Let me start by saying I absolutely love Truth Aquatics (Truth Aquatics: The Best In Liveaboard Diving, Island Kayaking and Hiking). Every year I take at least one liveaboard trip with them to the CA Channel Islands, and those trips are great. They will anchor the boat in a new dive site, give a couple of minutes long briefing to orient the divers to the topography of the site, and then "open the gate". That means you can go diving whenever you want, with whomever you want, and go wherever you want, as long as you don't try to enter the water after the preannounced time when the gate will close. Typically, you get about 4 hours to do as much (or as little) diving in the vicinity of the boat as you want. The DM's on the boat don't even get in the water; they stay on the boat to watch for anybody needing help getting back to the boat.
So my question is how to find a similar kind of operation for tropical Pacific diving? I just got back from a 10 day liveaboard trip on the Komodo Aggressor and had a perfectly miserable time because they required all divers to stay with a group lead by a divemaster. The perspective of the DM's seemed to be that since they were responsible for our safety, they got to set the rules which insured nobody could hurt themselves. I disagree with that. I am responsible for my own safety. I would like to find a liveaboard--most preferably in Raja Ampat, but I can be flexible--which agrees with that philosophy and will give me the freedom to go dive on my own. (Yes, with my lifelong dive buddy: my wife. And within recreational limits, etc., etc. I just want to go at my own speed and go where I want.)
If need be, I'm willing to eat C-rations and drink paddy water. In other words, I don't really care how great the food is. I don't want a massage at the end of the day, and I would be willing to sleep in a bunk room. But I do NOT want to have to tag along behind some kid who doesn't have a fraction of the time in the water I do. How do I find an operation that will let me do that?
I have browsed dozens of web pages for Raja Ampat liveaboards, an none of them will talk about how they conduct their diving. They all go on and on about their great food, their masseuse, their luxurious cabins, the ambiance of the boat, etc., etc. But they never talk about the diving! I've even written to a few of them asking the hard questions, and after going back and forth a few times I learn they will conduct their diving the same way the Komodo Aggressor did. Nuts! I'd rather not go diving than have to tag along with a group.
Any leads would be greatly appreciated.
Bruce
So my question is how to find a similar kind of operation for tropical Pacific diving? I just got back from a 10 day liveaboard trip on the Komodo Aggressor and had a perfectly miserable time because they required all divers to stay with a group lead by a divemaster. The perspective of the DM's seemed to be that since they were responsible for our safety, they got to set the rules which insured nobody could hurt themselves. I disagree with that. I am responsible for my own safety. I would like to find a liveaboard--most preferably in Raja Ampat, but I can be flexible--which agrees with that philosophy and will give me the freedom to go dive on my own. (Yes, with my lifelong dive buddy: my wife. And within recreational limits, etc., etc. I just want to go at my own speed and go where I want.)
If need be, I'm willing to eat C-rations and drink paddy water. In other words, I don't really care how great the food is. I don't want a massage at the end of the day, and I would be willing to sleep in a bunk room. But I do NOT want to have to tag along behind some kid who doesn't have a fraction of the time in the water I do. How do I find an operation that will let me do that?
I have browsed dozens of web pages for Raja Ampat liveaboards, an none of them will talk about how they conduct their diving. They all go on and on about their great food, their masseuse, their luxurious cabins, the ambiance of the boat, etc., etc. But they never talk about the diving! I've even written to a few of them asking the hard questions, and after going back and forth a few times I learn they will conduct their diving the same way the Komodo Aggressor did. Nuts! I'd rather not go diving than have to tag along with a group.
Any leads would be greatly appreciated.
Bruce