After n
early 250 dives and I have never taken a trip on a live-a-board boat.
Most divers, at this stage, give you strange looks, not believing me or thinking I don't like boats. I do like boats – I'm a qualified day skipper and spend many a happy weekend “messing about” on the Solent – I've dived from day boats on many occasions - so boats are not the issue.
My worry is being stuck for 7 to 10 days on a boat of boring, or noisy, or (pick a phobia) people with no escape.
March 2016 and I've now committed to the dive trip of a life time for 10 days on a live-a-board and I'm worried. The group I'm going with I know, but 10 days stuck together – how will we get on? Will we get on each others nerves? What will the other people on the boat be like? This may not end up well!
I need not have worried. What a great time!
The gang got on fabulously and the only time I stopped laughing was when I was asleep or under water (though there were times under water). The rest of the guests on the boat were seasoned live-a-boarders and where accommodating and friendly.
The crew of the boat where helpful, friendly and just brilliant.
I'm converted.
Don't get me wrong, there can still be problems, BUT, these are normal travel problems (our flights to and from the resort are another story!) and these are NORMAL problems you would face on any trip and not specific to the live-a-board.
Couple of things that I found different on a live-a-board diving to a normal shore based diving.
Ease. The diving is so easy – no dragging kit around every day, no getting up in the wee small hours to get the coach to catch the bus to get to the boat to get to the dive site.
Time. Precious time to relax, to unwind, to read, to chat, to socialise, to sunbathe, to sleep (a confirmed insomniac who only sleeps 5 hours a day sleeping for 11 hours!) - time.
Great fun, great diving, great people, just a great time – I've changed my mind so much about diving on a live-a-board boat I've already booked my next trip and am planning next years.
Do you want to come with us?