Live aboard versus dive resort / Fav in Caribbean

[wpohlmann]

Hi- we are big fans of Bonaire - have been last 4 years in a row... but ready to branch out. We love Bonaire for the ease of diving - only do shore diving - so we go when we want & where we want and if you feel like skipping a night dive for an early gin & tonic instead - great...

We have questions about live aboard - do you basically spend the whole week aboard sea sick? I read about the tragic death of the diver in Utila same week we were in Bonaire - they were out in 7 foot seas (???). It seems like the live aboard boats are fairly small - so is motion a problem?

We are looking at Belize & Utila and Turks & Caico based on comments I have read on this board - some in our group want to see BIG FISH...

I don't think shore diving is possible from any of them? Do you have a favorite between the three? Are all three equally good live aboard vs resort - or would you recommend live aboard at X as the dive sites are far out? We will probably be going in February.

We have never been to a dive resort - is it easy to get on the boat or do they get full / do you have to sit through the safety briefing every time (4 dives a day x 6 days...) / motor out for a while / sit in tossing seas during surface time etc etc? We realy just want to dive dive dive.

Any insight AT ALL would be greatly appreciated!! Vacation time (not to mention money) is so valuable - so trying to make an informed decision about a great spot with ease of diving. Thank you!!

 

[Kilili]

I'm prone to motion sickness, got sick in van to airport for my first liveaboard trip, but have on many liveaboards without ever getting sick, waters generally fairly smooth. Once hit by hurricane on long trip from Cocos back to mainland, but still no problems. You can use patches, but can make you drowsy, so I don't.

Liveaboards small? Well, compared to cruise ships and such. Good liveaboards are built for ocean waters, and I find to be quite stable. Of course, there are times when you experience rough water, but no big deal. Not like in the movie the Perfect Storm.

Dive resort rules vary concerning briefings. Some have on land, others on boat while getting ready. Some longer, some very brief. If you are diving with resort, you are guaranteed spot on boat, and should have no worries there. It's their business. Not experienced tossing seas between dives. Bad for business, and they generally seek calmer waters.

Bonaire was once favorite spot of mine, but have abandoned the Caribbean for Pacific, first Fiji and Solomons, then, Indonesia & Philippines. This is where the sea life is. 10 times the diversity of the Caribbean, and more of it. My first trip there ended all my interest in diving the Caribbean, and have never gone back.

 

[DeputyDan]

Based on the big fish comment - you are essentially limiting your self to T&C and the Bahamas (sharks) in the Caribbean sphere of influence.

If your group wants to try something different but are unsure of seasick issues look at either:

Scuba Club Cozumel in Cozumel of course or
Cocoview on Roatan.

You won't get the big stuff but you will get two dive resorts who pretty well do it right!

I have not been to Little Cayman Beach Resort but several of my firends whose opinion I trust say its their favorite dive location in the Caribbean sphere of influence.

I have been to Bonaire five times so understand the comparisons.

 

[lmorin]

With respect to live aboards, the ocean is big and variable; the boats are small, relatively speaking. If the conditions are wrong, seasickness will be a problem, guaranteed. On the other hand, if you want to dive, dive, dive, then live aboards should be considered. Bring meds, just in case, and take precautions. Go in a season during which storms are unlikely. My wife and I have done one. It was great! The first part of the trip (Sun Dancer off Belize) encountered steady 25 knot winds from the east strong enough to prevent us from going to the expected locations for the first 2 days. But there was no ocean churning and no seasickness for anybody, including me and I get seasick very easily. Most days there were 5 dives. Two people out of about 20 did all dives. We saw numerous spotted eagle rays and several large reef sharks.

 

[caymaniac]

I think T&C would be a great place to start on a liveaboard.
Generally the liveaboard seeks out calm waters. It is not always possible to have calm waters but usually it's a reality. I've been on 2 liveaboards so I wouldn't consider myself an expert. I've also spent two dive vacations on Bonaire and would agree it is excellent but would also agree that a liveaboard is the way to go to see other locations. I'm sure you will not be sorry, after I went on a liveaboard I was mad at myself for waiting so long to try it.
We have been to T&C on land based. While land based is nice, there is a 40 minute ride to West Caicos each day. There were liveaboards at West Caicos already there and still on site when we left. Two dives are not enough, usually there were sharks on most dives, sometimes dolphins and once a whale. At least try it once.
Good luck.

 

[fire_diver]

If you are prone to sea-sickness, don't even think of a liveaboard.

 

[Damselfish]

Liveaboards are not cruise ships but they're much larger than your average dive dayboat - I wouldn't describe most as "fairly small." Some (the cats in particular) are more stable than others, and conditions vary greatly from place to place and sometimes day to day. Do you have any idea if you even get seasick? If you don't know there's no reason to assume you will (some people just don't) but it would be nice to get an idea about this before doing a liveaboard. There are lots of ways of dealing with seasickness but you have to figure out what works for you in case it turns out to be an issue.

Can't really generalize about dive resorts - they all have their own routines but the common thing about true dive resorts is they are generally all about making diving as convienient as possible for their location. So While you want to learn about where you might go and if it meets your needs, I wouldn't sweat that aspect of things too much.

 

[jklassy]

If you are prone to sea-sickness, don't even think of a liveaboard.

I have a different perspective. I am horribly prone to seasickness and avoided liveaboards for years because of it. Back in 2005 I decided to give it a try because I wanted to dive Thailand, and it's really the only way.

I quickly discovered the diving from a small boat on a day trip was FAR more likely to induce sea sickness than a liveaboard. I do use the patches (no problem with drowsiness, only problem is keeping them stuck on my skin with all the water time, use waterproof bandaids for that). I got queasy on one long crossing in rough seas, but that's it in 5 years of liveaboards. I've done liveaboards in all these places:

Thailand
Palau
Philippines
Turks & Caicos
Solomon Islands

I agree with another post that Pacific diving is better than the Caribbean, but I was very pleasantly suprised by Turks & Caicos. The boat was nice, the staff was great, and the diving was far better than expected. I was very impressed and enjoyed myself immensely.

 

[jklassy]

If you are prone to sea-sickness, don't even think of a liveaboard.

I have a different perspective. I am horribly prone to seasickness and avoided liveaboards for years because of it. Back in 2005 I decided to give it a try because I wanted to dive Thailand, and it's really the only way.

I quickly discovered the diving from a small boat on a day trip was FAR more likely to induce sea sickness than a liveaboard. I do use the patches (no problem with drowsiness, only problem is keeping them stuck on my skin with all the water time, use waterproof bandaids for that). I got queasy on one long crossing in rough seas, but that's it in 5 years of liveaboards. I've done liveaboards in all these places:

Thailand
Palau
Philippines
Turks & Caicos (Explorer fleet)
Solomon Islands

I agree with another post that Pacific diving is better than the Caribbean, but I was very pleasantly suprised by Turks & Caicos. The boat was nice, the staff was great, and the diving was far better than expected. I was very impressed and enjoyed myself immensely.

 

[beautybelow]

If you are prone to sea-sickness, don't even think of a liveaboard.

I don't think that is a fair statement at all. I have seen literally hundreds of people board a liveaboard scared of being sea sick all week and never having an issue. Their fear may have stemmed from only having experience on smaller boats and getting sea sick.