Live-Aboard with Internet?

[robint]

Well, somebody sitting at a computer doesn't really affect you, does it? :internet:On the other hand, I absolutely do not want to be a week on a boat with a television blaring a football game. So I'll need to make sure not to go on a live-aboard that has a TV. Another thing that comes to mind, is music. If there were music playing, that might really bother me. If I had to listen to rap music, I think I might just jump overboard -- without my gear. :goingdown:

matt - the liveaboard TV sets are usually playing underwater videos non-stop, or at night people might put on a DVD movie. We had a guy on one trip who got injured on day 2 (dropped a tank on his foot, broken toe) so he had the rest of the trip to sit in front of TV set and watch movies, which he did. Other than that... I never saw the TV set in main room on except after dinner when someone would put in a move - and people would vote on what to watch. It was very democratic. HOWEVER... with so many dives per day, everyone was usually heading to bed between 9-10pm every night.

laptops - most people take them in order to download their photos every night, and view them. So seeing people sitting at every table in the salon area is common. But people are showing each other stuff, too, and talking.

Between dives, most people relax, eat, read...

As far as music playing, I think that the Captains sometimes play music during the dive day, so everyone outside on dive decks can hear it, but it is usually tropical music, Jimmy Buffet, etc. I have never heard music that would be considered annoying to anyone.... remember, the crew want $$ tips at the end of the trip!

robin

 

[Capt Scotty]

3G works at 98% of the time out to 10 miles off shore of the Florida Keys. If someone wanted to use it....lol

 

[Dr Dog]

I would only bring my laptop, as others have said for looking at pics and videos after the day is done. I have travelled enough to know that you should never count on the internet, when I can go out and get dinner while I wait for the Google search page to load, I know it is spotty at best. There is a reason it is free wifi.

On a liveaboard your only real choice would be a tethered cell phone or turbo stick kind of connection, and then you are probably looking at roaming charges.

On a recent out of country trip, I brought my laptop and cell phone, but the cell was only for texting emergencies, and the laptop, so I could see how great the days images were.

I am addicted to the internet like u, and it was hard..but I made it through the week ok

 

[DeputyDan]

RobinT - those look like Nekton pictures.

My first liveaboard - I loved it

 

[Shasta_man]

The best trips are where the phone and internet stop working when you leave port and come back when you get back to port. The TV is good for watching the daily pics and videos but otherwise, boat anchor.

 

[robint]

RobinT - those look like Nekton pictures.

My first liveaboard - I loved it

yup... our first liveaboard too. I miss the Nekton!!

 

[FPDocMatt]

Though I spoke of my Internet interest as an addiction, it's actually also my link to my patients. Even when I'm on vacation, I like to check in to my office computer system to reply to inquiries and requests from my patients. Even though my partners are excellent doctors, my practice involves a few things that they're not really into--such as pain management, addictions treatment, and weight loss. So my patients really need me, and not just when I'm in the country. It's been really great in today's connected world to be able to be on vacation in Europe, for example, and be able to stay connected to what's happening with my patients.

I'm sure the same concept applies to many other professionals who are scuba divers. The Internet isn't just a source of diversion, it's actually a connection to some pretty important activities.

And I don't think that work is something that should necessarily be avoided while on vacation. It depends on your job, how you feel about it, your relation to it, etc. Being connected to my job while I'm on vacation doesn't add stress; rather, it's just another fun thing to do. In fact, I'd rather answer a patient's question while sitting on the deck of Sunset House looking at the blue water, feeling the breeze, and drinking a smoothie, than sitting in my office wondering what the weather's like outside.

 

[mike_s]

Check out a "keys trip" on the M/V Spree out of Key West. (send a pm to [user]wookie[/user] . He runs that boat.



If you're diving most of the wrecks of the keys on a trip, then you'll be within sight of shore most of the time and can tether your laptop on your smart phone.



Spent a week in the keys on liveboard never coming into port but once for 7 days.... Never got out of cell signal the entire time we were there. (Edit: note this was on a different boat that thankfully is now out of business).

 

[smellzlikefish]

On a recent research cruise out of Kona (where cell service is rather steady) we used a wireless internet dongle and it worked well out to about 10-15 miles offshore. If the liveaboard you're on happens to stay within 10-15 miles of populated islands, this might be an appropriate approach to solving your issue. I believe the service was Verizon.

 

[robint]

Matt - that is fine if that is what you need to do, but I think you need to skip a liveaboard trip. If you are not ready to give up that contact for 7 days in a row, then go land-based to an area which has reliable internet available to you 24/7.

Our first liveaboard trip was when our daughter was still in HS, and we thought we would be able to call home from the boat every day to check on her... nope. It freaked us out a bit, but it turned out to be a good thing. It taught her to be a little more responsible, to call people on our LIST left by phone if she needed anything, and it gave us space from her for a whole week. I think I was more concerned about it than she was... LOL.

robin