Liveaboards
The word ‘liveaboard’ is given to boat diving where you embark for a week or more and live and dive from the boat. Commonly you will dive 3 dives a day, plus a night dive on some days meaning you could complete 18 to 20 scuba dives in a week. They are generally a ‘no shoes’ week.
Things to consider
There are a number of factors to consider before booking a trip:
1. Diving experience. Often the boats will go to dives sites only accessible by boat and these can be the sites with faster currents, are deeper or involve diving from a Gemini into the blue and descend and ascend with no visual reference. Most liveaboard booking companies ask that divers have completed a minimum of 50 dives before embarking on a liveaboard trip.
2. Seasickness. You will be in the open sea and once out of site of land it is not unusual for there to be bigger waves and at least a swaying motion. If you get seasick easily you should consider this and seek medical advice before booking.
3. Close proximity to others. It can be great if you go with your dive club or a group or even with your partner but you should bear in mind that whilst there is usually sufficient space onboard for a quiet time you are on a small boat with around 20 other people and the crew for a week.
4. Equipment. If you don’t have all your own equipment you need to hire it in advance and ensure all equipment works before you travel. You may wish to consider taking common spares e.g. spare mask, fin strap, tank insert as in general the boats don’t carry the gear that would be available at a dive resort.
Choices
These days liveaboard trips are available at most coral reef areas. The most popular with Brits being the Red Sea Liveaboards which embark in Sharm, Hurghada and Port Ghalib.
If you want to venture elsewhere try scuba diving liveaboards in The Maldives, Borneo, Galapagos, Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Oman or Australia.
The experience
What should you expect on a week’s liveaboard? Dive, dive, dive! Yes that’s right most divers go to dive as much as possible often starting with a wakeup call at 7 a.m. or earlier! Diving at or before 8.
The daily routine can often look like a wakeup call at 7 or earlier, dive before breakfast at 8 a.m.; then breakfast, sleep then dive at 11:00. Lunch follows with a third dive at 3 – 4 p.m. and depending on the dive site, weather and where the boat will be overnight, a night dive at 7 p.m. with dinner at 9.
However you don’t have to do every dive, it is your call. Liveaboard trips tend to be all inclusive and the only extras you may have to pay for are nitrox, alcohol and the hire of a torch.
The dive sites, as they are mostly out at sea, although on submerged coral reefs or wrecks have a lush deep blue background and a colourful array of marine life and coral. As you are out at sea in deeper water you can access the more likely places to see the larger pelagics and sightings of sharks, manta rays and dolphins are quite common.
The après diving, as far as it goes (meaning we’re diving the next morning at 8 and lots of party party doesn’t tend to mix well with lots of diving and you are on the boat, there is no going ashore to the local bar and club) can be great fun and if with a dive club the obligatory banter. It can also be a great week to meet new addicted to diving fellow divers.
Most divers return from a liveaboard trip very excited, happy and eager to book their next trip.
bruce has dived for 15 years and is a PADI divemaster and underwater photographer
