Belize Aggressor III - May '08

[Andoman]

Hello All -

My wife and I are eagerly awaiting our upcoming dive trip this May aboard the Belize Aggressor III. This is my 50th Birthday Gift from from her and will be our first live-aboard trip. To make it that much better, we chose to take the Stan Waterman charter (5/10-5/17). We are literally counting down the days.

My questions to the forum are:
1) How bad is pitch, yaw and roll? Should we bring enought patches for the entire trip, or do you get use to it?
2) For those of you who have been on a live-aboard trip - What did you wish you brought along and what do you wish you hadn't?
3) Can anyone share their experiences about spending a week on a charter with Stan Waterman on board?

Any advice and comments are welcome.

Thanks.

 

[Damselfish]

1) That is going to vary and no one can really guess how it affects you (my husband would not be on any liveaboard without a patch the whole time and I never use anything.) But if you are concerned enough to wonder if you should bring enough patches for the whole trip, you should certainly bring enough for the whole trip! Not like they take much space. I've been on the Sun Dancer which is another monohull and the first time we crossed from Belize City to the atolls at night it was "hang onto the bed so you don't fall out." Seriously.

2) Lots of old threads around on that. Usual answer is few clothes, extra bathing suits.

3) Dunno, I'd be curious too. Met or heard him a few times and he seems like a great fun guy.

 

[Shasta_man]

Take your seasick meds first thing in the AM. I found it is somewhat psychological. If you start worrying about it, you might psych yourself into it. Just relax and keep your mind on what you're doing. I've used Bonine.

You want to bring fast drying fabrics, not cotton stuff. The kind of material that bathing suits are typically made of. You will go through quite a bit in 4 dives a day. Reuse suits.

I always wear sandals or slippers between dives as there are a lot of objects to smash toes on.

I wear a skin and put my fullsuit on over that. The skin makes it much easier to get that wet suit on dive 3.

I always wear a 3 MM fullsuit, even in very warm water. You stay off the coral for gosh sakes but you could get pushed into it, little tiny stinging jellies, or the full out jelly lash like happened to other divers on our last liveaboard. They were only wearing swimsuit for night dive and they had a terrible encounter with jellies.

Don't expect to have a ton of time between dives. It moves pretty quick. You come back, take off gear, rinse, etc, up to dry off and relax a little, eat something, drink, put dive site name and comments in your log and it's coming around time to go again. Add in dealing with a camera and it's pretty full.

Make sure you use all gear you are bringing. Best way to screw up a regulator is to service it. So actually do a dive on it before going.

 

[robint]

Wow! What a wonderful birthday gift!!!

1. take the meds with you

2. take more swimsuits and less clothes... I found that I liked changing into a dry suit before lunch and also before dinner (so 3 suits per day), then wash those out in the room and hang them up to dry. I think everyone should take at least 3-5 suits.

3. Take extra batteries and memory cards for your cameras. Download and review your days pictures every night. This is very important in order to learn what you did right and wrong.

4. Take along a small notebook to write down things all week long, like a journal. That way you can do a BIG trip report for the board here when you get back!

5. Have FUN!


robin

 

[Damselfish]

Besides lots of bathing suits, I take 2 wetsuits. That way one is always sort of dry, which is nice. But I only use a 1mm so it's not much to pack.

I take books and magazines to read that I don't want to save, and plan on contributing them to the boats swap library.

Lots of people go barefoot all the time, but I do like to have easy slip on sandals. Especially for going on the sundeck midday when you can fry an egg on it.

 

[caymaniac]

If you don't take those extra suits...so you can have a dry one on inbetween dives, plan on taking something for your rash as your skin can only take so much of the wet swim suits.
I even had an extra wetsuit so I could put a dry one on for night dives. I took enough tee shirts at least one for each day, a couple of shorts, four swim suits, deck shoes and four button down shirts, underwear, two pairs of socks, one zip off type cargo pants - that's it for clothes

 

[DiverBeth]

I was on the Belize Aggressor in May '06. I had a great time.

As stated above bring at least 3 bathing suits. You're going to want to change at least a couple times a day.

It's a good idea to have some sea sickness meds or patches. When I was on the boat it was usually pretty smooth but we did hit a couple or rough patches. Some people are more prone to sea sickness than others. Even when it's reasonably calm some people still have problems. Be prepared.

The cabins are small but I only was in there to sleep and change clothes.

Other than that have a good time. The diving is really good.

 

[Andoman]

Thanks everyone for the useful info. This will make it much easier to convience my wife she doesn't need to bring a bunch of clothes. Or shoes. Or makeup.

 

[Shasta_man]

Button down shirts?!

 

[jasondcrawford]

I just told my wife what you got for your birthday... hopefully she can take a hint.

I'd just echo what everyone else said. If you plan on taking pictures, have 2 memory cards and 2 batteries (so one can charge while you're using the other). If you don't plan on taking pictures.... change your plan! Bring sunscreen, aloe if you burn easily, lots of swimsuits.... you won't need socks, shoes, or jeans the whole week. Bring a book(s) -- you probably won't have much down time, but it'll be nice to have.

My wife and I brought the 2nd season of Lost -- watched it on our laptop. The boat I was on was fairly empty, so noise wasn't a problem, but I could imagine a scenario in which you'd want some ear plugs.

Hope that helps! have fun!