THE PADI TRAVEL NETWORK'S PROFESSIONAL

GUIDE TO DIVING...

LIVE-ABOARDS THAT WILL FLOAT YOUR BOAT

Everything you need to know to book travel or lead a group on spectacular live-aboards.

IN LOVE WITH LIVE-ABOARDS

When it comes to dive travel PADI professionals love live-aboards. Whether booking a personal dive trip, one for students, or leading a group, live-aboards offer an ideal form of dive travel for PADI professionals.

Live-aboards are one of the fastest-growing segments in the diving industry for many reasons: ease and convenience in booking a complete dive vacation; a bigbang for the dive travel buck; accessibility to otherwise remote diving; and total diving immersion.

A live-aboard trip is one of the easiest forms of dive travel for the PADI professional to market, book, and lead. The key selling point of live-aboards is lots of diving. Passengers are generally only limited by their abilities, computers, and dive tables. Live-aboards thus offer the perfect opportunity to further training, pursue many underwater photography and videography opportunities, and experience diving days that only a live-aboard can offer.

But live-aboard divers also get to enjoy great surface intervals. Though the vessels can vary greatly in amenities, they all offer an opportunity to enjoy topside time and company between dives. The live-aboard industry has also become more popular because of the increasing luxury and service of the boats, making it easy for PADI professionals to introduce live-aboards to their students.

We've scoured the seven seas to search out some of the best live-aboard opportunities throughout the world. PADI professionals are sure to find a perfect location and boat.

CARIBBEAN

Action Quest

Action Quest is a non-profit organization which offers "Action Sail" and "Action Dive" as opportunities for young adults aged 13-19 to participate in a variety of skill-building experiences, while living on board and learning how to safely operate sailing vessels.

With their "Action Dive" programs, Action Quest offers "divemates" the opportunity to earn PADI advanced certifications, while living aboard sailing yachts and diving the numerous rich coral reefs of the British Virgin Islands. The dive programs are engineered for teens aged 14-19 who have already been certified, as well as those who have completed their academic and pool training.

Bay Islands Aggressor II

The Bay Islands are one of the most exciting dive destinations in the Western Caribbean, located off the coast of Honduras, amongst the many lush and sleepy little islands. Docked in port on Roatan's south coast, the Bay Islands Aggressor II anxiously awaits divers for a week of unparalleled diving.

The tropical waters of the Bay Islands feature extensive tunnels, grottoes, caverns, and breathtaking sheer wall drop-offs lined with an infinite variety of bright sponges and soft corals. Divers experience the best dive sites on both sides of Roatan--Mary's Place, the Grand Canyon, and the Enchanted Forest, with its black coral and deep water fans, as well as the illusive islands and caves of Cochinos and the wrecks and undersea labyrinths of mountainous Guanaja.

Belize Aggressor II

Belize, home to a famed 185-mile Barrier Reef, ensures a week of unlimited diving filled with extraordinary walls, atolls, and virgin dive sites, highlighted by the famous Blue Hole. Belize-bound divers will be treated to a unique diving adventure aboard the Belize Aggressor II.

The vessel whisks divers to the Lighthouse Reef in only a few hours, where they'll find an atoll that is one of the greatest living reef formations in the Caribbean. The reefs are located 60 miles offshore and are not readily accessible to fisherman, resulting in an abundant population of grouper, large crabs, turtles, rays, horse-eye jacks, and a profusion of gaily-colored reef life in beautiful coral gardens.

Cayman Aggressor III

Each week, the Cayman Aggressor III awaits divers in Grand Cayman's George Town Harbor, where they depart for the famous vertical walls and reefs of Grand Cayman and Little Cayman. The boat cruises around the island of Grand Cayman to dive the famed North and South Walls, including vertical walls, honeycombed tunnels, shimmering tarpon, stingrays, caverns, wrecks, and shallow coral dives at famed sites like Babylon, Julie's Delight, Driftwood Wall, and Stingray City.

The world-class cruiser also whisks divers to neighboring Little Cayman in a mere five hours (weather permitting). Here, lucky live-aboard passengers dive the breathtaking Bloody Bay Wall, one of the most exquisite drop-offs in the Caribbean.

Irie Dive & Sail Charters

PADI professionals looking for a great way to explore the Virgin Islands will love Irie. This 46-foot sailing vessel provides a unique diving and sailing vacation in the crystal-clear waters of the USVI and the BVI.

Irie's crew are both PADI dive instructors and know the best dive sites throughout the varied islands. The sailing and diving make for a great combination.

Nekton Diving Cruises

The Nekton Pilot combines the diversity of diving throughout the Bahamas with the luxury and revolutionary design of a cutting-edge live-aboard. The adventure begins in Fort Lauderdale and leads across the Gulf Stream to a wide variety of Bahamas dive sites.

With its unique small waterplane area twin hull (SWATH) design, the Nekton Pilot features an exceptionally smooth ride. Possible diving highlights include the Gingerbread Grounds, Cay Sal Bank, the Elbow, the Biminis, a night off Freeport, and a special Dolphin Excursion north of Grand Bahama.

Peter Hughes' Sea Dancer

The Turks & Caicos Islands, just 575 miles southeast of Miami, offer beautiful undeveloped islands, consistently clear conditions, a 7,000-foot wall, and many virtually untouched reefs. The secret of the Turks & Caicos is out and the Sea Dancer is a great way to see them.

Most of the year, the Sea Dancer is based out of Providenciales, but the summer schedule may include Great and Little Inagua, Rum Cay, San Salavador and the Turks Island Passage. No matter what the itinerary, however, divers will find the best diving this region has to offer.

Peter Hughes' Wave Dancer

Live-aboard luxury and service in and out of the renowned waters of Belize (see Belize Aggressor II above) is abundant on Peter Hughes' Wave Dancer. It's a perfect way to dive Belize.

Highlights aboard the Wave Dancer include: the Turneffe Islands; Lighthouse Reef; Blue Hole; Honey a friendly Atlantic bottlenose dolphin; Glover's Reef; and much more.

Peter Hughes' Wind Dancer

The Wind Dancer, Peter Hughes' fourth vessel, will explore the Bay Islands of Honduras, Central America (see Bay Islands Aggressor II above). Given the famed reputation of the fleet, the Wind Dancer is a Bay Islands bonanza.

The Wind Dancer's itinerary will include diving on the walls, tunnels, and offshore banks of Utila, Cayos Cochinos, Roatan, Barbareta, and Guanaja, with special itineraries to the unexplored Hobbie Cays and beyond. The maiden voyage is scheduled for April 29, 1995.

Turks & Caicos Aggressor

The secret of the Turks & Caicos (see Peter Hughes' Sea Dancer above) is best discovered on a live-aboard. From the walls of Grand Turk to West Caicos, the Turks & Caicos Aggressor offers some of the world's best wilderness diving.

Divers are consistently amazed at the spectacular coral walls, ledges, and drop-offs. In these waters rich with life, be prepared to encounter sharks, large sea turtles, African pompano, huge barracuda, schools of eagle rays, or migrating humpback whales.

PACIFIC

Kona Aggressor II

A high-speed, power catamaran, the Kona Aggressor II explores the underwater mysteries of the Big Island. With its lava formations and blue water diving, this live-aboard allows divers to see another side of the Hawaiian Islands.

The Kona Aggressor II cruises between Kailua-Kona and South Point, the southern-most point of the U.S. The virgin dive sites along the way allow divers the opportunity to enjoy lava tubes, enormous schools of Pacific reef fish, manta rays, majestic porpoises, dolphins, and whales.

Palau Agressor

Palau, Micronesia, a remote tropical island group of some 340 islands about 600 miles east of the southern Philippines and 800 miles southwest of Guam, offers an astonishing assortment of diving experiences. Divers dive outside drop-offs, passes, and lagoons around the Rock Islands and many areas often inaccessible.

Palau Aggressor diving features Japanese shipwrecks, submarine caves, blue holes, current rides, shark encounters, and a marine lake with apricot clouds of non-stinging jellyfish. The famous Rock Islands, long sand beaches, and a fascinating culture complete the appeal of exotic Palau.

Peter Hughes' Sun Dancer

Palau has many PADI professional saying, "Wow!" and it's easy to see why (see Palau Aggressor above). Peter Hughes' Sun Dancer is a perfect way to see Palau, with a stay at the beautiful Palau Pacific Resort included.

The diving aboard the Sun Dancer is spectacular, with cruises offering an in-depth look at the reefs of Palau Lagoon. Two diving tenders carry passengers to famed sites like the famed Blue Corner and Peleliu Corner.

S.S. Thorfinn

Micronesia has been a popular diving destination for the last fifteen years, which is mainly due to the presence of the Truk shipwrecks. The S.S. Thorfinn provides luxurious live-aboard access to these famed dive sites.

Diving in Truk from the ship allows live-aboard passengers to dive continuously on wrecks located nearby. Dive launches depart from the ship every hour from 7am to 4pm, with a night dive usually conducted each night.

Truk Aggressor

The legendary Truk Lagoon is located in the tropical paradise of the mid-Pacific, about 2,500 miles southwest of Hawaii and 650 miles southeast of Guam. Here, some of the world's most famous shipwreck diving is available aboard the Truk Aggressor.

This live-aboard dives 10 to 12 shipwrecks each week, with divers seeing anemonefish, giant clams, lionfish, and vertical walls of multi-colored soft corals, all against a backdrop of the famed shiprwrecks. Other highlights include a "high voltage" shark dive and night wreck diving.

RED SEA

Fantasea II

Dedicated to the exotic dive traveler, the Fantasea II features luxury live-aboard itineraries to the most remote and exotic reefs of the Red Sea and, recently, the Indian Ocean. With popular Red Sea trips embarking from Eilat, Israel or Shareem El Sheikh, Egypt, the Red Sea trip and Fantasea II lifestyle have drawn many repeat visitors to the Sinai and Suez or southern islands.

The Indian Ocean Seychelles itinerary departs from Mahe or Assumption Island, offering Fantasea II divers another option to live the life of luxury in the inner islands or along the Aldabra Archipelago.

Sinai Divers

Based in South Sinai, Egypt, Sinai Divers offers a variety of live-aboard experiences in the Red Sea, with four boats and flexible trip lengths and itineraries.

Ranging in size and amenities, live-aboard options include the Ghazala I, Ghazala II, the Ghazala Explorer, and the Ghazala Voyager. Itinerary options include the northern Red Sea; south of Marsa Alam to the Sudanese border; and the northern and southern Red Sea to the Sudanese border.

INDIAN OCEAN

Fantasea II (see above)

Dive Safari Kenya

With the Aristos of Kenya, Dive Safari Kenya offers a East Africa diving and sailing safaris. Live-aboard trips normally start at the dive base in Kilifi, Kenya, but guests can join the boat in Mombasa, Shimoni, Pemba, or Zanzibar.

The areas visited are the islands off the coast of East Africa, which are completely unspoilt and either uninhabited or with simple fishing villages. The town of Zanzibar is normally included in the itinerary for a safari ashore to the national park and to explore the ancient capital of the Swahili culture.

THAILAND

Fantasea Divers

Departing out of Phuket, Fantasea Divers offers Thailand live-aboard diving at its best, with the Fantasea and the Andaman Explorer. Divers find variety and amazingly raw oceanic reefs.

The Fantasea's itinerary includes diving at the Similan Islands National Park, the Burma Banks, and the Surin Islands. The Andaman Explorer is popular with divers of limited experience or those short of time.

Siam Diving Center

The Siam Diving Center, based in Phuket, offers world-class Thailand diving aboard the Sai Mai II, traveling to the Similan Islands, Richelieu Rock, the Burma Banks, and to the newly-opened Andaman Islands. They also offer budget live-aboard diving aboard the Daranee, as well as sailing/diving charters.

The Similan Islands have been blessed with snow-white sandy beaches and are surrounded by deep blue water teeming with life. Highlights include: Breakfast Bend, Elephant Head Rock, and Shark Fin Reef.

GREAT BARRIER REEF

Mike Ball Dive Expeditions

Mike Ball knows the Great Barrier Reef and his wide variety of live-aboards and itineraries lets divers get to know it too. Headquartered in Townsville, Mike Ball Dive Expeditions offers an incredible array of live-aboard expeditions, designed to meet any diver's desires.

A small sample of the trips available on the

Spoilsport, Supersport, and Watersport include the "S.S. Yongala" (three/two days, 6 dives); "Coral Sea" (seven/six days, 22 dives), "Aussie Adventure" (eight days, 17 dives); the "Ultimate Adventure" (12 days, 33 dives); and many other adventurous diving packages.

OTHER OPTIONS

Charioteer Diving Services

Never received information, after many FAXes/calls (including girlfriends).

T.C. Charters

Lake Michigan is the final resting spot for hundreds of shipwrecks and T.C. Charters is the way to see and dive them. Lake Michigan wreck diving aboard a live-aboard is a unique U.S. diving experience that shouldn't be missed.

T.C. Charters visits the Manitou Islands, Power Island, and the many wrecks during cruises from Traverse City to Leland and Charlevoix. Highlights include century-old shipwrecks like the Alva Bradley, the Francisco Morazan, and the Walter Frost.

Okeanos Agressor

Situated 250 miles off the west coast of Costa Rica lies the fascinating paradise of Coco Island. Until recently, few have had the opportunity to explore this unique island's waters, lush jungle, indigenous tropical birds, and breathtaking waterfalls.

The Okeanos Agressor makes the 32-hour passage to Coco Island smooth and comfortable. Once there, a thrilling and unique dive experience awaits, with the excitement of diving with schools of hammerheads and white tip sharks, dolphins, tuna, and manta rays. The sea floor provides dazzling forms of reef fish, spiny lobster, stingrays, eels.

Galapagos Aggressor

The enchanted islands of the Galapagos are found in the Pacific Ocean some 600 miles west of Ecuador. Made famous by Charles Darwin and his studies that evolved into the "Theory of Evolution," the Galapagos have been declared a national park and marine reserve by the government of Ecuador.

An experienced naturalist aboard the Galapagos Aggressor will interpret the unusual and distinctive sights, like the Galapagos tortoise and the marine iguana. The diving environment almost assures contacts with sea lions, turtles, penguins, eagle rays, mantas, reef sharks, and dolphins, combined with more rare sightings of whales, whale sharks, and hammerheads.

Lammer Law

The trimaran Lammer Law offers a great way to see and dive the unique Galapagos Islands (see Galapagos Aggressor above). This unusual live-aboard offers both head and wholeboat trips for divers.

Lammer Law's Galapagos Islands itineraries include 7-day schedules and 10/11 night extensions. Featuring professional naturalist guides from the Darwin Station on board every cruise, divers receive fascinating briefings on ecology, animals, and birdlife before every dive and shore excursion.

Dive Master II

Never received any information after many FAXes/calls.