You know how you should be careful what you wish for – just in case it comes true ?
Well, I’m about to walk out of my semi-stressful, humdrum, comfortable life and into something very different.
Ever since I started SCUBA diving in 2001 I’ve been captivated by the underwater world and just love to dive. In early 2001 I went on a liveaboard dive trip with some friends. It was obvious that the crew worked hard – really hard, but the thought of working on a boat like this really gripped me.
Since then I’ve dived all over the world on many liveaboards. My 2 most recent trips on the Nautilus Explorer. Prior to making my first trip out the boat I had already sent in my CV. Whilst on the trip I chatted with Captain Mike Lever who was very responsive and positive about my application. We fired emails back and forth following the trip & I was a passenger again in August 2006. I was still determined to work a liveaboard and the Nautilus Explorer was still top of my list.
2 days after returning to the UK from my trip Captain Mike contacted me and asked if I could go out at short notice and finish off the season with him. I was totally gutted that other commitments in the UK forced me to turn him down. The winter came and went, in the meantime I certified as a tech diver and got rebreather trained. I also took time out to get my RYA National Powerboat Certificate (level 2). Captain Mike and I were still in touch and I was tentatively winding down my bigger contracts and hoping I’d be crewing soon.
Captain Mike and I fixed up a tentative schedule – but it all seemed a long way off. Then on the 28th June 2007 I had the email which will for the next few months at least change my life!
I’ll be meeting the boat in Vancouver in mid August to spend a couple of weeks acclimating and just getting to know people and diving of course. Then I head to Mexico with the boat and the crew and once there will start work proper.
Hopefully I’ll find a way to keep this blog upto date and chart my life as a liveaboard divemaster.
