Specialist in great white shark cage diving at Guadalupe Island
All shark cage diving gear included in price
Operates short 4 night trips from San Diego
Floating cage and submerged cage
Communal bathrooms
PLAY VIDEO
Operating out of San Diego, MV Islander liveaboard focuses exclusively on Mexico's Guadalupe Island during great white shark season, running cage diving trips of 4 nights duration. This 88ft (27m) monohull boat takes a maximum of 20 guests on unforgettable charters full of encounters with these kings of the sea.
Refurbished annually, MV Islander is a comfortable, if not luxurious, liveaboard vessel. There is an air-conditioned saloon and dining area on the main deck which is the main social area. Here you can enjoy the TV, DVD and reading library so you can be fully informed about everything to do with the great whites before you get to Guadalupe. The sun deck is also a great place to hang out and provides a good vantage point for seeing the action in the water.
The cabins on the lower deck are mostly twin share and all are the same price. Toilets and showers are communal. The focus is solely on the magnificent shark action around Guadalupe Island and you can enjoy 3 full days of shark cage diving using either or both the floating cage or the submerged cage. What is guaranteed is that you will leave with memories and photographs of some of the most exciting underwater encounters imaginable. If you are one of the many divers who longs for such a trip then MV Islander might be the right choice for you.
The Islander has 10 Stateroom cabins on the lower deck. All cabins have twin bunk beds and shared bathrooms.
There are 2 shared bathrooms on board - 1 along the cabin passageway and 1 on the dive deck.
All the cabins have:
Air-conditioning
Hand basin (no towels or toiletries)
Portholes
Reading lights
Cabinet, shelves and mirror
2 flat pin sockets for 110V electricity
Bedding and luggage space
Fire extinguisher
Fire warning system
No. of bathrooms / showers - 2 / 2 - hot water
Guadalupe Island (6 Days / 5 Nights - 0 Dives)
Trip highlights: great white sharks, seals/sea lions, onboard experts on great white sharks
Dive sites and activities: Great white shark cage diving.
Day 1
Boarding of the MV Islander begins at 20:00 hrs, Fisherman’s Landing dock, San Diego. Passengers are assigned to their cabins and drinks and snacks are served. The boat departs at 22:00 hrs for Ensenada for a mandatory customs and immigration procedures. The captain and/or divemaster will introduce the crew and give boat safety and emergency procedures.
Day 2
A breakfast of pancakes and eggs will also be yours to enjoy, while waiting for the Mexican officials to finalize paperwork in Ensenada. Once customs clearance in complete, you will depart for Guadalupe Island. Travel time to Guadalupe Island is around 23 hours. It will be reached just before dawn. A fully stocked video library and informative books about the great white sharks will help you pass the time during the long journey, but you can also watch for whales, dolphins and other marine life that are commonly encountered on the way. Morning snacks, lunch, hors d’oeuvres and dinner will be served while at sea. Wine and beer are available in the afternoon and evening.
Days 3-5
For the next 3 days the dive cages will be lowered in the water and divers can start using them, after a briefing by the divemasters. Guadalupe is the best destination in the world for seeing great white sharks as it has calm and clear water, with high chances to see the big predators several times each day. You will soon get used to the hourly rotation in place: scuba divers usually spend 1 hour in the surface cages before getting back on board, download pictures on to their computers while having some snacks and waiting for their turn in the cage again. For the submersible shark cage: 1 diver and a divemaster, with a 30 minute rotation. The crew is very helpful in getting everyone in and out of the water safely. At night all guests and crew meet in the saloon and identify the sharks that have been seen throughout the day.
The food served during your safari is a mix of Mexican and western style cuisine. A continental breakfast at 07:00 hrs features fresh baked goods, a fruit plate, homemade granola, cereals, yoghurt, toast, fresh orange or mango juice, and oatmeal. Fresh baked mid-morning snacks are served usually at around 09:30 hrs, while lunch is at 12:00 hrs: Grilled tri-tip with risotto and asparagus; Cornish game hens with grilled vegetables and wild rice; Belgian waffles with fresh berries and whipped cream are just few samples of what to expect during your fantastic safari.
Fresh fruit, chips and nuts are available all day. All beverages, including house beer and wine are also complimentary. A steward served dinner at 19:00 hrs will be the right moment to socialize more with the other guests on board, all shark lovers like you.
In the afternoon of the final full day the boat will start its way back to Ensenada.
Day 6
Arrival time at Ensenada is always subject to the weather and therefore there might be delays, but usually it is around 09:00 hrs, after having breakfast. After customs clearance the boat departs for San Diego. Lunch will be served onboard before your arrival in San Diego and final disembarkation at around 20:00 hrs.
[Information is best estimate in ideal circumstances and subject to changes beyond our control. The itinerary is a guide only and may be adapted to best suit the weather, tides, currents, availability and other prevailing events. Price is for the cruise, not for an exact number of dives].
The charter crew of 8 comprise:
Cruise Leader
Instructor
Divemaster
Captain
First Mate/Steward
Cook
Engineer
Deck Hand
688ft² (64m²) Dive deck & 86ft² (8m²) platform with ladders, rinse tanks, hot water shower and toilet - Camera table & separate rinse tank - Main deck air-conditioned saloon and dining area with TV, DVD, movie library, marine & general books, games - Satellite telephone - Partially-shaded upper deck with cushioned seating - Drinking water dispenser
MV Islander brings a lot of food on each trip for the sharks but also aims to keeps its guests well-fed too. The menu consists of international dishes with a wide range of influences and features a lot of fresh fish. A pre-breakfast, a cooked breakfast, lunch and dinner are complimented by snacks, beer and wine, all of which are included. As you might expect from a U.S. operation, food is considered a top priority.
International cuisine meals - 1-3 different dishes per sitting.
Steward served dining in the air-conditioned saloon.
Pre-breakfast, breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks are provided.
Snacks, fruit, soft drinks, beer, wine, coffee, tea, drinking water are all provided free of charge.
All dietary requirements can be catered for - please send advanced notice.
Cruise dining service begins on boarding.
Meal examples: Grilled tri-tip with risotto and asparagus; Cornish game hens with grilled vegetables and wild rice; Belgian waffles with fresh berries and whipped cream ...
Built in year 1967, upgraded in 2002
Refurbished annually
Size - 88ft x 24ft (26.8m x 7.3m)
Weight - 92 tonnes
Top speed - 11 knots
Cruising speed - 9 knots
Fuel capacity - 12,870 liters
Waste storage tank
2 x 355 HP Cummins engines
2 x 65 KW John Deere generators
2 x Bauer dive tank compressors
12 liter aluminum scuba tanks with DIN valves
Electricity 110V 24 hours per day
Water capacity - 2,270 liters
Fresh watermaker - 6,000 liters per day
US coast guard inspected vessel. Part of US Coast Guard's network.
Life raft (30 pax)
VHF & SSB radios
2 GPS - Garmin & Magellan
Furuno sounder
Sperry autopilot
Searchlight & horn
Satellite phone
Full alarm system
Fire extinguishers throughout
2 Furuno radars
Wesmar 800 sonar
Plotter
EPIRB
Bilge pump alarm
This operator has not confirmed the presence, or quantity of, oxygen on their liveaboard boat
Medic first aid box
Entire crew is STCW certified
Life jackets in saloon
DEPARTURE SCHEDULE & PRICES
Loading...
MORE TRIP DETAILS
Notes: Guadalupe is a popular destination with limited liveaboard spaces. We recommend you book well in advance to avoid disappointment.
Dive experience: These trips are open to all guests, with or without scuba licenses.
Cruise price per person includes: Cabin accommodation, breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, drinking water, soft drinks, hot drinks, beer and wine, dives (as detailed in the charters above), experienced English-speaking divemasters, tanks, weights and weightbelts, wetsuits, masks, weights and all related shark cage diving gear, Guadalupe Island Biosphere permit, Mexican tourist visa, ports fees and Mexican taxes on cruise price.
Cruise price per person excludes (mandatory, unless customer provides own): None.
Optional extras: Transfers to the boat from the hotel or airport, dive insurance. Unless otherwise stated, all the listed items need to be paid on arrival.
How to get there: The M/V Islander liveaboard trips depart from San Diego at 22:00 hrs with a mandatory Mexican immigration check-in at Ensenada. The boat departs from the Fisherman’s Landing dock located at 2838 Garrison Street in San Diego, boarding at 20:00 hrs. After clearing immigration and customs, the boat departs from the port in Ensenada at 09:30 hrs, bound for Guadalupe. The journey takes just under 24 hours. The last dive is done approximately at 15:00 hrs on the last day of diving, prior to sailing back to Ensenada. After a morning customs clearance, the boat departs for San Diego, where you can disembark at around 8 pm. Flight reservations out of San Diego are only recommended the following day as USA Immigration can cause delays.
Non-diver rate: No discount.
Single supplement (if you do not want to share accommodation): This is optional - single travelers may choose to share a cabin or pay a supplement of USD200 off of the published price.
Dive clubs and group discounts: Pay for 6 guests and 1 extra person can join the cruise in a Standard cabin free of charge (total 7 or more guests).
Whole boat charter rate (per night): USD8 000.
Click to view product. Special discounted trips highlighted in yellow
