Great comment Luca! These are excellent reflections from your experience. It is another long story, but I was once on damaged vessel, and we all put on dry suits with our ID inside our suits. It was sobering... I think that COVID may have set back some operators years in terms of repairs and upkeep. Your recommendation to research your travel provider is so important!
Awesome tip list! A few things I had to learn the hard way, specially overpacking! As nurses, very well stocked medical kit has come in handy on every single trip! We even ended up treating the captain in the Red Sea. That was during a crossing and because of that experience I would add, make sure that there is someone else in the crew that can pilot the boat. Our captain, 26 years old, had to pilot injured because there was no one else in the crew to do it! That lead to a couple of sleepless nights for my wife and I checking on him, making sure he was getting better, for his own sake of course but also all of us on board! I asked him, what happens if you can’t do it, he said they were going to radio on land for a new one. I didn’t ask how he would get on board and I just pretended it would be a helicopter. Also diving with a reputable company is the most important to me. I physically check the escape routes, make sure I can open them and there is nothing blocking them. Specially if my cabin is below the water line. I have a very little dry bag, where I have my phone, passport, important meds and a credit card, that goes with me everywhere but the dive and in the cabin is hanging right by the door when we are sleeping.
Great comment Luca! These are excellent reflections from your experience. It is another long story, but I was once on damaged vessel, and we all put on dry suits with our ID inside our suits. It was sobering... I think that COVID may have set back some operators years in terms of repairs and upkeep. Your recommendation to research your travel provider is so important!
I think you are right about some maintenance may have been overlooked on some boats! Would love to hear the story someday! Hopefully in your new book?
Awesome tip list! A few things I had to learn the hard way, specially overpacking! As nurses, very well stocked medical kit has come in handy on every single trip! We even ended up treating the captain in the Red Sea. That was during a crossing and because of that experience I would add, make sure that there is someone else in the crew that can pilot the boat. Our captain, 26 years old, had to pilot injured because there was no one else in the crew to do it! That lead to a couple of sleepless nights for my wife and I checking on him, making sure he was getting better, for his own sake of course but also all of us on board! I asked him, what happens if you can’t do it, he said they were going to radio on land for a new one. I didn’t ask how he would get on board and I just pretended it would be a helicopter. Also diving with a reputable company is the most important to me. I physically check the escape routes, make sure I can open them and there is nothing blocking them. Specially if my cabin is below the water line. I have a very little dry bag, where I have my phone, passport, important meds and a credit card, that goes with me everywhere but the dive and in the cabin is hanging right by the door when we are sleeping.