Best Caribbean liveaboard for a beginner?

BrianOrange · Oct 13, 2009

Hey everyone -

Since becoming certified in August, I have caught the "diving bug" as they say. I want to dive, dive, dive.

I would possibly like to try a liveabord this summer but am not sure if it is worth it. I will have probably 10 open water dives under my belt before any liveaboard trip. And obviously I will be limited to a depth of about 75 feet or so.

Is there a liveabord out there that's the best for a beginner diver like myself? How about location? Are the Bahammas better for a beginner than say the Caymans (I'd like to try the Bahamas first depending on your guys responses). It's okay if I can't dive every dive offered each day. But I want to avoid having to sit out 4 of the 5 dives each day because they don't fit my profile.

Doc · Oct 13, 2009

BrianOrange:
..... because they don't fit my profile.

I'm going to take a leap and guess that you mean a 60' depth limit imposed by some agencies?

Liveaboards are a great way to do a lot of diving, getting many logged dives in short order.

Cayman liveaboard routes are not comparable to Bahamian for one very big reason: price. If that's not important....?

Some liveabaord companies set their mooring pins in much deeper water than others for a variety of reasons. Even tho their mooring pin is set in 70fsw, you can stay shallower. Your mentioned limit of 70' is the deepest I've ever seen one.

There are land based resorts where you can easily knock out 5x a day and do them as shallow as you wish.

robint · Oct 13, 2009

BrianOrange:
Hey everyone -

Since becoming certified in August, I have caught the "diving bug" as they say. I want to dive, dive, dive.

I would possibly like to try a liveabord this summer but am not sure if it is worth it. I will have probably 10 open water dives under my belt before any liveaboard trip. And obviously I will be limited to a depth of about 75 feet or so.

Is there a liveabord out there that's the best for a beginner diver like myself? How about location? Are the Bahammas better for a beginner than say the Caymans (I'd like to try the Bahamas first depending on your guys responses). It's okay if I can't dive every dive offered each day. But I want to avoid having to sit out 4 of the 5 dives each day because they don't fit my profile.

Many liveaboards are good for beginner divers as the dive sites are generally easy diving. The Nekton Bahamas - Medio Reef and NW Bahamas itineraries are excellent for beginners. The Aquacat in Bahamas is also very good but I don't know that from personal experience, just trip reports I have read here on SB. The nice thing about doing a liveaboard as a beginner is that you will definitely improve in skills because you are diving so much.

Caymans liveaboard, the Aggressor, would be awesome diving but you are right that the diving might be a bit deeper than you are comfortable diving right now. Many dive sites are walls, too. Not saying you can't do it, you should just be aware. Belize liveaboards, Aggressor and Peter Hughes, are probably the same - lots of walls and some deeper sites.

And no, you never have to do every dive. In fact, most liveaboard guests skip dives here and there for various reasons. Our last Nekton trip, there were a couple of wives who only did 2 dives per day and worked on their tans or read while hubbies when off doing the other dives. No problemo. Many divers don't do the night dive each night either. Some divers do EVERY dive, but that isn't the majority.

Your depth restriction for OW cert isn't really a factor on a liveaboard and no one is going to hold you to it, but it is nice to see you are concerned. The good thing is that you can always do your AOW and Deep certs on the liveaboard if you really want as ALL liveaboards have instructors on staff. You can take almost any class there while on your trip.

Many liveaboards offer nitrox and dive computers for rent, too.

robin

BrianOrange · Oct 13, 2009

robint:
Many liveaboards are good for beginner divers as the dive sites are generally easy diving. The Nekton Bahamas - Medio Reef and NW Bahamas itineraries are excellent for beginners. The Aquacat in Bahamas is also very good but I don't know that from personal experience, just trip reports I have read here on SB. The nice thing about doing a liveaboard as a beginner is that you will definitely improve in skills because you are diving so much.

Caymans liveaboard, the Aggressor, would be awesome diving but you are right that the diving might be a bit deeper than you are comfortable diving right now. Many dive sites are walls, too. Not saying you can't do it, you should just be aware. Belize liveaboards, Aggressor and Peter Hughes, are probably the same - lots of walls and some deeper sites.

And no, you never have to do every dive. In fact, most liveaboard guests skip dives here and there for various reasons. Our last Nekton trip, there were a couple of wives who only did 2 dives per day and worked on their tans or read while hubbies when off doing the other dives. No problemo. Many divers don't do the night dive each night either. Some divers do EVERY dive, but that isn't the majority.

Your depth restriction for OW cert isn't really a factor on a liveaboard and no one is going to hold you to it, but it is nice to see you are concerned. The good thing is that you can always do your AOW and Deep certs on the liveaboard if you really want as ALL liveaboards have instructors on staff. You can take almost any class there while on your trip.

Many liveaboards offer nitrox and dive computers for rent, too.

robin

Thanks so much for the great info, Robin. Exactly the advice I was looking for. I was looking at the Bahamas anyway so it's great to hear the dives would be more my profile. I am specifically looking at the Carribean Explorer that dives around the Southern Bahamas. Anyone out there know anything about the dive depths and skill level required on most of the Explorer's dives?

I'd guess I'd have to find a buddy willing to dive my profile on these trips to.

Doc · Oct 13, 2009

BrianOrange:
dives around the Southern Bahamas.

The Southern Bahamas dive site moorings that are suitable for such a large liveaboard are precisely the ones that I was referencing that are in the 70' depth range.

Doubler · Oct 13, 2009

As I recall most of the moorings in Belize and Cayman are set in about 30 to 40 feet of water. I pretty much stick with the Aggressor Fleet as I really love the service. As Robin stated this would be a great time to get your AOW. Don't need to worry about a buddy as you can dive with a DM every dive. My wife and I usually do 5 dives the first day, and 3 a day the rest of the week. No one pressures you to dive, it is your vacation and the crew treats it as such. I remember one trip where this older gal only made 2 dives the entire week but still had a great time. I see you plan on the summer. A small piece of advice. Do not book a trip after mid-July through the end of September ( Hurricane Season) and get trip insurance (Dan or Dive Assure). Be prepared to be spoiled and hooked on Live Aboards.

vladimir · Oct 13, 2009

robint:
Belize liveaboards, Aggressor and Peter Hughes, are probably the same - lots of walls and some deeper sites.

I have done two trips on the Belize Aggressor. I wish I had my dive log to check for sure, but my recollection is that almost all the dives would be suitable for a diver who wanted to remain shallower than 60' or 70'. You'd skip the Blue Hole, of course, but that wasn't really a highlight for me, and the Elbow is probably a little too deep too. The rest of their typical itinerary would be fine. A lot of the dives can be done deeper, but I usually did the bulk of the dives shallower than 70'. The walls were generally sloping, rather than sheer, which might make them more comfortable for beginners.

Shasta_man · Oct 14, 2009

I'd have to dissent and recommend against taking any classes while onboard except perhaps Nitrox which would likely be premature for you. Depends on how much diving you want to do, but since I only get to dive warm water when on the trips, every dive counts and is my primary concern. The main problem though is that AOW takes quite a bit of your time. You have to read the better part of a book in a week, plus exercises and time for tests and discussion with the instructor. I like to actually learn what I study so I take time to do it. Between diving, eating between dives, writing in the logbook, inevitably BSing with the other divers about the previous dive, and just plain relaxing, it eats up a lot of time. You have let's say an hour between dives, and then say 4 hours at night before going to bed to get up at 6:30 to do it all again. It starts zooming by. You have to start spending all your time doing something and that isn't such a good way to enjoy the trip. I suggest working on dive skills, weighting, getting comfortable and just logging some dives for experience is more important than getting the cert yet. It's not about the cert but how comfortable you actually are and that will come from experience. You can go back home and take AOW. The boat crew will definitely suggest classes as they individually make money that way.

DeputyDan · Oct 14, 2009

I think he should do COCO View for his first dive trip - a land based "liveaboard" Get in some great dives, won't have to grapple with potential motion sickness issues and will cost 1/2 the price of a liveaboard.

BrianOrange · Oct 14, 2009

DeputyDan:
I think he should do COCO View for his first dive trip - a land based "liveaboard" Get in some great dives, won't have to grapple with potential motion sickness issues and will cost 1/2 the price of a liveaboard.

I am also researching land based operations but really like the idea of being out on a boat 24/7 since I love boats and boating. As for CocoView, I'd go there in a second but won't go to Roatan until everything is settled. I know, I know what most people are going to say but to me it's just no worth it going to an unstable country (yes, I know the problems are just on the mainland) when I can get very similiar diving without all the worries that come with a trip to Honduras.

Best Caribbean liveaboard for a beginner?

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