from a PM
jasondcrawford:
You seem to be a good person to ask. Are most liveaboards for intermediate-advanced divers, or are there some in the carribean (which sounds to be more beginner friendly than the pacific) that would be appropriate for new divers? Is there a website, like expedia is for hotels, that has a huge list of all the liveabords? Also, how many dives do you think I would have to make before being considered 'intermediate'? Does it matter if most of these dives are at a lake? Thanks in advance
Jason- I have maybe 5000 dives. If I were to return to dive in the Great Lakes where I did my first 1000 or so- I would not even imagine that I was anything other than a beginner. Technology has changed, now the mode of operation is 'dry suits' which I have zero familiarity. Your level of expertise is directly linked with prior experiences and how they will prepare you for the new environment.
I too, did many lake dives when I was starting out. It did not prepare me for current or downwellings or drift diving with Zodiac inflatable recoveries, but it certainly prepared me for "night diving" as well as cooler ocean environs. After lake diving, you and I will snicker when we hear people complain about a cool ocean temp of 74*. See? In some regards you're already "advanced". You know what thick rubber can do and what really cold water feels like!
That said (again, again), know that most liveaboards that you find in the Caribe are geared toward a wide range of divers and abilities. Do what I do- when you get on board, after the introductions and everbody is settled down, talk to the director of diving about your fears and concerns. He won't wave a magic wand, but he might offer advice and cousel. After he has seen you dive, he might suggest course work... or not.
On most Caribbean liveaboards, you can dive as much as you want. If there's a current, they know how to deal with it- even if you are in need of help. All should employ dedicated "bubble watchers" who's duty is nothing but to watch for divers surfacing far away. They will direct a small boat to go retreive you and either pull you aboard or drag you slowly behind on a rope to the mother ship.
Differences in quality depend upon crew and policies.
Many pleasure craft (cabin cruisers, etc) have been modified as best possible for diving. Some larger ships (usually oil platform service boats) have been refitted for divers. Some ships were designed from the keel up as dive platforms.
There is the elgant- with cloth tablecloths, there is the other end of the spectrum with draped-off bunks and shared toilets.
In your level of experience, I would suggest a liveaboard in Belize (about the only way to see Belize). It features clear warm water and shallow delights. No currents and predictably calm seas depending upon season. My far and away favorite is the Nekton. They also do Cayman, which in its state today, I would say the liveaboard is the best way to search for the Cayman "of the past".
Some poeple try to make Cruise Ships into liveabaords, all the way from NCL to Windjammer.
I pick my liveaboard based on past performance, long term crew, ease of using the dive deck, crew attentiveness, air conditioning, physical stability of the vessel, then other items follow.
There is no one website for liveaboards that I am aware of, but you would do well to search here on
the single best SCUBA website and on a search engine such as Google for the following names:
Peter Hughes
Aggressor Fleet
Aqua Cat
BlackBeards
Nekton Cruises
...and others which will be added by other better informed readers.
I think you're headed in the right direction.