The liveaboard slogan on most dive boats is eat, sleep, dive and repeat.
Spend at least two days before the liveaboard getting acquainted with the area and recovering. Flying can cause you to become dehydrated and dehydration is one of the reasons divers get decompression sickness. You want to be in the best form and giving your body enough time to recover from your flight is essential to enjoy the liveaboard. Give yourself enough time to become accustomed to jet lag. You will have to wait one day after your liveaboard to give at least 24 hours since your last dive.
When booking luggage for a trip you may want to have two bags. One for essentials and clothes, the other for dive gear. The dive equipment bag can be checked in on most airlines as a sports bag, and at a reduced cost. Decide whether you want to do a 180 and spend some time on land in the beautiful diving destination. In popular tourist areas, there are many adventurous activities. Pack the necessary items required.
Invest in a digital camera and practice with it before the liveaboard. During the trip, you may have the opportunity to capture something remarkable. Be comfortable taking pictures. Pick up extra memory cards. Capture a photo of each dive site for your memories. If you get a fish chart of the area, you will also be able to cross off what fish you’ve seen. Research about the area and dive sites before you arrive.
Get insured. Whether you join DAN or another form of insurance, it doesn’t matter. What’s important is to check the fine print, know what’s included including medical evacuation and whether the hyperbaric chamber is included. Some liveaboards actually require you to have some form of travel or diving insurance before you board.
Be comfortable using your dive computer and download the PDF of the instruction manual to browse on your phone. Carry extra batteries and chargers. Get your Nitrox certification. There are numerous benefits for Nitrox which can be found here. Repetitive dives mean you should enlist in a Nitrox certification before you embark. The best spots in the world tend to be isolated. Make sure to learn about the area before you start your liveaboard.
Listen when the captain is giving the safety briefing and dive site briefings. Knowing how to act safely and responsibly on deck in case of emergency is vital. Be on time to the dive briefings. There’s nothing worse than waiting for other divers to get to the briefing. As divers, you want to get the briefing done to grab your tanks and jump in the water. Dives can be changed if conditions are rough or tides change. So please listen to the crew and understand they are doing their best to show you a good time.
Staff on the liveaboard want you to make the most out of the experience. Talk to them if you have any questions or problems. If you have any dietary requirements or allergies, make sure the crew knows about them.
Prepare for your liveaboard. Working an office job and going on holiday to dive 3 to 5 dives a day is very different. Begin working out, any sport related to cardiovascular fitness will help your body absorb and use oxygen efficiently. Practice in the pool or go on regular dives. If it’s been a while since your last dive, consider a refresher. This will be a one-on-one meeting and dive with an instructor as they take you over how to set up your equipment, safety practices and a few skills just so you’re completely comfortable underwater. Divers often need to carry their tanks, depending on the liveaboard some will also require help moving equipment to and from the RIB. Liveaboards are done in isolated places with strong currents, being able to swim against a current is important.
Dive boats will have rows of cylinders and benches with a box for additional items under the bench. Try to keep all of your belongings in one place. Try to be as neat as you can and remember where you put your belongings. Labelling your most important items will make it easier to locate them in a boat of other people’s stuff. For more information of what to pack on a liveaboard, click here.
Most people are generally social on liveaboards, people from all over the world congregate and share a love of the underwater world and of diving. You can choose whether you want to spend time with others or relax in your room. If you work online, set the auto-response on your email as service on liveaboards is generally very sporadic. You don’t want to miss an important work email while spotting a whale shark so let people know you will be out of reach for a few days. Between dives, this is your opportunity to read, make friends, fill in your logbook, nap, work on your tan and just relax. This is a holiday after all.
The most important thing to remember when preparing for a liveaboard: this will most likely be a very memorable experience in your life – enjoy it.
