back trying to get us to continue south with it. After a third try it gave up, took a dump, and left.

- Watching a 6 ft. Moray Eel free swimming and hunting out in the open.

- Watching a 5 ft. Barracuda get its big shiny teeth cleaned by some little shrimp.

- Discovering a new species. Yes, it's true. The Screaming Yellow Chicken Fish, yet to be given a formal scientific name, nests in shallow coral heads and dive boats. It feeds on plankton by keeping its mouth wide open at all times while attaching itself to divers like remoras do to sharks and turtles. The symbiotic relationship between the Chicken Fish and divers extends beyond the host diver. For some unknown reason, other divers in the vicinity become attracted to the Chicken Fish and its host, while exhibiting erratic behavior commonly known as the Chicken Dance. Many photos are sure to follow.

Wow, sounds like ya'll had a great time. Wish I were there with yas.

[Scubawishes]

It was great meeting you on Saturday for dinner ... of course by now you're all 40 miles from the nearest phone and Internet connection and just getting ready to splash in for your second afternoon dive.

By now you've grown to love Arminda's cooking and the warm morning cookies, you've discovered how great the crew is, and found your bouyancy with the Steel 95's. I wish I was there!!

I hope to see pictures when you return: by then I may have a DVD with the photos from all 8 people on my trip with cameras and we can compare!

Rick

Hey Rick,

It was great meegting you, sorry i didn't say goodbye! The trip was nice and I would love to have stayed longer.

[ScubaShafer]

It was fun meeting, partying, and diving with all!

Congratulations to Grayfins completing three PADI specialty certifications: U/W Photographer, Boat Diver, and Night Diver!!!

If you didn't get a chance to get on the signup list for my photo CD and would like one, please PM me with a snail mail address. (Thanks Monty, I received your PM.)

Cheers! SS

[WreckWench]

Hey gang...have not recovered yet as I am still in Belize with SuperDave, DiveAK, Parrotman and Going Postal! We are having a blast! DiveAK is going to jump on in a few minutes so I'll fill in any gaps!

We have TONS of pictures coming soon...I'm just not the one with the camera but lord knows there are a few pictures out there I uh...need to reclaim for posterity!

Today we do some local sightseeing in San Ignacios so I have to hit the shower to get ready! Missed you all but will log in later today I'm sure!

[DIVEAK]

Allrightythen---
The Nekton was great. Everything I expected. I have 450 images to play with. My thanks to Bruce for the time he spent with me and my new camera... I will take the UW Digital Photo Specialty with him in Grenada.
My new dive buddy Fernando is an awesome guy and an excellent diver. I hope to meet up with him again.
Shafeen has promised to create a "dump site" for the images that everyone can use and view. When that shows up, check out the Jawfish video that Trevor made and SuperDave's Turtle Vid. Both are exceptional.
Karen showed everyone up with her dramatic image of a Barracuda... This shot was voted best of the week. Pretty darn good, Karen! I want that one for a desktop image.
But, I am sorry to tell the rest of you, that you really messed up by not coming with us to San Ignacio. the two tours were unbelievable, lifetime, memorable days for me. We are "veggin" and wandering around town today and out of here tomorrow. My sincere thanks to SuperDave for his efforts to put this "add on" together. Despite my wishes to "LowKey" my birthday, everywhere we went yesterday, people were lighting candles, singing songs and delivering cake. This was all Kamala's doing... I will pay her back.

I like Belize.

DiveAK

[fala]

Belize was great. Diving on the Nekton was great. Being able to dive with the SD group on the trip made it even better. Some of the highlights for me were:

- Having a solid dive buddy in DiveAK. You, sir, are the man. One day, the Orcas. We dive!!!

- A very memorable significant dive (number 69). Thank you WW and Stingray1.

- Shark encounter on the first night dive we did. Please note, sharks might get a little upset when a cave light meets them eye to eye. At least bull sharks...

- Super Dave is the best roommate to have on a trip, hands down.

- Overall a great group of divers from SD and some others on the boat as well. I enjoyed getting to know you guys on this trip.

Looking forward to the next one...

[SuperDave]

Oh what a week it was. Great diving with great people and making new friends. The crew of the Pilot took extremely good care of us and were friendly and very helpful to all our needs. Hi, my name is Dave and I'm a recovering cookie addict. It's been four days since my last cookie....
I really want to thank you all for making this the best, yes really, the best vacaton yet with SD. The bonus was the last three days with Mark, Jim, Mike and of course Kamala. Happy birthday Mark! Who else got to spend their b-day (won't say how many) in a ruin only a couple years older than they are and get a cake made out of pineapple and cantelope.
Thanks to Trevor for being one of the best dive buddies ever and to Fernando for being the great roommate that he was. I hope to see both of you again sometime.
Thanks to someone special, wish you could have spent the last four days with us.

I too like Belize.

Super One

[Stingray1]

Hiiiii Davvve.
Yes, I am having cookie withdrawal, too.
Every time I go on a SD trip, I say I couldn't meet nicer people, but I always do. The crew worked their cookies off, Arminda's food was great and the diving was un-Belizeable.
Some of my favorite dives were watching the giant Loggerhead scratch his back on the underside of some coral, anniversary dives (they're always fun), the 7' nurseshark, checking for chickens and the photo contest. Karen's winning picture was awesome (creepy, but awesome). We did do a lot of bonding in and around the hot tub. There were lots of talented toes, great stories and planning for future dive trips.
We did get off the boat once last week to visit the (red-footed) Booby island. I know if I get deserted on an island, I want to be deserted with Fala and DiveAK. They can make a mean coconut drink and coconut appetizers.
I'm still unpacking, cleaning, and going thru pictures, so I'll have pictures posted in a few days. I want to see some Guatamalan temple pics.
Thanks to
DiveAK for use of your reg,
Grayfin for help at the airport,
And WW for setting up a great trip.