July 31: Liveaboard Life
When I inquired about scuba diving classes a few weeks ago, the Pro Dive representative in Cairns asked me whether I wanted to live aboard a ship or take day trips out to the ocean to complete my three days of underwater training. To me it seemed like an easy choice – why stay in a hotel when I could spend several days at sea on the Great Barrier Reef?
Stepping aboard the ship that would become my home for the next few days, I was happy to find a great deal of camaraderie among the other tour participants, seven of whom were students like me and 19 who were experienced divers, becoming more proficient through the dives and advanced classes offered.
On board, I enjoyed conversing with people from around the world, learning from other divers, and sharing my new skills with fellow students. With all of us “in the same boat,” I felt safe leaving the door to my cabin open, storing my gear out in the open, and hanging up wet things in communal areas.
I had already been assigned a “dive buddy” for my swimming pool exercises at the Pro Dive Training Center in the city and we continued to be partners at sea, learning to provide air in an emergency, rescue each other, confirm our gear was correctly set up, and be generally helpful to each other. Daniel and I did six dives at sea with an instructor and three dives without after we passed our skills tests, forming a great bond of trust.
The staff on hand worked tirelessly throughout our journey cleaning common areas, giving us updates on the reef we would be visiting, checking our air levels before each dive, filling up the dive cylinders, leading dives, and confirming that all divers had returned to the ship.
Although the boat’s chef had a very small kitchen, he managed to knock out several hot meals a day in addition to snacks. It wasn’t easy to put on and take off cold wet scuba gear multiple times a day. But coming back inside the cabin after a dive to find delicious meals like curried chicken, salad, and garlic bread was as nice as the quick hot shower I took every time I got out of the water.
Because we did not have a full ship, I was given a room with a bunkbed to myself, making it more possible for me to recharge and get a good night’s sleep before the following day’s dives. It may not have had an attached bathroom, deluxe sheets, or a fancy mattress, but given the circumstances it was perfect.
One tip I learned very quickly was not to wear socks to bed. Because the toilet and shower were in the same small stall and the drains were not fully functioning, there was typically an inch or so of standing water around the toilet. Keeping my feet bare made middle of the night trips to the bathroom more manageable.
After we returned to port, the course instructor dropped me off at my hotel last, giving her an opportunity to share some personal feedback with me. I was really encouraged when she said it brought tears to her eyes to see me face my fears, learn so much, and be helpful to others. What an amazing adventure!
