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Never
before has a subject caused such spirited
conversation among divers: a land-based
versus a liveaboard dive vacation.
Supporters of each have debated this
issue again and again. Arguments for
each are strong and make sense.
 Liveaboard
dive vacations offer fantastic diving
to remote, exotic locals. Land-based
vacations are the perfect way to combine
diving with inland sightseeing while
gaining educational insight about
the country being visited. Some say
land based vacations are the diver's
best choice while others say that
a liveaboard trip is the only way
to go.
Let's
review some considerations that should
be addressed when planning a dive
vacation focusing on advantages and
disadvantages of land versus sea.
The question which really needs to
be answered is "What's best for
you?".
 INDIVIDUALITY
Diver
know thy self. As mentioned in our
previous articles of the Travelling
Diver, different people have different
expectations of what a dive vacation
should be. When planning your vacation,
it is important to thoroughly examine
your own unique situation. Things
you need to consider are your level
of dive experience, your personal
likes and dislikes, travel experience,
and your travelling companion, if
applicable.
Your
level of dive experience should be
an important factor in your vacation
selection regardless of whether it
is a land based or liveaboard trip.
Are you a novice with just a few dives
under your belt or are you an old
salt with ten years of dive experience
looking for big fish and even bigger
thrills? Your vacation selection should
properly match your qualifications.
Some
folks will prefer a trip which comes
with an "escape" clause.
This means a vacation which provides
the freedom to do what you want when
you want. With any land-based operation,
whether it accommodates sixteen or
160, there will be a defined boat
diving schedule. The only way around
this is if you happen to be the only
guest registered for diving during
your stay. In this case, the schedule
may be flexible to accommodate your
personal preferences. Being realistic,
aside from the diving, you can arrange
your trip where the remainder of the
decisions are left to you. These decisions
may include: where, when, and what
you eat; choosing topside activities;
opportunities for sightseeing; and
the nightlife you wish to experience.
If you like a variety of options in
all of these categories, you'll be
much happier at a large resort at
a somewhat commercially developed
destination. Remember, with a small
group on a liveaboard or when staying
at an intimate resort in a remote
location, schedules sometimes dictate
when and what you will eat along with
restricted day and evening activities.
Of course this may be exactly what
you are looking for; just diving and
relaxing wilh no decisions to make.
If you want to stay active, there's
always the dive cruise ship which
supposedly combines the best of both
worlds. If you are considering this
route, make sure you understand exactly
how often you will be given the opportunity
to dive and how the schedules and
logistics are planned. Define exactly
what you want to do on your vacation,
then match your desires accordingly.
If
you are considering a liveaboard,
you will need to evaluate your personality,
and be honest! Are you a tolerant
person who gets along easily with
all types of people? There aren't
many places to hide or ways to avoid
a conflicting personality 200 miles
out at sea. It would be a shame to
have your entire vacation ruined by
a single person who was having a great
time just being himself.
If
you are travelling alone and you have
a special interest, you should make
some inquiries before you go. For
example, a photographer should ask
about the nature of a liveaboard trip
before signing on. There can be nothing
more frustrating than planning a week
of photography only to find that the
remaining nineteen on board are hunters.
On the other hand, for some individuals,
a liveaboard is the perfect choice
because it enables them to join in
easily with a small group who share
the same interests. A camaraderie
usually develops on board which is
less likely to occur at a large resort
where an individual can get lost in
the crowd. If travelling with a non-diving
companion, a land-based trip will
most likely suit you best. Those not
interested in diving will enjoy the
freedom of shopping, sightseeing,
and participating in the local color
and flavor of the destination. Land
should also be your choice if children
will accompanying you since the confines
of a boat are too limiting for the
activities of kids. In addition, consider
the welfare of the other passengers.
Is it fair to confine them with your
kids?
Some
divers may not be able to travel by
sea for the simple reason of sea sickness.
Sure, there are medications and for
some, this is all that is needed.
For others, no medication is strong
enough, no dive site worth that miserable
feeling for an eight day/seven night
high seas adventure. Some people may
be fine to participate on a boat travelling
in calm seas while other locales may
need to be avoided. It bothers me
to hear that the world's best dive
sites are accessible only by boat.
For someone prone to seasickness,
this news can surely burst their BCD.
The analogy that I make to this statement
is that of the instructor who tells
his students to help each other with
gear. This same instructor then casually
puts his gear on over his head, without
the assistance of anyone. Students
see this and think "Gee, I'm
not that strong, I don't think I'll
ever be able to do that, so I guess
I'll never be the diver he is".
Statements regarding the world's best
dive selections are all relative because
people have different interests. A
photographer doesn't care how big
and meaty a fish is, he just wants
the photo. A hunter may not be interested
in diving tropical reefs if all he
can do is look.
Live
aboards will provide wilderness
diving at its best.
 BOAT
SELECTION
"Attention
Divers!! New liveaboard offering unlimited
diving plans to set sail in the Windward
Isles this Spring."
There
are many reasons why you may want
to choose a liveaboard dive vacation
over a land based operation. One is
that often times, the boat is anchored
at a particular dive site for the
entire day. It can be extremely satisfying
to be able to dive a particular site
at different times during the day,
and at different depths. This allows
you to observe the ever-changing marine
ecosystem. The behavior pattern and
activities of fish and corals along
with their presence or disappearance
can be depend ent on the time of day.
The freedom of choosing your own time
to dive is also pleasant. Land-based
boats have obvious restrictions of
fuel and time while liveaboard operations
provide opportunities to dive sites
that would otherwise never be explored.
Areas such as the Sea of Cortez, the
Galapagos Islands, and Australia's
Coral Sea are examples.
DO
NOT choose a liveaboard dive vacation
purely on the advertisement of "Unlimited
Diving" Boats have to travel
at some point daily to find safe anchorages
and to get from one site to another.
DON'T choose a liveaboard purely because
the boat has promised to travel to
a particular dive site. Political
and environmental con iderations,
along with diver safety are the utmost
concern to the skipper, and these
factors all will dictate where the
boat goes and where you will dive.
Many land-based resorts offer two
boats daily, and unlimited shore diving.
This can provide the diveaholic with
just as much diving and some times
more! In either scenario, a dive travel
specialist should be able to thoroughly
explain exactly what "unlimited"
means.
Divers,
know thy boat. Today's modern liveaboard
fleet can resemble a floating hotel,
providing luxurious accommodations,
gourmet cuisine, and excellent logistics
for diving. It is probably best to
stick with an established operation
unless you are willing to take your
changes. You don't want to get caught
on a converted tug, where the numberone
consideration is not water conditions,
but the engine's oil puddle and the
rusty anchor that seems to be in everyone's
way.
What
type of accommodations are provided'!
Will you have your own stateroom,
or will you be sharing a room with
others? If you are travelling with
a group of four people, then a quad
could be perfect. However, if your
party consists of two and your roommate'
s name is Jason who has a strange
infatuation for hockey masks, you
may not be a happy camper for the
entire trip. Now that you are in your
cabin, you may find no toilet or shower.
You find it is down below and will
be shared by eight people. These points
should be considered prior to your
selection, then you will need to decide
for yourself if these things are acceptable.
Not all liveaboards have quad accommodations
or shared toilets. Some provide spacious,
private stateroom with a main saloon
characteristic of a quaint and charming
hotel.
Make
sure you know the product and make
sure that it matches your likes, not
dislikes. If you are an individual
diver and you wish to go on a liveaboard,
perhaps you should consider taking
a friend along. You will be assured
that at least one other person on
board shares your interests.
LAND-BASED
One
last aspect of land-based operations
needs to be addressed. Island resorts
provide opportunities for cultural
exchanges that may be missed if you
spend all of your time on a boat.
I always recommend to liveaboard enthusiasts
... if you can afford the extra time
and money, spend it meeting the people
and learning about their culture and
way of life. You'll come away with
a much fuller experience. A couple
who took their vacation on a liveaboard
in Fiji remarked on the spectacular
diving but added that one key ingredient
was missing ... the Fijian people.
They had taken a land based trip there
some years earlier, and it wasn't
until they compared the two trips
that they realized how much cultural
exchange can add to a diving adventure.
So
what's the bottom line? You work hard,
you deserve a vacation, and you want
to get the most for your money. Start
by making a list of the things you
enjoy and what you would like to do
on your vacation. Then go shopping.
Start by calling a dive travel specialist,
their advice is FREE. Planning a vacation
can be great fun. After your planning
pays off, you'll have memories to
last a lifetime.
Dennis
and Karen Sabo, both certified scuba
instructors, have over 21 years of
dive travel experience and are accomplished
underwater photographers. Their work
has been featured in Dive Training,
Dive Travel, Discover Diving, and
Scuba Times magazines, and the book
Best Dives in the Caribbean.
Reprinted
with permission |