Saturday:       
Your week begins by arriving in Mayaguez or at the modern San Juan International Airport which is serviced by several airlines with regular jet service. Since Puerto Rico and the Mona Islands are commonwealth territory of the United States, typical immigration and customs hassles are non-existent for US citizens. If you choose to fly to San Juan, there are several transfer options for the 3 hour ride to the west coast port of Mayaguez. One may rent a car, arrange for a private transfer, or ride in a shared van with other Nekton guests (please call the office for price and also note that the shared shuttle may require a wait as other Nekton guests arrive.) Taxis are available from the Port of Mayaguez to the quaint shops and cafes of old Mayaguez. Dinner is served onboard and boarding begins at 7:00 pm.   Later that night the vessel gets underway for the first destination of Isla Desecheo.

Sunday:      
Isla Desecheo is a tall mountain-like island with steeply rising slopes and a low-lying shoreline including a couple of beautiful protected coves which are  great for kayaking. The lee side or western shore diving includes shallow patch reefs with profiles to 10 feet. This will be your first introduction to the prolific basket sponges of this unique area. Everywhere you look, you will see basket sponges of all sizes in both individual stands and mass colonies. Your first morning dives will typically be on the choppier north side, weather permitting, at a very dramatic site called Hobbit House. Here you will enjoy many swim-throughs under island-born boulders morphed by centuries of reef building. The end result is an enchanting odyssey not soon forgotten. The morning will pass all too quickly as even two dives will not seem like enough to fully explore this area. The afternoon will usually see the vessel move to the Eastern sites with easy, shallow day and night dives as well as kayaking, and snorkeling.

Tuesday:
Your day starts with a first look at Mona Island diving on the southwest side of the island. Here is your first introduction to the numerous turtles of the area including the endangered Hawksbill and Leatherback. Be sure to look for tags under their front flippers as the four island rangers, the Department of Natural Resources and the Puerto Rican Universities do a great job of tracking the local populations. The afternoon brings the boat to that “One Particular Harbor” with great shallow diving.

Thursday:  
Enjoy a morning drift dive off Isla Monito for some colorful and dramatic cliff diving. Isla Monito, the smallest and most vertical of the islands, is so steep and deep that mooring or anchoring is not possible. There is the possibility of seeing just about anything here where the Atlantic meets the Caribbean Sea.

Friday:
Morning dive at “The Isthmus” (80’) and afternoon dives at Boqueron Reef (50’-65’) along the southwest coast of Puerto Rico. A beautiful sandy beach lined with palm trees and a quaint town has made Boqueron a favorite for locals and cruising yachtsmen alike. The bay is shallow, protected and accommodates scores of sailboats. Enjoy an evening ashore where you’ll find many inexpensive restaurants and bars and a couple of more “civilized” options. This is a great spot to unwind from a week at sea. Enjoy some music and a “cheeseburger in paradise” or John’s recommendation, “lobster sauce pasta” at Galloways. Remember dinner is on your own on Friday evening in Boqueron.

Saturday:
The boat arrives back at the dock. Disembarkation is at 8:00 am. We will transport you and your gear back to the airport in San Juan.
    
Please schedule flights AFTER 3:00 PM to allow time for arrival back to the San Juan airport. and REMEMBER DAN’s recommended waiting period between repetitive diving and flying.