We’ve been bunking with mom & dad in VA for the month of October while we awaited Keystone’s driver to pick up our rig. While we did have the space in A. Bay until October 13th, we had a wedding in Lancaster, PA I had a work trip, and then our Jamaican Vacation was scheduled so it was time to pack it up (yet again) and make the moves down south.
The wedding in Lancaster was a hit! And we had been able to repack (for the umpteenth time) the camper into those black & yellow Lowe’s bins that we’ve come to love so much… With items at Mom & Dads, In condo 4 at A. Bay, and leaving one of the trucks parked at Grandma’s house in Syracuse we just about emptied the entire unit!
September 26th Austin flew back into Syracuse and rented a car. We headed to Grandma’s house (I had breakfast with her that morning!) to pull all the stuff out of the Tacoma in her driveway, reload into the rental and start the 6+ hour drive to VA. I had the F-350 loaded down bed to roof with all the last bits & pieces and we caravaned down 81. We passed quite a few accidents on the way down, but came through unscathed.
The driver was supposed to pick up the camper the week of Sept 29th. We waited, and waited, and waited for the driver to let us know he was on his way/there to pick up the camper – and he finally showed up Oct 3rd. Apparently he tried a few excuses with Austin to say he wasn’t sure he could pull it because of a “toolbox in the bed of his truck” and “he couldn’t find the camper” (it’s kind of hard to miss…) and Austin set him very straight. So the camper was picked up and driven the 12 hours across NY and into Indiana where we waited for more updates.
We have no idea what the camper looked like once it made it to Keystone – they didn’t send any photos but we did get an update (finally) while in Jamaica that it had arrived and they were doing their own inspection of all the elements as they don’t rely on Camping World’s reports.
We were hoping to have the camper back by November as we have a space reserved in Hendersonville, NC Nov 7- mid May…. but that was obviously wishful thinking. We are glad they are doing their own full blown inspection and not relying on Camping World, they’ve already noted that they’re replacing pretty much the entire fiberglass exterior sheeting, interior wallpapering/walls that were cracking, the front entertainment center cabinetry, and a new back ladder (apparently it’s bent?!), and they’re adding flex adapters to the front area that will actually allow the unit to flex as it should when on the hitch. We’re hoping we get the update that they’ll be re-welding all the connections that we saw were broken as well once they get that front cap off again for those flex pieces… It sounds to us like there have been MANY issues like ours with this particular model and they’ve had to fix more campers than expected which is why we have not paid a penny out of pocket for fixes past 2 new tires. When it’s all complete which sounds like another 6-ish weeks…. (3-4 weeks before they get it IN to the production line, and another 2 weeks working on it) they’ll then tow it down to Hendersonville’s Camping World for us where we’ll pick it up.
After the Pennsylvania Wedding, I had a trip up to Ohio to cover some events for work where I presented and met with new advisors and got more interest for diving at the resorts! Because it was just a 2 nighter, I packed myself in my backpack and caught a quick flight from Dulles.
It’s been great to be around close family – as it allows us to get to the nibling’s sports games and take advantage still of walking into town for experiences. We celebrated our house sale & the money being deposited – which we then turned around and wiped out some debts, and invested with our financial advisor! We also finally decided on an eBike and it arrived for Dad and I to put together!
Mom also called Dad and I to jump into some Pickleball at the local gym they’re members of as they needed a few extra players. It’s only my 2nd time actually playing games and I’ve got to get my swings under control – I tend to hit it long A LOT. BUT I’m running my butt off getting to stuff and burning ALL the calories haha!
It was just about Jamaica time!! So we packed our suitcase (and Austin’s backpack – because he’s weird) for a 6-night stay at Sandals Negril with friends! It was Austin’s & our friend Sandy’s birthdays, what better way to celebrate!
We were immediately spoiled on arrival in Jamaica – the resort team (who I emailed ahead of time and told them we were coming) put us in a beautiful butler villa (without the butler service) that had it’s own backyard and pool!! We figured out in Antigua back in 2020 that we are definitely room pool people, Austin gets uncomfortable just sitting on the beach in the heat and either has to have something fun to do, or be in the water.
I, on the other hand, am perfectly fine with a book and a beach chair soaking up all the sun…. I finished that book on the 2nd afternoon and had to steal Austin’s book for the next 3 afternoons. Thanks Babe!
We also got some diving in!! I finally talked Austin in to completing his Invasive Species Tracker Certification which “legally” allows him to hunt lionfish!
He’s a natural and got about 5 on the follow up dives we did! We also got to do a super cool dive called the Throne Room where you descend through a crack in the coral formation and come out in a opened coral cavern.
Hangry Austin – Happy Austin!
We had a fabulous time on a worry free vacation in beautiful Jamaica. Did some professional resort photos (our first since our wedding), and I even got to practice my bubble rings on dives 🙂
We had planned to fly back into Syracuse for Punkin Chukin weekend in Clayton, NY but plans changed and we swapped our flights to fly into Charlotte to spend time with Austin’s family instead. It was fun to watch him & his brothers run around like kids again, especially when they caught glimpse of a black bear running across the ridge! (its black bear hunting season and they all SPRINTED off to try to get it).
After stopping by the Tennessee storage unit and seeing if we could cut the locks off (we couldn’t), we headed over to see Mamaw & Papaw and of course Charlie. He’s a happy pup there and has gained probably 15lbs with Mamaw’s cooking.
A 6.5 hour drive from Marshall, NC back to Leesburg had us arriving back at our current home base just around 11pm. Austin was headed out on a flight to Canada for the week Monday and I was back in office to follow up on all the vacay emails that came in. Plus prep for DEMA Show which is the largest trade dive show of the year! This year it’s in Orlando and is only a few weeks away!
Mom & Dad arrived back home from Punkin Chukin to a full house – Meg & the Niblings were riding bikes and it was the perfect fall day to kick the training wheels off Knox’s bike and get him riding like the big kids. He was a little nervous to start but had a whole fan club cheering him on and he GOT IT!
I’m super grateful to be here for moments and memories like these. He was so excited to be a full blown bike rider that we all took our first big family bike ride up to the park across the street!
It’s been a trying year for me and Austin – but we are so lucky to have family support everywhere that is open to helping us. We’ve had so many good moments among the craziness and I wouldn’t want to trade any of them.
One final happy update for me – I finally applied for my Master Scuba Diver Certification with PADI! While this isn’t necessarily a “certification” in the same sense as most – it does have a few requirements:
Complete your Rescue Diver Certification
Complete 50 Dives
Complete 5 Specialties
Submit application with all those elements & receive a new card!
So I did!
Rescue Diver Certification completed 2022
214 Recorded dives to date
Specialties Completed: Deep Diver, Peak Performance Buoyancy, Emergency Oxygen Provider, Digital Underwater Photographer, Boat Diver, Enriched Air Diver, Full Face Mask, Invasive Species Tracker
Goody’s Powder – for your hubby when all the boxes start showing up, he’s gonna have a headache, backache, etc. from lugging all your new stuff inside.
I absolutely LOVE this 3-light level lamp, It was super easy to put together – just plug and go! It’s adjustable so if you’re crafting, creating, etc. – it’s an awesome option and it’s 70% off for Prime Day! ($20.98). I put this desk together all by myself too! (insert proud emoji) It came with all the tools necessary; screws, wrench, etc. and has a built in plug on the desk face for easier access. Just make sure you put it in front of your wall plug and plug it in! And if you need some super light & fun earrings like you see in the photo – Check out my Etsy Shop (MelMaid)!
HOLY Heavenly comfort – this knit matching set is THE most comfortable thing I’ve put on my body this year. I have it in Blue, but the Kakhi and Black are on Prime Day deal for $19.35 (63% off!)
My other home lounge clothing option has a little more free-flow to it, this smooth and soft Katfan is AMAZING for that just-out-of-the-shower-lotion-ed-up-treat-yo-self night. PLUS it’s $24 (20% off!).
This Long Line Sports Bra is SO comfortable weather you’re actually working out, or didn’t really want to put on a full bra & shirt. I’ve worn this with so many different outfits and it’s lightly padded already.
For the People to see – Work & Resort Wear
I have these pants in both black AND pink. They are a heavier quality fabric, but I get SO many compliments every time I wear them. They have an awesome side “cargo” pocket in addition to ACTUAL hip pockets, but are still formal enough to wear to the office. They’re $31.99 (30% off) I’ve also thrown this belt on with them for the perfect little detail $11.91 (20% off)
If you have hair long enough to put back in a ponytail, you HAVE to check out these KooShoo brand hair ties, headbands, and scrunchies. They’re a small husband/wife company who makes sustainable hair accessories! Organic, Biodegradeable, and Plastic free. While I have fine hair, I have a lot of it, so I love the wide flat hair ties ($7.99 for 5 – 20% off), the thick rounded ones ($10.39 for 8 – 20% off) , AND the headbands (not on prime day deal but $9.99) are perfect for my pea-sized head to stay on for a full rigorous workout.
Need a light and flowy outfit for that Island Vacation? This 2-piece set is oh so comfortable, doesn’t stick to you (I sweat), and may get a few admiring whistles as you walk by. I wore this in Jamaica in early January and was handing out the link to everyone who complimented it! $31.49 (30% off!) – I’m a curvier girl with a bootay – I ordered an XL with hip measurement of 50(ish).
With 4.3 stars out of over 23,000 ratings – this dress can’t be wrong for the price! $27.99 (20% off) for your free flowing casual maxi-dress.
I love a one-shoulder moment – with a smocked top and the billowing tiers – This dress may be your go-to for after beach fun, Sunday brunch, or just going to Target! $29.98 (39% off!)
I am OBSESSED with this swimsuit – I already have it in 2 colors, AND I’ve purchased another for my sister. It’s the perfect coverage and support while remaining comfortable. Just remember to put your sunscreen on under the mesh stripes or you’ll come out striped like Tony the Tiger!! $15.19 (20% off)
Feel like throwing something on quick that’s a Halara dupe?! This tennis dress has built in shorts & pockets on both hips for easy running around. The only downside, is that it’s a full piece, so yes – you will have to take the whole thing off to pee. I actually wore this for my Wedding Rehearsal/walk through & while getting hair & makeup done! It worked perfectly under my Etsy found tulle glamour robe. So What if I’m *extra*. $30.39 (20% off)
For the Ladies –
Have you heard all the stories coming out about tampons recently? Little scary huh? You know what’s less scary?! Swapping over to a cup, I did it a year ago and OMG has it changed my life. Thanks to another scuba diver for urging me to try it – I like this brand (I tried a few; diva cup, saalt, and Peachlife) and found that this PeachLife Inc. version has the best options size-wise and comfort wise (flexibility of the silicone) for me. Why not give it a try for the same price as a box of tampons? 12-hour wear, no TSS complications, NO it’s not going to get “lost” UP THERE. I haven’t had any leaks or massacre hands yet either. The little o-ring at the pull makes for the easiest removal of all the options I tried. $14.24 for one (25% off!)
Have those baby flyaway pieces that bug you all day? This Hair Wax Stick is perfect to give you that slicked back look without having to pull out the 80’s gel. My husband even uses this for his hair – he’s growing it out 😉 4.3 rating out of 43,000+ users can’t be a glitch – Prime day deal for $7.58 (24% off)
Another 33,000+ users influenced me to purchase these bottle cleaner tabs 6 months ago – THANK GOODNESS. We have an old camping coffee thermos that is the DEVIL to get to the bottom of – no scrubber wand is long enough! But these babies?! heck yea they work. $7.59 on Prime Day (5%)
For the Gents –
Guys, we know you work hard – sometimes we can just smell it. Do us a favor and pack some of these in your toolbox? DudeWipes – 5% off on Prime Day ($8.53 for a 3-pack)
Ready for that Summer pearly white smile? Crest 3-D White Strips 35% off meaning you could be THIS CLOSE to a whiter smile for $29.99. Or in the words of Mitch Hedberg – I’ll just get a tan instead.
Guys – we know you love your hats (we do too!) and to keep them fresh without that sweat line between the bill and your forehead – try these bad boys out. A Sweat Liner that prevents stains, and Odor. Just don’t forget it’s in there if you throw your hat in the wash… it won’t work after that wash session. $20.00 for 3 (20% off)
Don’t get stuck with a dead battery! This car jump starter is compact enough to be stashed under the seat and will save you when your car battery dies in that inopportune moment. We have one and we’ve used it for ourselves and friends/strangers more than once. 2500Amp jump starter for 8.0L gas and 7.0L Diesel engines. $59.46 (37% off – perfect Christmas gift!)
Tech –
Ladies, again… why is it that when we move in with someone – we become the keepers of EVERYTHING inside the house? I don’t know about you, but my husband would lose his head if it wasn’t attached. Wallet? Keys? Hat? pfft, good luck finding those if I’m not home. We’ve used the Tile slims in his wallet for a a while now – it connects to your phone and gives you GPS coordinates but these battery replaceable Samsung Galaxy SmartTags are fabulous for our keys. $68.19 for 4 (32% off – *adds to cart*)
Need a little extra counter space or outlet accessibility? The one-stop shop for your Amazon Echo, plus 5 regular outlets, 3 USB outlets, and 1 USB-C space wall charger. Make it your Tech/gadget charging corner without taking up that oh-so-cluttered countertop. Or for that extra desk space in your office.
With a Dog who’s FAVORITE phrase is “Car Ride?” this little magic eraser Portable Bissell is a LIFESAVER for our car upholstery. I also tested it on dining room chairs for my mother, and small spots on our carpet. I LOVE the compact-ness of this thing and have realized my age when I get excited about cleaning supplies. You’ll love it too. $81.99 (34% off)
Add a little Fairy Magic to your yard! These oh so cute fairy Solar Garden Lights come in a 4-pack for you to place around your space. $23.73 on a lightning deal (41% off)
We love our security! And Ring Devices are just one of the few items on the Prime Deals! Blink cameras (indoor/outdoor) are also available! Both require a subscription to keep your photos/videos – but it’s worth it for peace of mind.
PUT. ON. THE. SUNSCREEN! And use one that doesn’t include these terrible chemicals which are wrecking our oceans/water sources. Stream2Sea is one of my absolute FAVORITE companies – they are a Florida Based company with an amazing female founder/CEO. Her background in chemical engineering has allowed her to create these amazing mineral formulas to help our oceans and are safe for your skin. If you miss the Prime Day Sale, you can still get 10% off by using the code DiveIn or using my affiliate link here! There’s also a BOGO 50% off Coupon! Put the items in your cart and add the coupon PRIMEDAY to cash in! Some of their items on sale are:
And if you’re doing underwater activities with a mask or goggles – their mask defog is the best I’ve ever used! $8.76 (20% off)
Not on Prime Day Deal but SO worth it – I get eaten ALIVE by mosquitoes every summer and Stream2Sea makes this AMAZING burn/after sun/itch gel that magically makes all the itch disappear. I’ve used it for mosquito bites, red-ant bites (Thanks NC), sun burn, everything.
Treat Yo Self! Its on sale 😉
*As an amazon affiliate I may receive commission from these links/sales. all prices are current as of posting date & time – subject to change or removal at any time.
It seems like 2023 is our year to break out of our regular and comfortable travel experiences. Not only were we able to visit the beautiful Country of Africa (South Africa; Johannesburg, Cape Town, Franschhoek, and Hoedspruit – Thanks Live Life Safaris!) but we ALSO just returned from an amazing Maldives Liveaboard with Mujavaz Scuba & Travel!
I’ll have to do a separate post about Africa as this would take you probably an hour to read if I pushed both in here.
Let’s talk about the Maldives for a hot minute – The first image that I’m betting pops into your head are Over Water Bungalows. You know… the $5000.00/day stay that just drips in the luxury of crystal blue waters and your own pool off your deck over the ocean. Spoiler Alert – you don’t have to fly 16+ hours to get all that (selfless plug – Sandals Resorts has those with direct flights and you get every restaurant, beverage, transfers, butlers, room service, the WHOLE kit & caboodle for the same price or less!) – Did you know you still have to pay for meals in a bunglaow in the Maldives? Also, fun fact – most of the time, the island the resorts are on are OWNED by the Resort!
Buuuuttttt…. This was NOT that trip.
THIS trip, is what is called a Liveaboard. That means we join about 18 other people on a 124 ft luxury yacht. I hope you’re now imagining a Below Deck type of montage.
Because that’s EXACTLY how it felt!
While my husband and I arrived a few days earlier than some of the group – we had 2 nights to enjoy on our host & friend’s home island of Guraidhoo. That meant we arrived at Velana International Airport in the capital island of Male, and planned to catch a ferry for $30pp which should have taken about 30 minutes by boat.
Unfortunately, because our flight arrived at 3:27p and we still had to make our way through immigration, baggage claim, and customs – the last ferry to Guraidhoo departed at 4pm. Luckily Mujey met us at the airport and coordinated an alternate ferry to Maafushi Island for the same price, and because he knows EVERYBODY, had a cousin pick us up in a speedboat to head home for the next 2 nights.
My husband and I absolutely LOVED Guraidhoo. It’s a small island with sandy streets and 2 automobiles…. Ambulances actually. The rest of the vehicles are electric scooters and bikes so there’s really no noise pollution or gas smell. Most people walk everywhere and we got so comfortable walking around we actually ended up doing it barefoot a few times (because of rain puddles).
Since our arrival evening transfers took a bit longer than expected thanks to a boat motor moving a little slower than usual, we headed straight to our hotel and crashed.
A 12 hour flight from JFK-DOHA, a layover, and then a 4 hour flight DOHA-Male is a long day with a 9 hour ahead time difference. Our travel also included a 6 hour drive from Charlotte, NC to Northern Virginia to drop the dog off with my sister, and an evening flight from DCA-JFK to overnight ahead of our jump across the pond. Totaling 4 actual days of travel – and that’s just to get there, we still had to come back after 10 days. That might belong in this trip’s liveaboard “cons” list if we’re comparing it to travel from the East Coast to the Caribbean.
Check these faces after 20 + hours of travel
It had been over 12 months since my husband’s last dive (I know, I’m the worst, I haven’t taken him on resort… but in my defense… he used most of his vacation for our honeymoon in May). So we joined the next morning’s dive through the local dive shop on Guraidhoo and met some of our future liveaboard passengers as well!
I did try my full face OceanReef mask on this dive – but I’m still not as comfortable as I’d like to be with it and equalizing, especially not on a deep dive so I swapped to my regular mask and backup for the rest of the dives.
Important things we needed to know ahead of arrival in a new country were the island restrictions, expectations, and rules. Because the Maldives are an Islamic country I wanted to ensure I was respectful of their cultures and traditions which affected what kind of clothing I packed and meant we got used to hearing the call to prayer 5 times a day (our hotel was also right behind the mosque). That also meant I had to do a little shopping as my knees were uncovered in my dresses, and I made sure I wore t-shirts to keep my shoulders covered.
Our hotel for the first 2 nights was called Rosy Villa; a quaint guest house hotel with stairs only to all the rooms, no bikinis in the common areas, a continental breakfast for divers included, and a short walk from the dive shop.
Our host ensured we had a memorable time on his home island and that included a special supper for us and our liveaboard buddies followed by an authentic Maldivian drum and dance performance. It was certainly a core memory created! I also did a little *more* local shopping and picked up a beautiful whale shark pendant, positive manifestation that we might actually see a real one on this trip!
Our liveaboard experience was finally here! Our group packed up and boarded the private boat transfer back to Male to meet the rest of our 19 person group that we’d be living with for the next 10 days. (tack on another $30pp for that transfer)
We were sad to leave our new friends at Manta Divers but excited to see what else the rest of this archipelago of 26 natural atolls had in store for us.
Our “transfer” to the liveaboard was actually the boat we’d be diving off of the rest of our trip. A Dhoney? Dohny? Doney? I never did figure out how to spell it…. About a 200 sq. ft. boat space loaded up with our luggage. The boat included the modern amenities expected for a dive trip and compressors on board (air & nitrox) for easy tank fills along the way.
With all the divers accounted for – we headed out and around the airport into the harbor to meet Carpe Vita and her crew. For this trip, Mujavaz Scuba & Travel had booked space for 14 divers, 2 divers came from the UK and booked on their own, and another 3 came from Germany booking on their own. We all got along well though! With that many people there is sure to be some scuffles – but for the most part I thought we all got along well, language barriers and all.
We were greeted by Captain “Adam”, and the boat crew and then escorted to the main salon lounge for medical questionnaire paperwork, liability waivers, showing our certification cards, and confirming our last logged dive dates. We were also introduced to our dive guide team and had a brief boat orientation to explain what to expect on this trip.
Our schedule for the next 10 days would include:
6am wake up knock on our door
6:30am Dive Briefing in the salon & head to the dive boat
6:45a(ish)-8:30(ish) Morning Dive 1
8:30(ish) Breakfast – indicated by a ringing bell
10:30a Dive Briefing #2 & head to dive boat (bell)
10:45a-12:30p Morning Dive 2
12:45p Lunch bell
3pm Dive Briefing #3 & head to dive boat (bell)
3:15p-5p(ish) Dive #3
7p Dinner Bell
This would be the schedule or variation of such depending on sail time to each of the atolls and dive sites we had planned, We also had 2 night dives for this trip, one was a Manta dive where we knelt on the sea floor just behind the boat, and the other was a night shark dive (again kneeling). You got used to hearing that bell ringing and even now that the trip is over, my ears are still ringing! You could choose to skip dives as well and sleep in or hang out on the boat. But we kept a pretty strict schedule!
This liveaboard included 10 staterooms that could be configured for 1-3 guests per room dependent on the need. Our group had a few single divers which meant they were partnered up as roommates to share a room and bathroom, unless they chose to pay the single supplement for their own room. For this sail, the boat had 19 guests on board with ages ranging from early 30s to late 70s.
My husband and I are spoiled and were booked into one of the VIP suites on the top deck, but that also meant any ocean swells were felt harder by us than the staterooms on the lower levels.
There was a chef on board to create all our buffet meals (differing menus each night), room staff for cleaning & turndown service, and all our dive gear remained on the dive boat the entire time. I really loved the convenience of the crates we had for our dive gear – nothing special, just large plastic milk crates. If you brought your own gear, it was delivered to the dive boat/ if you rented from the liveaboard they would help you get it onto the dive boat. Then you selected your tank and set up your gear one time, this became your “spot” on the dive boat for the rest of the trip. Your BCD remained on that tank for the entirety of the trip, and the rest of your gear (fins, mask, booties, etc.) was in your crate under the bench seating. You could choose to leave your wetsuit hanging on the boat as well! But, you know me and my favorite dive brand suits…. I packed 6 different dive-outfits for this trip. (Hey Spacefish Army ❤ )
Keep in mind – because you’re on a yacht, your dining is all at the same table with the same group of people for the next 10 days. The food I will say, was delicious. We enjoyed everything from fresh pastries, to custom omelets, to juicy tuna steaks, and fresh sashimi… And everything in between! Thankfully we all had the same mindset for meals – nobody kept the same seat, we all kept rotating and connecting with each other.
With all our dive gear remaining on the dive boat, that meant the only thing you needed to carry with you each dive would be your camera equipment, water bottle (reusable, and provided by the boat), and your towel (also provided by the boat). There were also fresh water rinse tanks for cameras and dive computers, along with fresh water shower sprayers (3) to rinse after the dives. The boat and dive team also helped you get between those boats via ladder and handing your stuff back and forth. Thankfully nobody dropped anything into the abyss while crossing over!
For the down time between meals and dives, you were on your own for entertainment. Most of the time for me, that meant reading or napping on the top sundeck if the weather was nice, or clinging to the bed and hoping I wasn’t going to be thrown off of it attempting to nap on the first day of sailing.
We had some rough weather that first 8 hour sail day. A lot of our boatmates really felt the motion of the ocean – and not in the good way. Thankfully we got it out of the way at the beginning of our trip. I had visited my doctor ahead of travel for prescription seasickness medication which helped, plus all the over the counter options and ginger chews…. I read a ton of prep articles for this liveaboard and asked our PADI team for advice of what was a definite need on board. I have control issues!
Packing List at the end!
The amazing thing about a liveaboard is it’s convenience and accessibility to dive sites you may not get from a resort experience.
Because you’re already on a ship in the middle of the ocean, you have the opportunity of visiting sites that are less accessible to resort divers because of the sailing time. Most of our sailing time on the dive boat was 10 minutes or less to the dive site from our liveaboard. That meant more time in the water, less travel time.
This also means you have the opportunity to see different sea life than you might from a resort because not all sea life hangs out on the reef directly next to your resort – especially if the resort island doesn’t have their own “house reef”.
I absolutely loved the way every Dive Briefing was thoroughly detailed of that dive sites plan. You learned the name, the history of the site, what kid of dive it would be (most were drift dives for us – meaning the boat dropped us off in one spot, and picked us up in another), what you could expect to see and where we would start based on the current at the site and maximum depths. You then were told which group was going first (A, B, C) and onto the dive boat you loaded. (Your group was assigned on day 1 and you remained with them the entire time)
Hi Mujey!
I also loved that the dive team on the boat would check the current at each site and give you that information before you were fully suited up – that meant if there was stronger/weaker current, you could choose to adjust your weights and they’d tell you which shoulder to keep to the reef so you were headed the right way. We of course stayed as a group which is how I like to do my dives – I’m still not as confident in reading a compass as I should be – but hey, every day is a school day!
I will say our last dive day we all just had to laugh when the dive guide came up and said “slight to medium current” and when we got down there it was all we could do to kick in one direction to stay in the same spot. We all just ended up making sure our buoyancy was correct and that we didn’t kick any coral as we were pushed the length of the wall. If you wanted to stop – you’d better be sure you had your reef hook ready and had a spot picked out! It was a lot of “look at that! …. there it gooooooooes!”
One of the experiences that took me a minute to wrap my head around was that if one diver was low on air, they’d indicate it to the dive leader (as normal) and the dive leader would pair them with their buddy or take them up to end that divers dive – but the rest of the group would remain on the dive and just be adopted by another group. I guess that’s another plus of the separate dive boat! The captain knows where the divers should end (and he’s watching bubbles) so they can jump to each group for pickups. This happened while my husband was still using a small tank, we upgraded him to a larger tank after day 2 ;). It had been a while since I’d deployed a DSMB so the dive instructor did it for me the first time, and I was able to deploy it the 2nd time. The fact that the dives didn’t end when a diver hit 1000PSI was also a change from my regular resort experiences. Low on air was considered 700PSI for this trip – and we were all on Nitrox. That meant most dives were pushing 1 hour bottom time!
Even though were were on a ship, there were still a few surprises for this trip. The first was that one of the couples (and our new friends) attending with us had planned to partake in a symbolic wedding on one of the islands we stopped on during our beach barbeque! It was beautiful as was the bride!
I was honored to be asked by the Groom to take their phones and document/record the night. It was a huge surprise to the rest of our group on the liveaboard and such an awesome experience to see how the boat team could pull together a beautiful wedding with mostly natural resources. Everything except the tables and chairs it seemed were pulled directly from the island. The team even made the bride a bouquet and flower crown, and they designed a beautiful sand sculpture.
It was also my husband’s birthday during this trip, and there is no way I’ll be able to top this year’s experience. Not only was he treated to TWO happy birthday songs (once on the morning dive, and again at dinner), but an amazing Birthday Cake created by the on board chef AND a night MANTA dive! I seriously encourage you to click that link to watch the YouTube video – it was an INCREDIBLE experience with these majestic, enormous creatures. Luckily this was the SECOND time I got to see them as we also did a Manta Snorkel in the Marine Sanctuary one day but my husband decided that because he sinks like a rock – he wouldn’t have much fun struggling to snorkel at the same time.
The team seriously goes above and beyond to make every divers experience one for the memory books. My husband LOVES to fish, and he was able to get some fishing in with the Captain one morning (he skipped a dive), and another bout of Maldivian style fishing off the back of the boat – until the Dolphin showed up!
manta snorkel!
We logged 27 dives over 10 days along with that separate Manta Snorkel experience and opportunities to jump off the back of the liveaboard to snorkel with the Whale Sharks, Manta Rays, and Nurse Sharks that joined us some evenings.
For our return back to Male – we had a late night/early morning flight – however you look at it. Our sail ended around 8am on October 14th, but our flight didn’t take off until 1am October 15th, so we had almost a whole day to fill in Male.
We were able to get into a guest house hotel in Male near the airport with 3 of the other divers for the day – meaning we could store our luggage in a locked room and have access to a shower!
Our amazing host friends did not stop the experience when the boat trip ended – they escorted us all around the capital city to see the President’s Marina, beautiful parks, Mosque’s, the oldest cemetery, the fish market & farmers market, and a man-made beach!
We also were treated to some of the best home made gelato I’ve ever tasted, at the Seagull Cafe. This happens to be a favorite spot of our hosts – so we all enjoyed some delicious food and sweets.
the King Pineapple – half a pineapple, gelato & fruit!
the Maldivian Surprise – half a coconut, 3 scoops gelato + fruit. Once you finish the inside – they cut up the coconut for you!
This was lunch for us – I also had a side of sweet potato fries to share with the table. WE ARE ADULTS!
It was an incredible trip and we made the long trek back home safely. We are eternally grateful to our friends at Mujavaz Scuba & Travel for pushing us to come on this trip with them – we can’t wait to travel with them again!
Packing List with Amazon Affiliate Links for easy shopping! (I may receive a commission from these items)
Medications: motion sickness/sea sickness, ear drops, nasal spray, prescriptions, first aid kit, etc.
Dive Tools: Save a Dive Kit, wrench/screwdriver, Mask Defog
Towels (the boat did have towels for dives that you used all day & replaced towels in your bathroom – it was nice to have separate quick-dry towels for relaxing on the sundeck or late night snorkels.
missylouniverse 