Novice divers and liveaboards

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House

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I got my PADI OW cert in Hawaii around 6 months ago now and have logged around 15-20 dives in all (including certifying dives). Work has meant that I haven't built up experience as fast as I'd like!

I'm now looking at a holiday in Thailand this November, and am likely to be based on Ko Phuket. While there are day trips to sites around Phuket, I am told that most of the best sites (Similians, Richelieu Rock etc) are only really doable on 3-5 day liveaboard trips.

While I would love to take the liveaboard option (a good way of gaining a lot more experience quickly), I'm a bit concerned that either:

(a) my relative inexperience might get in the way of other, more experienced divers who would like to try out sites that I'm not yet in a position to do; or

(b) the outer islands might be considered too advanced for a relative newbie (currents? depth?).

Am I getting concerned about nothing, or should I stick to the (apparently more novice-oriented) day trips, leaving the more spectacular sites for a later trip?
 
I would talk to the dive operator for the live-a-board(s) you are interested in. Different boats cater to different things. Some are geared specifically to novice divers, others to advanced and others still to photographers.

Send them e-mail or call then and ask. You might ask them what level of experience their destiation sites are best suited to, do they have divemasters onboard who can/will act as dive guides for those less experienced? do they offer training at sea? (many do and it's a great way to use your onboard down time to improve your training and skill set).

I think you'll find most operators will be very straight with you about whether or not their charter is suited to your type of diving. Those who answer your questions with questions or give you dodgy answers are probably not the best to dive with under any circumstance anyway.

Hope that helps you out some.
 
House once bubbled...
....While I would love to take the liveaboard option (a good way of gaining a lot more experience quickly), I'm a bit concerned that either:

(a) my relative inexperience might get in the way of other, more experienced divers who would like to try out sites that I'm not yet in a position to do; or

(b) the outer islands might be considered too advanced for a relative newbie (currents? depth?).

Am I getting concerned about nothing, or should I stick to the (apparently more novice-oriented) day trips, leaving the more spectacular sites for a later trip?

General rule of diving: "If you, or anyone in the group questions if you should call the dive, or not dive, then call the dive. The fact that you have asked the question says to me, that at some level in your body (common sense most likely) you do not feel you are ready for open ocean diving or the rigors of live aboard diving.

I also agree that you should research the dive boat and discuss with them the difficulty of the dive. Be warned, they are not responsible for your diving, you are. It is your decision. Also keep in mind, they are trying to fill a boat and may not accurately portray the level of the dive.

Ask yourself the following self-diagnostic questions:
1. Can you establish neutral buoyancy and maintain your place in the water column? By neutral, I mean without swimming or moving your arms, legs or feet, can you stay at 60 feet or 15 feet over a bottom of 300 feet?
2. Are you physically fit and can handle the potential currents?
3. Are you mentally ready to deal with open ocean currents, up draft or down draft currents?

Each of us must decide our own level of comfort. I currently have logged 78 dives since June of 01 (mostly beach dives). I am a good diver and can maintain my neutral buoyancy as discussed above. I am not, in my own mind yet ready to dive sites with bottoms in excess of 130 FSW. Close, but not just this month.

Outside of those concerns, sounds like fun. I wish I could go. Diving with the whale shark, that is my dream dive.
 
grabbing an advanced class before you go for the live-aboard trip?

You'll further your diving education, be exposed to deeper diving, more navigation, limited vis diving (i.e. night diving) and boat diving. This will provide you with more expeirence which should in the end, foster confidence. What do you think about that?

It's a win-win situation.
 
Excellent points above. Most Liveaboards are a awesome place to eat, dive, eat, dive, sleep, eat, dive, eat.....etc. You might feel overwhelmed at first, but it gets comfortable after a few dives once the routine and you get comfortable.

Another point to consider is the possibility of sea sickness. Some people are just more prone than others and if you don't plan for some preventative help could make an expensive trip a total waste of time.

Just remember to plan well and take backup dive stuff, but don't worry to much about clothes. Heck, I was in my swimming trunks and a t-shirt the entire time when I wasn't diving.
 
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