TRIP OF A LIFETIME - SHARKS SHARKS AND MORE SHARKS!!! If youre at Guadalupe for three days (one day to get there, three on site and one to get back to San Diego), youll probably have 12 to 15 hours of dive time. Shark diving is supposed to be fun and your time on the boat can be just as enjoyable as your time with the sharks. Youll need a bus transfer from San Diego if it leaves from the latter, although that will most likely be covered by the price of your tour and its a great way to meet and chat with your fellow divers. This was echoed by several people on the boat that had been to Socorro multiple times. We found the mornings to be more productive around the cages but sharks were seen all day long. Nautilus Explorer is another long-time fixture among Guadalupe live aboard dive boats. You dont need to be Scuba-certified in a surface cage because youre breathing surface-supplied air (a Hookah system). Just returned home from an absolutely awesome trip to swim with Orcas and Mobulas in the Sea of October and November features the enormous 18 foot dominant females affectionately known as big mommas. Surface Cages These are 2 or 4-person cages usually secured to the stern of the boat. There was always some sharks around and at some points as many as 7 at a time. Their white shark diving tour is a 5 day/4 night trip aboard the large(ish) Solmar V in the $3,300USD range. The Great White Sharks were absolute perfection. The staff was incredible, fun, professional and paid attention to every detail. A quick peek at the blogs, logs, comments and ratings posted online after every trip will give a true measure of the quality and pride we take in our operation. While the seas can be a little more rough in November, youre also more likely to see bigger, mature sharks at this time of year. ), check out Islander. The hostess would take your hot breakfast order while you are on deck and they made sure you were able to get a hot meal between dives. (function(d, s, id) { Its not super-luxurious, but it has plenty of room. They told me that they would pack it on the bus for the return trip so San Diego. Ive written an in-depth review of Solmar V if you want to learn more. You gain a lot of respect for them and truly get to see that they aren't these stupid animals that bite anything that moves. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. It leaves from San Diego. I also contacted their office and spoke to the girl I booked it with, was told they would call me back and they never did. But going by that record, the shark diving boats at Guadalupe are good at mitigating that risk as much as possible. Some boats include this. Guadalupe Island (Mexico) is the top destination for great white shark encounters. Anywhere from $3,500 to $5,000+. Unbelievable!First and foremost I want to pay respect where it is due the staff! Its smaller, and you may find it a little more intimate. For now, lets talk about the two kinds of shark cages at Guadalupe Island. Look, I get it you saw 47 Meters Down and it turned your insides-out. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Well Chief Brody, if youre into Nautilus Expeditions. Crew Are they friendly, and do they go the extra mile to make your trip a great experience? Only Guadalupe Island can boast shark viewing in beautiful clear blue water with 125 150 foot visibility. js.src = "//forms.aweber.com/form/46/62590746.js"; PsstWanna Dive With Great White Sharks For Real? This is a beautiful boat, currently with 37 verified reviews that average to 9.5/10. Shark diving crews live on this boats right along with you. If youre tight on cash, you might take a pass. What was great to see was the how calculated they are on everything they do, how they assess everything one or two times before determining their next action. The equipment is very clean and top notch. It's also awesome fun to stand above water and enjoy the shark wrangling antics of the crew. Not only were they fun, entertaining, knowledgeable they also were very professional in ensuring the safety of everyone on the boat. Personally, I think October is the best month for shark diving at Guadalupe. Natural interaction results in more sharks, more interaction and unforgettable up close encounters. Its part of a fleet of three boats (Nautilus Expeditions) and has a price point that puts it within reach of most first-time shark divers. Food An army marches on its stomach, and its the same on a boat. Basically, its about your budget and your priorities. One more confession: he checks the stock market a lot. Everything ran smoothly from meeting in San diego to riding the bus to Ensenada to getting on the boatThe crew moves your luggage from the bus to the ship which made life easy The ride to guadalupe island was around 18hrs. Unfortunately, I did not have a good experience with the Nautilus company. Will they do something awesome for your birthday, anniversary, or proposal? And if your question is whether the boats crew will take care of you, then the answer is Yes. The next day we were arrived at Roca Partida. We were fortunate and we had 4-8 sharks on every dive for 2 out of 3 days. Youre on the ocean and youre diving with great white sharks. Horizon Charters has a few Shark Week guests lined up in 2021 as well. I am getting ready to book another trip with Nautilus for next year. The first day of diving we arrived to San Benedicto later than most other boats so we couldnt dive the famous dive site The Boiler. Usually within a few mins sharks would be swimming around looking for that tuna that was being tossed into the water. Youre going to need a mask and wetsuit at a minimum, and scuba equipment if youre a certified diver. This had none of the things people come to Socorro for. Way back in 2007, I did my first white shark cage diving trip at Guadalupe on this boat. Its not uncommon for the same boat to raise or lower its price from month-to-month. I made a minor error heading to the border and he took care of everything to ensure I was able to make it on the boat. Our shore team were able to locate your wetsuit as you let us know you had left it behind right away. Note that Socorro Vortex is the sister ship to Solmar V. Try Socorro Vortex If: You want space, luxury and have a little more cash to make your Guadalupe cage diving experience nothing short of extravagant. I hope to help other divers be more informed when making a decision for their trip. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. We had to dive other dive sites on the island. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". They offer a minimum 5 day live aboard experience in which youll leave from either San Diego or Ensenada (south of Tijuana) and sail for roughly 15-ish hours to reach the island, at which point the cages go in and you start seeing sharks. Many divers that cancelled last year simply pushed their reservations forward to this autumn. Far from it in fact, I would argue that the less you pay, the less to detract you from why youre there: to see great white sharks. And with a maximum 14 guests on a boat this size, youve got plenty of room to spread your feet out. Thats a general itinerary. Others do not. Each year, Islander typically has several trips with Shark Week regulars, including Joe Romeiro and Paul De Gelder. In over 20 years, I would estimate that 100,000 divers have gone cage diving at the site. This doesnt mean that a $2,800 shark diving tour on Horizon Charters is a bad experience. Juveniles tend to arrive first. The rooms are nice, and more than adequate, but the focus is more about value, fun and, most importantly, maximizing your time with the sharks of Guadalupe. Why Do Some Guadalupe Live Aboard Boats Cost More Than Others? On a typically 5 day tour, youll sail to Guadalupe on Day 1, dive on Days 2, 3 and 4, after which youll pull the cages up and get back to San Diego or Ensenada around noon on Day 5. The next day we continued to Socorro Island. Try Nautilus Belle Amie If: You want to cage dive with great white sharks at Guadalupe Island on a large new boat and keep your costs in the $3000 USD range. Things remained like this until I realized on my next dive trip that I didnt have my wetsuit. You are all amazing! Dont let the whole 45 minute dive thing put you off too much. Check out the itineraries of each boat in this article and dont be afraid to reach out and ask them about specifics. I have been an avid shark lover since my days as a child. When I emailed them asking on the status they told me that they had it in their lost and found and now the only way now for me to receive it was to give them all my credit card information and they would have it shipped to me. There are loads of great white sharks in the crystal clear waters of Guadalupe Island, Mexico. They do awesome liveaboard diving in the Caribbean and in 2018, they expanded to Guadalupe. I hate to leave such negative feedback but realize there are not many reviews out there for Liveaboard dive boats and I would really have liked to know this information. In a surface cage, youll generally have longer dives than in a submersible. Why Seth Rollins Should Host Shark Week in 2023 (Yes, Really), Shark Cages at Guadalupe Explained: Surface Vs Submersibles, Sea of Cortez Liveaboard Diving: Sharks, Costs and Months. Seeing Jaws as a kid made me fall in love with them. Guadalupe Live Aboard boats, otherwise known as shark diving boats are a lot of fun. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. The company claims MV Islander has been on Discovery Channels annual shark love-in more than any other boat. That means you dont have catch a bus to Ensenada, which is time saved and put back on the boat. Note these sell out very quickly and theyre $5,000USD rather than Islanders standard $3795. Ive long argued that Guadalupe is the best spot on the planet to see great white sharks, and certainly the best option for shark cage diving in California. So, what are these Guadalupe live aboard boats, how much do they cost and which ones the best? Unlike the other boats in the fleet, we arrive on station early so that you can have a nice relaxing dinner and a restful sleep in a still, calm and quiet anchorage. Overall the food onboard was delicious. Heres another new, large and luxurious shark diving boat at Guadalupe. And at a starting price of just $2,845USD and with plenty of happy customer testimonials, Nautilus Explorer is worth your serious consideration. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. I'm sorry we did not meet your expectations. Looking for local diving in Cabo San Lucas ? There is huge demand now that the planet is emerging from some vague concept called Covid-19. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Damian especially, I give a shout out too. Pretty simple and essential. After the dive there is a hot shower on deck or a hot tub to warm up in The crew is very helpful to getting you weighted and getting you in the water. Guadalupe live aboard boats do cage diving with great white sharks at Guadalupe Island. On a positive note, the dive staff and the food was very good. Speaking from experience, it goes very quickly and its plenty of quality time to see great white sharks and identity individual animals and their different personalities. Heres why: Its a good starter boat that includes everything a first-time cage diver can expect. Female great whites start showing up in September. Our highly experienced divemasters will be alongside you in the submersible cages to both critter point and ensure your safety. Cages open at 6:30 a.m. the next morning. The staff on board are ridiculously friendly, and they are all passionate about sharing the sharks with you. Your gear is included. Some trips are longer. Want the quick version? This trip had been on my bucket list for years and it did not disappoint. We believe that the best way to see these magnificent animals is to descend into their world and interact with them on their own terms in a natural way from our submersible cages. Check out our new. These boats shine in different places. After the shark diving trip, while getting off in Ensenada, I informed the staff that I forgot my wetsuit on the drying rack. A liveaboard diveboat is only as good as its crew and on the Nautilus Explorer we are proud to say that we have some of the best and most experienced staff in the business. Youre looking at an additional $15 for mask and $55 for wetsuit, for the entire trip. Submersible Cages Like the description implies, these are submersible shark cages that submerge about 30 feet underwater. I thank you for all your hard work.The captain and dive masters what can I say. Sincerely,RachelFor more reviews and feedback on our trips please see https://nautilusliveaboards.com/go/ratings. Each boat typically has two stern-mounted shark cages, which vary in size, but usually hold four divers. Unfortunately we did not hear back for close to 8 months so we closed your lost and found file. However, I feel strongly that Islander Charters is among the best Guadalupe live aboard boats for white shark cage diving, particularly if its your first trip or you simply want to be on that boat from Shark Week. Go ahead and read my post on that topic if you want to know why. Check Islanders itinerary. When youre at Guadalupe, you live on the boat. They have to any guesses what happens if you put 16 divers on a boat in the middle of the Pacific for 5 days if the foods sucks and no one is having fun? While the boat is slightly older, you wont exactly be slumming it on the Solmar V. Its got two stateroom choices, Standard and Superior, along with rooms for singles as well. Our province is known for great steak, the steak you cooked was so tender and cooked to perfection in however way you wanted it. Socorro Aggressor comes highly reviewed and has a deck that would give Solmar V a run for its money. Youre at Guadalupe to see great white sharks. Steve Hutchings is a Canadian outdoor adventure blogger. If money is tight, and you still want to do it, there is no reason you cant go cage diving at Guadalupe and keep your costs, even with the additional fees, under $5,000. var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; With your head on a swivel you never know which way to look. I will never forget this experience, and I thank you for making sure it was as enjoyable as it could be. I asked the price and they didn't respond. The ride out can be a little rolling so be prepared with seasick patches or Dramamine. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of each boat in this post other than Islander and will receive a commission (no additional cost to you) if you book a tour through these links. Educational Some boats will bring shark experts like local marine biologist Dr. Mauricio Hoyos on board to do a presentation about the white sharks of Guadalupe and provide contextual background of the challenges they face. To go where the Shark Week folks have gone (and me too! Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. The crew of the Explorer did a awesome job to make sure you had a safe dive and enjoyable trip. I will recommend Nautilus to everyone! When we arrived, they had not packed it. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. I understand working in this type of industry you see it all, but I honestly commend you for how professional and kind you were! The Guadalupe shark diving scene in general brings a high level of customer satisfaction. Binocular Prices Explained: Are Expensive Binos Worth It? July and August features rowdy gangs of male sharks acting just like groups of teenage boys! It takes about 24 hours just to get there, and another 24 hours to get back. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. They would take you breakfast and lunch orders, if you didn't want to get out of your wet suit they would bring out your meals and drinks outside for you.Adriana and Laurantina also made sure that you never went thirsty/hungry,had a clean room, made sure you were comfortable and took care of anything you needed. Shes semi-luxurious too, and with a price starting at just $2895USD, Nautilus Belle Amie, an excellent value at that. You get the idea. Diving with great white sharks and going face-to-face with them at 30 feet is an unforgettable experience but also very different than most people imagine. I'm not really a passionate diver, but even I can't wait to go again. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. You get the idea. I spent a lot of time under water in the 3 days and I tell you I loved how you got to start seeing some of the sharks personalities. Thats about as far from reality as youre going to see with shark cage diving at Guadalupe for a variety of reasons. (Well maybe not, it wasnt that scary, but I digress). Because Guadalupe Island is 260 miles south of San Diego and about 225 miles off Ensenada. You do not need to be Scuba-certified for a surface cage. So much fun! Flexible Booking Check the boats cancellation policy before you book. Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information. Safety You should speak with each boat about any safety concerns you may have. Oh yeah, I, like, just totally went there! I recently returned from the Guadalupe great white shark Nautilus Belle Amie live aboard on August 24th and all I can say is WOW! If thats what you want, its worth a look. Thats in part thanks to its location, about 260 miles south of San Diego and 220 miles from mainland Mexico. As long as there was a opening in the cages you could dive all day long. Socorro Vortex is arguably the most luxurious of Guadalupe live aboard boats, and with an eye-catching 9.4/10 rating on LiveAboard.com, one of the highest-rated too. read more, Fantastic trip aboard the Explorer w/ Nautilus Expeditions! By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Guests who are certificated divers will have the opportunity to make 3 submersible dives every day. if (d.getElementById(id)) return; Whichever Guadalupe live aboard dive boat that gets your attention, you may want to book sooner than later. I did my first Guadalupe dive back in 2007 and Im still raving about it. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". Aggressor Adventures, which manages the boat, has high standards that carry across all of its boats, and theyve partnered with PADI, underwater photography schools and are a good resource for adventure travel insurance and can pretty much predict in advance what youll need. People look at me funny when I say that but you really do. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. I am still excited about them! Everything ran smoothly from meeting in San diego to riding the bus to Ensenada to getting on the boat. Try Solmar V If: You want to cage dive with white sharks on a bigger boat that has an epic deck. Just as important, Horizons crew, who are based out of Mexico, will win you over with their devotion to the job and their commitment to make your white shark diving vacation something you will cherish forever. Some boats do surface cages only while others do both. Perfect? Each Guadalupe live aboard dive boat brings something worth your attention. more. I had many great conversations with these ladies. Much of that can be attributed to Patric Douglas- the current CEO of Horizon Charters and one of the pioneers of cage diving at Guadalupe around 20 years ago. Shark, sharks, sharks and more sharks. If you want a safe hobby, try knitting. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. Nautilus Explorer is currently linked to Martin Graz whom Guadalupe shark divers may recognize as one of the original figures involved with diving at the island. The ideal itinerary would also have either no days at Socorro Island or only 1, preferably at the end of the trip. Shes a little bigger than Horizon and Islander and has the legacy to go with it. For folks who live by bigger is better, you found a keeper. One thing to note, however, is that cage dives on Socorro Aggressor are just 45 minutes long (in the surface cages, and with approximately 10 dives total, thats not even 8 hours of diving with the sharks. But you may want a little luxury while you do it. The food on board was good and always more then enough to eat and many choices were available for each meal. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Cages close at 5 p.m. (not earlier) on the last dive day. This is shark diving for celebrities, business executives and people who would prefer to pay for all the trappings and then some. This is not the kind of company I would do business with on an expensive dive trip when other options exist. Food on board is amazing. You can expect to pay more for that. Rental gear is not included and has similar prices as youll find on Explorer. 5 Patagonia Backpacks That Can Carry Your Laptop, Which Kuhl Pants Are the Best? If youre looking to dive with great white sharks, anywhere on the planet, I would do Guadalupe and Id book with Horizon Charters. The rest is history.

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