HOW TO AVOID UNNECESSARY STRESS WHILE ON DIVING HOLIDAY

By Amillson On July 29, 2009 Under How To, Travel & Detinations

Relax and enjoy your holiday

It is a fact that many holidaymakers – in this context, DIVERS – are not getting the real value of their diving holiday when they are suppose to get one. The real value of every single dollar that they spend.

More often than not, divers face some kind of unnecessary stress due to some factors that could have been avoided if only they manage to anticipate and tackle the factors, if any, before hand. It is important to anticipate those factors to avoid jeopardizing a good diving holiday.

Lets identify the factors and see, in a simple way, how to avoid the unnecessary stress. Simple way because after reading this article you can figure out the solutions on your own.

1. Failure to do a complete research on:

• Type of diving: Your diving destination could only be doing bottom diving but instead you showed up expecting a deep vertical wall diving. Or you want to dive with big stuffs; aka pelagic but the area is concentrating only on small stuffs; aka macro.
See my previous article the Top 3 Diving Destinations for example.

• Type of island: There is a reason why certain dive resorts are using “water bungalow” in there website or brochures. If you want a white sandy beach, so you can lie down under the sun in between the dives, than search for those island resorts that has one.
Tips: Look up for aerial photos of the place to get the general perspective.

• Set up of the dive centre, resort or liveabord: You want a single-detached bungalow where they only provide long-house style or cabin style or dormitory style rooms. Or you want a room facing the sunrise when the whole resort is on the west side of the island.

• Best diving season: Underwater “superstars” never stick around for long – they have “season pass” too. Example> Hammerhead sharks and whale sharks don’t hang around in the same area the whole year because they need to look for food in some other places.

• Facilities: Read the information provided by the diving operators. If its not mentioned, don’t expect to get one. No Nitrox diving means no Nitrox diving. No karaoke means no karaoke. No massage service means no…
See if they have Internet connections or satellite TV. Facilities like these are more common now.

2. Failure to shift into “Holiday Mode”

I have seen divers arriving at island resorts while still “under the influence” of their everyday work or life at home. They really, I mean really, need to be reminded that they are actually on holiday – only then they brighten up a bit, inhale deeply and relax their muscles.

Shifting into “holiday mode” can add more fun and most of all avoid:
• Confrontations: Some divers treat jokes as bad remarks or as an insult. Stressed up divers (they bring this from home) tend to get offended easily. Remember, others will not be aware of your personal life – they are merely passing around divers’ jokes.

• Judging others: Some very typical divers like to cast judgement on others for unknown reasons. Instead of looking at the fishes or the colourful coral reefs, they spend the whole dive finding others’ diving incompetence. The dive guides call it the “I am the best diver” complaints. Ensure you never fall into this category – its really bad.

• BS Complaints: Mind the language but that’s what we call it.
Leave the guiding and organizing to the dive guides/Divemasters. The dive centre knows better how to identify and right any errors or problems.

There have been a few occasions where a diver actually request to get transferred to another group/boat because he/she simply didn’t like the way other divers:

• positioned themselves underwater (normally in regards to buoyancy control)
• or because the other divers are older and slow in reacting
• or because they were a little bit deeper than the rest of the group
• or that diver is swimming in front of the dive guide most of the dive

The list goes on. I just can’t name them all here…

3. Improper planning

Planning a diving holiday especially to remote tropical islands or resorts needs a lot of your time. Good planning needs time and money. The “not so good” planning still needs time and more money.

You can make all the planning and arrangements yourself or pay your travel agents to settle all the hassles for you.

Take time to properly plan and re-check:
• Flights: Make sure all connecting flights are in order. You can’t afford to miss a long haul flights.

• Special requests: Most resorts or liveaboard will try their best to entertain any special requests if made in advance. If you want a beachfront chalet (room) or at the ones away from the restaurant then say so during your reservations. Or if you are allergic to certain food or anything that make sense… state your case early.

• Diving equipments: Bring what you want to use and double check the lists before stuffing them all in your diving bag.

• Personal belongings: Make sure you pack all your favourite holiday-outfits, toiletries, digital camera, battery chargers, MP3 player etc… you know your list right? There are personal items that might be useful to be around you because without them your good holiday mood might change dramatically.

So whether you like it or not, aware or not, when planning your next diving holiday, consider looking into these factors to avoid the unnecessary stress. Here is the RECAP:

a) Failure to do a complete research

b) Failure to shift into “Holiday Mode”

c) Improper planning

Taking a moment to identify and reflect on the mentioned factors can and will greatly enhance your diving holiday experience.

Do what you enjoy doing the most while diving. Be it making photo images or taking video or simply sightseeing.

A holiday can be really fun, meaningful and treasured the most when you know how to avoid or rather take the unnecessary stress out of the way.

I know there are more of these factors or elements or what ever you call them but we can only find out when they are shared. Tell us by leaving your comments below because I, for sure, want to meet them, get to know them and avoid them.