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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 |