My FIRST Live - Aboard

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LIVE - ABOARD 

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Sail aboard and dive from the Caribbean Explorer II 

in the waters surrounding the Caribbean Islands of

St.Kitts & Nevis and Saba with a final departure from Sint Maarten.

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Stock photo

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ST. KITTS

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SATURDAY April 15

... Boarding ...

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The FEDERATION of  SAINT CHRISTOPHER and NEVIS

Official Status: The World's Smallest Sovereign Federation

Stock photo

Known informally as Saint Kitts and Nevis this is an island country and micro-state consisting of the two islands of Saint Kitts and Nevis, both located in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands chain of the Lesser Antilles. We flew to, sailed from and only dove in the waters near St. Kitts. With 261 square kilometres of territory, and roughly 50,000 inhabitants, it is the smallest sovereign state in the Western Hemisphere, in both area and population, as well as the world's smallest sovereign federation. The country is a Commonwealth realm, with Charles III as King and head of state. It is the only sovereign federation in the Caribbean. (Source: Wikipedia)

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SATURDAY

The CREW                                                                                                              

Rodney (Captain & DM), Terrance (engineer), Julian (chef), Milan "Thor" (purser, DM, instructor), Briana, Nick & Jonathan (Dive Crew: DM's, instructors). All but Terrance in the crew are divers and all but Julian dove with us at some point.  

The DIVERS

An international group - Jeri & Keith, Dani, Trish and Mark from the United States, Bruno from Switzerland & Carine from France;  I'm the lone Canadian.  

I'm on this excursion with dive buddy Mark Hall Speights. We're representing our FB SCUBA & Snorkel group CANUSUKair.

We were fortunate to only have 8 divers on this trip; the boat can accommodate 18 – because of that Mark & I ended up with separate berths. We arrived a little before the recommended 9 am boarding; the boat was ready for us and our bags were loaded. 

We spent a few moments setting-up our dive gear at dedicated stations on the dive deck and arranging personal items in our assigned berths. Mark and I will both be diving nitrox this trip. Green (me) and yellow (Mark) caps cover the tank valves (indicate full). Nitrox and compressed air pressure hose connections are suspended above each station and will be used to keep our tanks filled between dives. All but 1 diver dove using nitrox consistently.

Bri (from US)

Nick (from South Africa, check out his website ... Marine Escapade)

Terrance (from Sint Maarten, engineer)

dive deck ... better view of the air / nitrox filler hoses above the tanks

sun deck

I was quite pleased when we were offered our own berths; it certainly would have been tight. Not much room for gear bags, let alone two divers unless you were a couple. I stuffed gear bags under the lower bunk and used the upper bunk to lay out 'next days' items ... dry dive clothing, laptop computer, log book, electronics etc. I will be doing another live-aboard at some time, I will certainly arrange for my own room.

... included only what's needed and all that is.

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SUNDAY April 16 to TUESDAY April 18

... Diving & a Night Crossing to Saba ...

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The DIVE SITES

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SUNDAY

Dives 1 & 2 were at Monkey Shoals, both slightly under an hour. Not all that interesting a site – used for our check dive. 

Skipped today's’ dive 3 to rest my right knee – a bit swollen but ok. 

Did dive’s 4 & 5 (night) at the River Taw Wreck. My first nitrox dives today and first time diving 4 tanks in a day. 

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The DIVING PROCEDURE

I'm used to a dive boat following the divers (bubble watching), waiting for a surface buoy to be deployed and then meeting the divers at the buoy. I felt it was worth documenting how it's sometimes done from an anchored live-aboard; where the divers swim back to the boat.

In our case, divers enter the water from the port side (an 8’ leap & drop), follow a tag line to the bow and collect as a group at the anchor line, then descend as a group for the dive. Divers then re-enter at the stern after first completing a 3 min safety stop starting at the bow anchor line. About 2 minutes of the s-stop is completed at the bow line first, followed by an underwater swim for the final 1 minute of the s-stop and then a climb at the stern ladders. 

What can be challenging for a diver is the safety stop segment - current at the 15' mark for 2 minutes of the s-stop can be quite strong, making holding on securely to the anchor line mandatory in some cases. Divers then leave the line and swim towards the boat at that same depth for another minute to reach weighted drop lines and a rear tag line that floats out from the stern ladders. Once at the tag line divers remove their fins and pull themselves forward to the ladders, hand their fins up to a waiting crew member and climb a ladder - some divers could chose to remove their BCD's at this point; none of our group did. (Note: At the surface, a partially full tank, BCD and all attached gear could weigh as much as 5 - 35 kgs (20 - 80 lbs)) 

The boat is only anchored at the bow so it tends to swing in both directions, sometimes quickly. That final 1 minute is essentially ... a swim into current chasing a hull that's moving. Divers burn through a lot of air and it an be exhausting.

Video courtesy MHSpeights

Video of my Entry ... right onto the tag-line. Maybe next time I'll push-off with my good leg. 🙄

Divers @ the tag-line, ready to swim along the hull to the bow.

 Mark (left, white mask), Trish, Keith & Carine have all followed the tag-line and are now collecting near the bow anchor line waiting for the remaining divers.

Photo courtesy MHSpeights

Trish, Keith, Dann & Bri gathered at bow line

Photo courtesy MHSpeights

Begin descent

Photo courtesy MHSpeights

Deflating the BCD to descend and complete the dive.

Divers have completed the dive and are now swimming towards the boat after completing most of the 3 minute safety stop. Weighted lines connected to stern ladders help navigate the direction to the stern tag lines.

Bubbles under the surface indicate divers have ascended from the weighted lines and are now following the tag line to the stern.

 Divers surface and begin climbing the 2 stern ladders, Nick aids their climb, Thor (left) stands by.

Nick steadies a diver on the rear platform by grabbing the tank valve. From here, divers climb a second ladder to the dive deck.

Video courtesy MHSpeights

Surfacing

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The WILDLIFE

flying gurnard, puffer-fish, green sea-turtle, caribbean pipe-fish, lion-fish (young), octopus, southern sting ray, lobster, spotted moray eel

Carine

Trish

large Puffer-fish (centre photo)

Green Sea Turtle

Bri

Southern Sting Ray

Lobster

Spotted Moray Eel

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The NIGHT DIVERS

Keith, Rodney (from Philippines originally, now Montreal Canada), Carine, Bruno

Carine & Bruno

Keith, Thor, Bri

Caribbean Pipe-fish & Thor (aka. Milan from Netherlands)

Stock photo

Caribbean Pipe-fish (zoomed-in)

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MONDAY

We moved. Dive 1 at the Corinthian Wreck. This site is repeated for dive 2; I’ll skip it. 

Moved again for dives 3-5; to Old Road Bay. 

camera station

electronics charging cabinet: cameras, computers, lights/torches

nitrox fill console

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My DIVE OUTFIT

... from the top (mostly)

Regulator Setup -  OCEANIC

Including: FDX IO 1st stage, DELTA 4 primary 2nd stage, AQUATIC PERFORMANCE octopus (emergency/backup reg), VEO 2.0 Dive Computer #1 with an SPG gauge & compass back and inflator/deflator hose

Skullcap -  NEOSPORT 2.5 mm neoprene 

Mask🤿 -  XS SCUBA GR Fusion 2 w. bifocals & neoprene strap

BCD -  OCEANIC Ocean Pro  

Including: A safety whistle, 2 x 1 lb weights in trim pouches (on tank strap), QLR3 integrated side pocket pouches, a surface buoy & reel, zippered pockets (may contain: neoprene gloves, probe stick, mask defogger)

Wetsuit - HENDERSON Thermaxx Titanium full 5 mm 

Dive Computer #2 - SHEARWATER Peregrine on wrist 

Flashlight🔦 - SCUBAPRO Nova 850R w. safety tether

Camera📷 - GOPRO Hero11 Black w. TELESIN handle & safety tether

Not shown: MEC neoprene socks/booties, SCUBAPRO JetSport Fins, a selection of: Lycra suits, rash-guards, trunks, headgear

Purchased: enriched air nitrox (32% oxygen) tank fills, tank light for night dives

Note on Weights: I usually begin a dive trip with 16 - 18 lbs of weight; all gear is bone dry and has often been stored for 6+ months. After several dives (4-6) and once my suit is fully saturated, I typically carry 10 - 12 lbs of weight to descend. With my personalized gear setup, this seems to be where I am most comfortable maintaining neutral buoyancy.

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The WILDLIFE (new this dive)

lionfish, sand diver, web burr-fish, trumpet-fish, spotted drum (adult), black & white seahorse, foureye butterflyfish, yellow sea-horse, fireworm

Mark @ the Corinthian Wreck

Lion-fish

Sand Diver

Web Burr-fish

Trumpet-fish w.Tube Sponges

Spotted Drum (adult)

Foureye Butterflyfish

Black & White Sea-horse

Yellow Sea-horse

Fireworm

Great Barracuda

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TUESDAY

Dives 1 & 2 at Heartbreak & Bikini Bottom. 

Then dive 3 after a move to Paradise Reef. 

Night crossing to Saba. 

St. Kitts

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The WILDLIFE (new this dive)

giraffe garden eels, barrel sponges (large), lobster, toad-fish, bridled burrfish, gray black angel-fish

Giraffe Garden Eels (zoom in)

Stock Photo

Giraffe Garden Eels (zoomed in)

Barrel Sponge

Lion-fish (black colour phase)

They are quite beautiful; aren't they? 

However, they are not indigenous to Caribbean waters, are quite invasive and are without predators. 

The red lionfish is a venomous coral reef fish in the family Scorpaenidae, order Scorpaeniformes. It is mainly native to the Indo-Pacific region, but has become an invasive species in the Caribbean Sea, as well as along the East Coast of the United States and East Mediterranean and also found in Brazil at Fernando de Noronha.

Bridled Burr-fish (centre, look closely)

Gray Black Angel-fish

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The DINING STATION

(l to r) Julian (chef, from Scotland), Dani, Carine, Mark, Bruno

Julian only pretended to be grumpy ... I think?

Overnight sail to Saba (volcanic island, horizon right)

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SABA

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WEDNESDAY, April 19

... A Night Crossing to Saba ...

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SABA

Official Status: Smallest Special Municipality of the KINGDOM of the NETHERLANDS and The Smallest Territory by Permanent Population in the Americas

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SABA, is a Caribbean island which is the smallest special municipality (officially “public body”) of the Netherlands. It consists largely of the active volcano Mount Scenery, which at 887 metres (2,910 ft) is the highest point of the entire Netherlands. The island lies in the northern Leeward Islands portion of the West Indies, southeast of the Virgin Islands. Together with Bonaire and Sint Eustatius it forms the BES Islands. Saba has a land area of 13 square kilometres. The population was 1,933 in January 2020, with a population density of 148 inhabitants per square kilometre (380/sq mi). It is the smallest territory by permanent population in the Americas. Its towns and major settlements are The Bottom (the capital), Windwardside, Zion's Hill and St. Johns. (Source: Wikipedia)

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A LAND TOUR

... and a video of  Saba In 1937 ... believe me; you want to watch this!

Zodiac ride to the SABA marina

Photo courtesy MHSpeights

SABA Marina

The ' Road that Could Not be Built '; took 20 years and was constructed using local manual labour.

SABA Airport (photo centre)

SABA Cemetery

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The DIVE SITES

Saba National Marine Park

A number of regulations ensure that the park's thriving aquatic life remains healthy. Zones divide the area according to acceptable uses. Commercial fishing is forbidden in certain places to prevent over-fishing. The reefs are protected from damage by 36 permanently anchored buoys where boats can moor. Scuba divers are not permitted to dive by themselves; they must dive with guides from one of Saba's three dive shops.

Protecting the Saba National Marine Park is not only an environmental consideration, it is also an economic concern. Tourism currently brings in more money to the island than any other industry, and the Saba National Marine Park is the biggest tourist draw.

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WEDNESDAY, April 19 to FRIDAY April 21

... Diving ...

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WEDNESDAY

Dives 1, 2 & 3 were at sites - Custom's House, Tent Wall & Ladder Labrinth. We tried to get to Diamond Rock for our dive 2 at the northern tip, however large white caps caused us to turn back. 

We still encountered some quite difficult current at Tent Wall (which was the optional dive 2 site). I probably burned through a few 100-psi fighting the strong current on the return swim to the boat. 

We were expecting to ride easy current on our return, but it turned 180 deg in direction during the dive; the strongest I’ve encountered in awhile … good lesson/experience. I now know I can accomplish a swim like that … even with one bum knee. 🙄

Terrance & Jonathan (from St. Kitts)

Custom's House (note the trail used to carry goods up)

Diamond Rock (tiny dot at centre horizon)

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The WILDLIFE (new this dive)

squirrel-fish, sea cucumber

Bruno (from Switzerland) w. a small turtle in background

Squirrel-fish

Photo courtesy Trish Rhoda

Sea Cucumber 

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THURSDAY

The boat returned to Diamond Rock for a 2^nd attempt. Some of us felt the current might turn as it did previously during the return to the boat and would be quite heavy once again; Trish, Mark and I opted out of that dive attempt.  

Photo courtesy MHSpeights

We were briefed on all dive sites.

Turned out this was a great dive; easily one of the better dives of the trip. Current was manageable.

Diamond Rock (above from boat)

Diamond Rock (underwater looking up)

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The WILDLIFE (new this dive)

black grouper, rock beauty, blue head wrasse, scorpion-fish, honeycomb cow-fish, tarpon, queen trigger-fish    

                                                                                                                                             

Rock Beauty w. brain coral near head

Scorpion-fish

Honeycomb Cow-fish

Blue-head Wrasse (lower left) w. barrel sponge

Queen Trigger-fish

Tarpon (hiding under same dark ledge shown in next photo)

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SINT MAARTEN

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FRIDAY April 21

... Diving & an afternoon crossing to SINT MAARTEN ...

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SINT MAARTEN

Official Status: A Constituent Country; an Overseas Country and Territory of the KINGDOM of the NETHERLANDS

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Sint Maarten is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in the Caribbean. With a population of 41,486 as of January 2019 on an area of 41.44 km2 (16.00 sq mi), it encompasses the southern 44% of the divided island of Saint Martin, while the northern 56% of the island constitutes the French overseas collectivity of Saint Martin. Sint Maarten's capital is Philipsburg. Collectively, Sint Maarten and the other Dutch islands in the Caribbean are often called the Dutch Caribbean.

Before 10 October 2010, Sint Maarten was known as the Island Territory of Sint Maarten, and was one of six island territories that constituted the Netherlands Antilles. Sint Maarten has the status of an overseas country and territory (OCT) and is not part of the European Union.

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FRIDAY

Skipped the 5 am call for a dawn dive. 

Did dive 2 at the Saba Tent Reef site; not good, heavy current at the bottom, not fun, murky visibility, surfaced after 34 minutes with 1900 psi in the tank … not a great dive but another good learning experience for me.

Early afternoon crossing to Sint Maarten. Afternoon at leisure and dinner ashore, with night spent aboard vessel at dock.

A few random photos ...

**************************      A Final Dinner Together      *****************************

Clockwise (bottom left to right)

Jeri & Keith, Thor, Dann, Trish, Carine & Bruno, Dani, Mark

A Video Summary 

  

Video by MHSpeights

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My Final Statistics 

Firsts: live-aboard, breathing nitrox, 3 & 4 tank days

Number of Open Water Dives = 15

Number of Dive Sites = 12

Deepest Dive = 90 feet

Longest Dive = 63 min

Dive Sites :  Monkey Shoals, River Taw Wreck, Corinthian Wreck, Old Road Bay,                   Heartbreak, Bikini Bottom, Paradise Reef, Custom's House, Tent Wall, 

   Ladder Labrinth, Diamond Rock, Tent Reef

Best Dive Site: Diamond Rock

Total Underwater Time = 12 hr 25 min

Countries / Territories Visited: St. Kitts & Nevis, Saba, Sint Maarten 

Nautical Miles Sailed = 65

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Photo Courtesy MHSpeights

  

You can follow all our travels here.

  

Photography: I used a GoPro 11 Hero Black in a Telesin diver case. This is my first foray into underwater photography. All photography is mine unless credited. 

Two divers from this trip that have contributed some great photo and video content to this blog ...  are Mark Hall Speights and Trish Rhoda; thank you both. Mark used an iPhone 14 Pro in a SeaLife SportDiver case.

Photo Editing: I used the Dive + app to edit and restore natural colouration to the underwater photos.

For all photos from this trip see our Trip160 gallery.

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