Nautilus Swell

The captain and crew of the Nautilus Swell invite you to join them on a liveaboard scuba diving adventure as they travel to Alaska and British Columbia where you will experience some of the greatest biodiversity in the world. Call your favorite airline and travel to northern waters for an amazing opportunity to climb onto icebergs, observe the bubble net feeding routine of humpback whales, and dive in waters replete with Steller Sea Lions, Pacific White-sided Dolphins, and giant Octopuses, and see such wrecks as the Princess Kathleen and Princess Sophia. You will dive amazing walls covered with brightly covered corals. The macro life is equally stunning. While navigating thick forests of Bull Whip Kelp, you will see Red Irish Lords, Strawberry Anemones, Grunt Sculpins, and Sea Pens. Enormous grizzly bears and soaring eagles alike will thrill you in their natural habitats.

The Nautilus Swell vacation lends itself to diving quite easily with the use of a dive skiff that serves as the ship’s dive deck, just one step down from the mother ship. The strong currents and steep topography provide diving challenges that are best handled by more experienced divers. Less experienced scuba divers may be limited to certain dive sites. A drysuit is recommended to keep you adequately warm during dives, as are either dry-gloves or 3-finger mitts. The trips to British Columbia offer three dives per day. The Alaskan trip may offer up to 3-4 dives on dive days, while on another day you will be navigating a fjord choked with glaciers and icebergs.

During the summer, surface temperatures can range from 60° to 78°F (15°-25°C), and water temperatures are between 46° and 50° F (7.7° -10° C). Note, too, that it can rain at any time along the coast. Except during the occasional plankton bloom, visibility is typically 40-100 feet (12-30 m.), although the Nautilus Swell is always prepared to move so as to remain in areas of good visibility. Because of the enormous upswellings of ocean nutrients, the invertebrate life in Alaska and British Columbia is amazing.
Alaska
With some of the best cold water diving in the world, scuba diving in Alaska is something every diver should experience. The animal life both topside and below the surface is amazing; you will observe large pelagics and plenty of deep sea critters when diving, and Humpback Whales, soaring Bald Eagles, and Grizzly Bears above water. All this combined with absolutely stunning scenery presents photo opportunities everywhere you turn. Whale watching, kayaking, and hiking ashore are also included as part of your trip to beautiful Alaska.
The Nautilus Swell offers a variety of trip lengths, including 8 days / 7 nights, 11 days / 10 nights, 13 days / 12 nights, and 15 days /14 nights, departing from either Juneau or Sitka (note: twice each season departures are from Ketchikan). Diving is usually limited to three dives per day, as dives are planned around the slack tides. Night dives are not available on the Alaskan itinerary. The itinerary and the number of dives you can make each day are subject to the Captain’s discretion as well as sea and weather conditions. Because of this, each excursion may travel a different itinerary so as to ensure guests enjoy the absolute best diving conditions.
Your trip aboard the Nautilus Swell may include any or all of the following. One day you will dive at Baranoff Island and relax in the hot springs there. Another day you will do a secret Jelly Fish dive that some claim is better than that in Palau. You will then move on to dive at Wooden Island and find the secret Wolf Eel location. At Le Conte you will witness amazing calving glaciers and icebergs. Pt. Adolphus offers whale watching, as does Inian Island where you will also be able to dive with Sea Lions. Another day you will dive the wrecks of the Princess Sophia and the Princess Kathleen.
British Columbia

British Columbia, with its incredible color and amazing diversity of life, offers some of the best cold water diving in the world. Vertical walls covered in vibrant corals, giant kelp forests, tons of Nudibranchs, Wolf Eels, and Giant Pacific Octopus all combine to make an amazing adventure dive where photo opportunities abound.

The Nautilus Swell is the only liveaboard dive boat operating in British Columbia. Most trips here are 8-day / 7-night. You will enjoy up to three dives per day and an occasional night dive, as dives are planned around the slack tides. The itinerary and the number of dives you can make each day are subject to the Captain’s discretion as well as sea and weather conditions. Because of this, each excursion may travel a different itinerary so as to ensure guests enjoy the absolute best diving conditions.

This trip usually boards in Port Hardy, located at the north end of Vancouver Island. Your sample itinerary to British Columbia includes diving at Shushartie Bay and Browning Pass. Depending on the tides and level of group experience, you may also dive Seymour Inlet and Nakwakto. Also included are Stubbs Island and Pearse Islands.

The crew of the Nautilus Swell strives to provide scuba divers and vacationers with the highest quality and most innovative liveaboard experience possible. In addition to unmatched scuba diving, guests aboard the Swell will enjoy excellent accommodations and delicious meals as part of their vacation package, as they travel to the best diving locations in the Pacific North West in safety and comfort.