How Many Days of Straight Diving?

[Saniflush]

Well it sounds like the liveaboard is going to be right up my alley. I am one of those early risers that yall do not seem to like. I predict my wife will only make the first morning dive and after that will be sleeping until number two.

 

[Neilwood]

Well it sounds like the liveaboard is going to be right up my alley. I am one of those early risers that yall do not seem to like. I predict my wife will only make the first morning dive and after that will be sleeping until number two.

I wouldn't say didn't like but it is so frustrating that while I am dragging myself out of bed bleary eyed and lumbering to the briefing that he is almost skipping there. Where the hell does the energy come from at that time of day???

 

[KeithG]

You would not have coped very well on the liveaboard I was on last year then - the briefing for the first dive was 6am with the first dive at 6.30 so it was a 5.30 wake up call every day (6 days on board). To make it even worse, the guide was extremely happy and cheerful all the time even at that time of the day . I was ok though as they did allow at the briefings so I was probably awake about 5 mins in.

We have been on LOBs that used "boat time". Since no one wants to get up for 6:30am, they moved the clocks 1 hour when we boarded and then we could all get up at 7:30am.

Seemed silly, but it worked.

 

[KeithG]

Is this standard practice on live-aboards, i.e. having to be at a briefing at a fixed time? Is this everyday or just the first day? I always assumed you could dive whenever you felt like it, doing as many dives as you want (within reason).

All of the LOBs I have been on have been very regimented with a fixed posted schedule repeated every day except the last day which has 2 very early morning dives. The pool open windows are generally fairly short (about 80 minutes) since the crew has other duties to accomplish between dives (filling tanks, moving boat, fixing moorings, bost maintenance,...). The pool open window also requires crew to be dedicated to deck safety watch in case a diver surfaces in distress.

The clockwork schedule also allows the kitchen to provide freshly prepared meals. And even better, freshly baked cookies and snacks hot out of the oven between dives.

 

[Saniflush]

I wouldn't say didn't like but it is so frustrating that while I am dragging myself out of bed bleary eyed and lumbering to the briefing that he is almost skipping there. Where the hell does the energy come from at that time of day???

Only speaking for myself but mine comes from growing up on a farm and then being in the military. I don't need an alarm any longer (although I still set one). However the body works I usually wake up about 5 minutes before the alarm goes off and just get moving.

 

[admikar]

I guess it just depends on a personal level. If I don't have a "deadline" to adhere I can take up to an hour to get out of bed, 15+ minutes to "get going". If I have some task to do, I'm up on moments notice, full power and I don't drink coffee.

 

[Centrals]

And even better, freshly baked cookies and snacks hot out of the oven between dives.

What you paid is what you get!!!
It doesn't happen on every liveboard that I had set foot on. Two cooking rings were all they had and I would never call cup noodle as snack!!

For me liveaboard means dive, eat and sleep and diving comes FIRST.

 

[KeithG]

What you paid is what you get!!!
It doesn't happen on every liveboard that I had set foot on. Two cooking rings are all they had and I would never call cup noodle as snack!!

You need to talk to Jerry on the Belize Aggressor IV (used to be a dancer ship). Excellent chef!

 

[Centrals]

You need to talk to Jerry on the Belize Aggressor IV (used to be a dancer ship). Excellent chef!

"Wave Dancer" in Belize probably had the worst non diving related accident ever happened to a diving boat back in 2001. Hit by a hurricane and 17 divers drown.

 

[KeithG]

"Wave Dancer" in Belize probably had the worst non diving related accident ever happened to a diving boat back in 2001. Hit by a hurricane and 17 divers drown.

And your point is....