Liveaboard dive boats offer amazing opportunities to visit far-flung locations, explore new sites every day, and do loads of diving. Before you embark on a liveaboard trip, take steps to make your experience as safe as possible
Pre-trip checklists generally involve having your equipment serviced, charging batteries, and doing laundry. Safety preparation should be included in that list as well.
Before a liveaboard trip, do some homework before you leave. Vet your dive operator and research the boat you will be diving from, and the dive sites you will be visiting.
Once you’ve boarded the boat, you’ll be given a safety briefing – be sure to pay close attention. Included in the briefing will be important information about staying safe on board, the diver recall system, evacuation procedures, plans in case of an injured diver, and emergency procedures in case of a fire.
At the end of the briefing, make sure you know where to find the safety equipment (life vests, first-aid kits, emergency oxygen, etc).
Perhaps the most-important thing you can do at this point is to be unafraid to speak up. Although it may be uncomfortable, you can truly enhance your safety — and everyone else’s — by asking questions, requesting demonstrations, and taking the opportunity to practice what you’ve just been shown.
Ask about the operator’s emergency action plans (there’s more to these than simply calling DAN). Ask to look inside the first-aid kit and the oxygen unit.
With the crew’s assistance, practice opening any hatches or compartments. Don a life jacket. Make sure you feel prepared to take these actions in the dark.
While the vessel should have their own emergency action plans (EAPs), it is also important to create your own personal EAPs. For more information about EAPs, take DAN’s e-learning course ‘Emergency Planning for Divers’ at DAN.DiverELearning.com.
Be prepared for evacuation. Keep a small waterproof pouch near your bed with important items such as your wallet, passport, medications, phone, and glasses in case of emergency.
A small, waterproof flashlight would also be a good addition to this bag. Some divers choose to take portable CO monitors with them on liveaboard trips. These can provide an early warning in the event of a fire.
Bring an audible and visual signaling device. While this is good practice at any dive site, it is especially so on liveaboards since the diving is often farther offshore. A surface marker buoy (DSMB) and a whistle are good options.
Stay organized. During your briefing, the crew will inform you where you will gear up. Staying organized is a great way to keep after your belongings and make sure you do not take up others’ space or lose or misplace any items. Finally, remember to have fun!
After you trip, you can evaluate how prepared you were. What went right? What could you do to be more prepared for next time? This will help you modify your EAP for you next exciting adventure.
This article was originally published in Scuba Diver North America #15
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