Clay McCardell from Explorer Ventures has a dream diving vacation for every diver to add to his or her Bucket List!
There’s a good chance once you take one of these amazing dive ventures, you’ll become a repeat customer, like so many of McCardell’s clientele. It started with his pioneer vessel Caribbean Explorer in 1987, and soon many worldwide diving awards came pouring in!
These are spacious dive liveaboards from 105ft/32m, to 148ft/45m with accommodations for 16 to 22 guests.
Why do divers choose the Explorer Ventures Fleet: Set up your gear once and it’s ready for the entire trip. No long boat rides to sites — you live there. Dive up to five times a day on sites day boats can’t reach. Meals, accommodations, beverages, diving, and air fills, are all included at low per-night package prices. Great camaraderie with guests and crew, and plenty of dive buddies for individual travelers.
The vessels and their destinations:
Caribbean Explorer II replaced the first boat, and now ranges from St Maarten to St Kitts.
Turks & Caicos Explorer goes to Providenciales, West Caicos and French Cay.
Humboldt Explorer migrates through the Galapagos Islands, from Darwin & Wolf Islands to Cousins Rock, North Seymour and San Cristobal.
Majestic Explorer will soon be in Galapagos and cruise from Darwin and Wolf Islands down to Punta Vincinte Roca, Cabo Douglas, and back around to Cousins Rock, North Seymour and Baltra.
Carpe Vita Explorer and Carpe Nova Explorer both range through the Maldives Atolls, with itineraries designed to take advantage of the conditions. Travel as far north as Haa Dhaalu Atoll down through Male’, and past the Equator south to Fuvahmulah and Addu Atolls.
Raja Manta Explorer in Indonesia, explores many islands around Ambon, Banda, Sangalaki and Raja Ampat. Blue Manta Explorer also dives the above, and adds the Forgotten Islands and more to Komodo.
Clay is the kind of person you like immediately, and as we talked about Explorer Ventures, he reflected on everything from inspiring kids to see dolphins, whales and even elephants, when he lived in the midwest USA. He has a history of employing captains, crew and chefs for the long term. He said:
“Fantastic food is served aboard the boats, even octopus which is popular in Indonesia. But I don’t eat anything that’s smarter than me!”
