Question My biggest fear (on my first liveaboard trip).

[BrandonTL]

Ironically, liveaboards are largely about maximizing time on the water focused on diving, though in some cases access to distant preferred sites is also a big draw. By the time you...

Thank you for all of this information. Lots to go through here, but the more info/data the better as far as I am concerned.

it left me wondering what led you to choose a liveaboard. Prospect of high dive count?

A high dive count is certainly part of it. Also, the allure of having so much of a trip handled and planned in and itinerary that I just book and its set (of course, within the context of wanting diving to be main focus of the trip). And a big part is exactly this

I suspect you need to get a liveaboard in so you can settle in your own mind whether they're in line with your desires, and so you can weigh whether it's worth it to you in destinations where they offer serious advantages (like the Galapagos).

 

[BrandonTL]

@BrandonTL, for future reference, my buddy (and wife) was uninterested in a full Wolf/Darwin Galapagos LOB, plus she wanted to see everything else. So we did five days of land-based diving from San Cristobal, which was quite nice (dozens of hammerheads and a massive bait ball at Leon Dormido/Kicker Rock, very nice reef dives at Espanola, a good night dive, etc.), and then did an inter-island cruise which was outstanding. I think there's a good range of prices among the cruises, and the islands are really all that--snorkeling with penguins and marine iguanas, hiking up to see the tortoises, visiting a caldera. There are several operators on both San Cristobal and Santa Cruz, and we were able to shape our dive experience. The entire archipelago is other-worldly.

Thank you for sharing this experience. It is a nice middle ground for sure. Our biggest concern about doing it this way is that we would likely still want to come back and do some of the things you can only do on a liveaboard. We are very fortunate to be able to travel as much as we do, but with time and budget constraints we try to make sure that when we plan a new adventure, it is to a new place that we have never seen. So I am afraid if we do this, it will be a very long time until we ever make it back to do the other stuff if we ever do.

 

[BrandonTL]

As for being bored at sea, one of my other bucket list adventures is to do a transatlantic cruise. Stopping at ports was my least favorite part of cruising. Being in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do, as cut off from the world as I want to be, really appeals to me. But again, I don't think that attitude is the norm.

I actually really do enjoy being cut off from the world and in the middle of nowhere. The part that gets to me though is the "with nothing to do". I love to be in the woods and other remote locations. But when I am outside on land I know I can find a never ending supply of things to look at or tasks to do.

 

[BrandonTL]

so I'll add one more option along those lines: Scuba Club Cozumel ...

Thanks! I am definitely going to check this out.

 

[BrandonTL]

If I were to dive the Galapagos again, I would dive dry. I really froze in a 7mm wetsuit around Santa Cruz island. It was very unpleasant.

I tend to run warm. I dive in just board shorts as often as I can get away with it. In Lake Michigan I am more than good in a 5mm with hooded vest. That said, I was surprised to see that a 7mm was recommended, I just assumed that was more for the cooler season though.

 

[BrandonTL]

For the price of a single Galapagos liveaboard for one, you can pay for two Egypt liveaboards with a private guide AND land based excursions for a week while staying at five star hotels.

Really? I am definitely going to need to look into that. If not for this trip, for an upcoming one.

 

[arew+4]

One more thing to consider about Live Aboards, demographics. You seem like you may be pretty young, I do not have personal experience on live aboards but as I understand it, they tend to skew a little old (the whole scuba community does actually and that is an issue for several other threads ; ). So, if you don't mind beying the youngins, and sharing close quarters for a week or so, hearing about "back when I started diving" you'll be fine. I'm only 56 and my wife and I occasionally do this to our kids (early 20s) on dive trips.

If you choose to do one of the islands like Bonaire or Curacao you can stay at a resort and get some of the structured dive dive dive, and put in some of your own independent dives as you gain experience and confidence. You can easily get 4 to 5 dives per day this way.

 

[WileyCoyote]

Blackbeards...

 

[BrandonTL]

You seem like you may be pretty young

LOL... I will take that as a compliment. I am relatively new to being in a place in my life that I can afford to travel and where I can take adult trips without the kids. But I am not young. I am 42 years old. I have also read that people who do liveaboards tend to be an older demographic, so we may be on the younger side reletively speaking. That said, I have no trouble hanging out with people older or younger. And hey, it might feel good to be the "young couple" on the boat.

 

[Still Kicking]

Galapagos was an absolute epic experience for me after 30 years of diving and 3000+ dives.

It offered a relatively short travel time from the West Coast compared to the Far East (even with a layover on the mainland); the water was warm by California standards (7mm); the currents were manageable (fast current drift diving was hella fun); the boat, guides and other crew were awesome; wildlife was large and abundant.

One thing it wasn't was cheap -- but you can't have everything in this life.

And (back on topic) it's not a good destination for a new diver. You have to be on top of buoyancy control for fast drops and bluewater safety stops, and good situational awareness for changing conditions. But it's definitely somewhere to aspire to.