Eat, Dive, Sleep, Repeat

How to get ready for maximum time in the water

- By Annie Crawley

I’ve filled nearly every position, from captain to cook, dive instructor to photo/video pro, deckhand to hostess. Crews work together as a team, and their most important job is to give you, the passenger, the safest, most excellent underwater adventure of your life. Whether you plan to dive every dive or would prefer a hammock and a massage, the aim is to please you. If we’ve done our job, you’ll never want to leave.

With the right equipment, training and expectations, liveaboard diving can be the greatest adventure of your life. Just think, the farthest you walk to go diving is the length of the vessel, from your cabin to the dive deck! These tips will help make your trip successful.

PREPARE BEFORE YOU GO

Get your gear serviced and use it on a local dive or in a pool. Practice using your surface marker buoy. Bring your logbook. Get yourself weighted for your current equipment, especially if you are using a new wetsuit or if your body composition has changed since your last trip (even if you hate to admit it). Pack a spare-parts kit including an extra mouthpiece, mask, fin strap, batteries and essential charging cords. Collect your manuals and make sure you have downloaded PDFs for your dive computer, cameras and any other technical gear. If you are using a new camera or accessory, practice with it both on land and in water before your trip.