Nautilus Belle Amie Guadalupe

Overview

The Nautilus Belle Amie is a luxurious, stabilised, modern vessel custom built for divers to the same SOLAS standards as the largest ocean-going cruise ships in the world.

With a steel hull and superstructure,  the spacious and comfortable Nautilus Belle Amie accommodates from 28-32 guests. Run by a dedicated and enthusiastic crew from around the world, Nautilus Belle Amie has one of the largest and most spacious interiors in this class of liveaboard.

Nautilus Belle Amie is a new build, launched in 2015. This is the largest ship in the Nautilus fleet and she dwarfs her competition. Guests enjoy the ultra quiet rooms, extreme spaciousness and comfortable, stabilised ride.

ACCOMMODATION

The lower deck has eight comfy staterooms with various bed configurations (single and double occupancy). An affordable triple occupancy stateroom is also available. The Nautilus Belle Amie has six superior suites with large double windows  on the upper deck. Two spacious premium suites are available on the main deck. These rooms have ensuites with double sinks, large windows, plenty of sunlight, a large storage area and personal flat screen TV.

There are windows and / or portholes in every room. Bathrooms have showers in all suites and staterooms.

SPECIFICATION

• 44 x 10 metre ocean-going dive boat
• Built in 2007 by Bollinger Shipyards, USA
• Steel hull and superstructure, Stabilised, 11 knot maximum service speed
• ISM audited by Bureau Veritas
• Water capacity: Unlimited with high capacity watermaker
• Compressors: 2 x water cooled Coltri MC-30
• Rebreather friendly
• Dive skiffs: 3 x high speed large inflatables
• Passengers: 28-32 guests
• Crew: 12
• Spacious, comfortable and stable
• Satphone, email & internet access

SAFETY

All safety equipment is first class and certified to the same exacting international SOLAS and ISM standards as the largest cruise ship.

Schedules & prices

Dive info

PLEASE NOTE: The Guadalupe Marine Park is currently closed, please contact us for alternative options. 

Guadalupe Island is a volcanic island 150 miles off the west coast of Baja California and outperforms every other great white shark destination with shark-seeing consistency and beautiful diving conditions.

Dive to 10 Metres and Go Face to Face with Great White Sharks!

Great white shark encounters at Guadalupe Island are nothing short of spectacular. Guadalupe feels like a remote outpost at the end of the earth, but is actually quite easy to get to. It’s the best destination in the world for calm, clear water and a consistently high probability of multiple shark encounters per day.

The sheer number of animals in the bay is jaw-droppingly amazing. Guests are likely to see two to three on most dives. The bay itself is home to over 200 recognised individuals, ranging from 12 to 19 feet long! At times, guests have seen as many as nine sharks on one dive—and that’s because Guadalupe is just the sort of place where magic regularly happens in the water.

Unlike traditional shark cages, Nautilus Liveaboards use submersible cages that descend down to 30 feet where the sharks naturally congregate.  A permitted wrangling platform is also used and action in the surface cages can be just as exciting!

Even the island itself, 180 miles from the Mexico coastline, seems magical. The coast of Guadalupe is 25 miles of rocky cliffs, but above this is dense forest, giving it the feel of an exotic, South Pacific destination. You can expect between 125 and 150 feet of visibility. You can literally see the sharks come in from beyond the anchor line. Nothing but clear, cobalt blue water.

This experience isn’t limited to advanced divers. You don’t need to be a certified scuba diver to join, although it is recommend that you take a Discover Scuba Diving course prior to your trip, and that you possess a strong in-water comfort.

All certified divers will have the opportunity for a minimum of three dives per day in the submersible cages—and your trip includes the opportunity for unlimited time in the surface cages. Divemasters are in the water during every submersible-cage dive to ensure your safety. The surface cages open at 6.30am and diving in the submersible cages begins at 8.00am. Both are available until dusk.

The overall aim is to keep guests safe, and also to protect the growing shark population. The dive guides and crew teach and ask for responsible shark interactions that do not impact or change the behavior of these magnificent animals. Oil, chum or blood is not used. A piece of tuna, wrapped in a burlap sack, is all that the sharks need to know that we have arrived.

These conservation efforts also continue at night when guests kick back in the salon and identify who we spent the day with. Should you realise that you hung out with a great white shark not yet catalogued, yes, the naming rights are all yours!

BEST period to travel

Guadalupe Island trips are only available from July - November when the sharks are in the area. July and August features rowdy gangs of male sharks. Female great whites start showing up in October and November.

CLIMATE

The climate is tropical sub humid with summer rains throughout the archipelago. Guadalupe Island also has a tropical semi-dry climate zone and a subtropical sub humid climate zone with occasional summer rains. 

WATER VISIBILITY

The visibility throughout the liveaboard season (November – May) is variable with the lowest visibility occurring during November and December when it can drop from 30-40m to around 15-20m.

FLIGHT INFORMATION 

For trips to Guadalupe, the best flight option is the direct flight to San Diego in the USA, from Gatwick. These flights are daily. Alternatively, these is the option of flying via Mexico City to Ensenada, where the liveaboards depart.

PASSPORTS & VISAS

All non-US citizens travelling to the USA will need to obtain a US visa or Electronic System of Travel Authorization (ESTA) at least 72 hours prior to travel. Travellers without the required visa or ESTA may be denied flight boarding. Citizens of 37 countries, including most European nations, Australia, New Zealand and Japan are eligible for the ESTA and can apply for these online. There is a charge of $14 and the issued authorisation is valid for 2 years and allows for multiple entries into US territories within that period.

British passport holders visiting Mexico as a tourist don’t need a visa, but you do need a tourist card, which you can get on arrival by completing an immigration form available at border crossings or on-board flights to Mexico. Immigration officials at the port of entry may ask to see proof of your departure plans from Mexico before allowing you entry to the country, although this isn’t a formal entry requirement.

Always check for last minute changes in entry requirements at the Foreign & Commonwealth website. Nationalities other than British citizens should check with their own consular office.

Please always check your own entry requirements, regardless of your nationality.

Passport Validity

Passengers travelling to Mexico must have a minimum of six months validity on their passport from the date of entry into Mexico. 

Note: If you are travelling to Mexico via the US, even if you are only transiting, you must check the US entry requirements. If you do not have the correct authorisation you will not be allowed to travel to or transit through the US.

AIRPORT TAX

There’s a departure tax of circa £50 when leaving Mexico by air. Some airlines include this in ticket prices.

VACCINATIONS & HEALTH INFORMATION

There are no compulsory vaccinations, but we recommend protection against typhoid, tetanus, hepatitis A and rabies. The risk of malaria in Mexico is generally very low and therefore anti-malarials are not required for travel to the Playa del Carmen or Cozumel area. 

However, there is a moderate risk in some south western parts of the country. If you intend to travel beyond the Yucatan Peninsula we would recommend that you contact a travel clinic for the most up to date advice.

Vaccination requirements are subject to change and should be confirmed before departure. For the most up to date advice please consult your travel clinic. 

Further information regarding vaccinations for travel to this country can be found at www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk and from your local healthcare provider.

Itineraries

Please note that liveaboard itineraries can change without notice. The itinerary will depend on several factors including, but not limited to, weather, diving ability of guests & the number of other boats already present at the various dive sites. All dive sites visited are subject to weather conditions and are at the discretion of your dive guides and vessel captain.

Guadalupe Island liveaboards embark from Ensenada, Mexico.

The Nautilus team will meet guests in San Diego, CA and then travel by coach to board the ship docked at Ensenada, Mexico. Alternatively, guests can also meet the Nautilus directly in Ensenada, but the San Diego option is more popular.

Nautilus Guadalupe Island Itinerary - 5 or 6 nights 

In addition to Guadalupe Island, this vessel also offers Socorro Islands trips: 

Nautilus Socorro Island Itinerary - 8 or 9 nights         

Nautilus Socorro Combo Expedition - 10 or 12 nights

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