Liveaboard question

[Santa]

Just came back from sharm el sheik where I did my first liveaboard trip. I liked the boat and the crew and the diving and all but I found the guiding itself rather rigid.

I went with a group of 12 ranging from inexperienced to relatively experienced divers. The boat had 2 zodiacs, which allows for some flexibility, but only one divemaster - and I do see how he would have his work cut out for him managing a group like that through 5 * 4 dives a day.

Even so, being a working DM myself, I was really surprised at the lack of flexibility. It was caravan diving all the way through and the guide would be trying to control my profiles, ask me about my air, deco time, remind me to do safety stops, and what have you. The dives would be almost completely plotted and the set speed allowed for no individualism or straying.

My question is: Is Liveaboard diving always that controlled and linear and short of personal freedom?

Personally if I'm guiding a fellow DM or instructor or otherwise ssupposedly experienced diver I'll check them out for a couple dives sure, just because you never know - and I'd expect others to do the same with me.

But if they're solid or just reasonably so then sure we can just agree on an overall dive plan and then I'll leave them to their own devices if that's what they prefer. It's just professional courtesy.

I was surprised and sometimes really annoyed about it. What I need from a guide is local knowledge and framework considerations - not basic diving directions - and I'm sure I'm not alone.

Shouldn't they try cater to that as well as provide safety for the casual diver?

 

[Darnold9999]

Have only done two different liveaboards, both relativly easy diving (GBR and Belize). Both were the same. Check out easy dive, the DM in the water determines that you are competent - after that, when the dive deck is open you dive when and where you want. If it is a drift dive a little more rigid for obvious reasons.

Wouldn't go back to a liveaboard that was that rigid unless there was a good reason for it. i.e the conditions required group diving.

 

[ApexLongimanus]

I've been on four liveaboards so far. All of them allowed for freedom. The DM's normally checked you out on the first dive but nothing more than that. Sometimes they ask you for your profile after the dive (if there are local depth limits etc..).

On my Red Sea liveaboard (out of Marsa Alam) I experienced the complete opposite of what you are describing. Briefings were wrong, DM rather had a drink than a good dive with the group and depth limits did not count...as long as you found back to the boat. And the best thing is....until today nobody has seen my c-card or log book.

I guess your and my experience described above are not a synonym for liveaboards.
My other liveaboards were in Galapagos, Maldives, GBR. All were great!

 

[Santa]

I was trying best as I could to analyze the setup and couldn't find much in the way of an explanation.

It was easy diving and there was no real reasons to keep the group that tight. With two zodiacs you can cover a lot of ground - especially when dive times were always 50 minutes on the dollar every bleeding time. We weren't pressed enough for time that another 10-20 minutes would make a difference (and they would screw up their own surface time management all the time anyway)

 

[tstormdiver]

I was just on a live aboard in the Bahamas & the dive masters only went out with us on the three drift dives we did, to keep us together as a group & a shark feeding dive, out of a possible 20 dives. For the most part the only "rules" were 1. no solo diving, 2. no decompression diving (if you had to do emergency decompresssion, then you might have a little explaining to do, not really a big deal though) & 3. stay within recreational limits. Other than the drift dives & following the 3 main rules, we (the buddy teams) could pretty much do as we pleased. It was a great experience & I would do it again in a heart beat.

 

[boulderjohn]

A lot depends upon where you are diving.

Some sites are pretty easy to explore on your own and return to the boat. In those cases, you will usually find yourself mostly on your own.

Some sites are more complex, and you will need a guide to find your way to the key points of interest, the places you paid the big bucks to find and will be disappointed if you miss.

In some cases they will let you go on your own but will put a DM with you as a service. These guys know where the ghost pipe fish, sea horses, harlequin shrimp, mantis shrimp, etc. like hang out. You are free to do your own dive, but sticking near the DM has its rewards.

 

[Santa]

Yeah but you're talking Indonesia - in the red sea it's usually a little simpler, critterwise.

I'm not averse to being guided I just don't like to be needlessly "managed".

It goes without saying that some conditions require specific planning in which case I'm perfectly happy to go along with anything that makes sense.

The thing is they didn't let us in on the specifics of planning. They took it upon themselves to manage everything.