Between Dream and Disaster: What makes a good Liveaboard?

1. Silver Bank Experience

2. Egypt Experience

3. Checklist

4. Standards & Reviews

Silver Bank Experience

February 2022: We board the Sea Hunter at the Ocean World Marina in Cofresi near Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic. A steel vessel 36 meters long, originally built as a commercial diving support vessel for the oil industry in the Gulf of Mexico. It is an extensively rebuilt, robust and well-equipped vessel. We hadn't expected such a large ship for the 8-hour crossing to Silver Bank, where we want to snorkel with humpback whales. It will be an experience that will stay with me forever, because: "You'll never forget your first whale".

We have competent contact persons and tour guides: Captain Gene Flipse, who has been offering the tour to Silver Bank for 20 years, Jeff Pantukhoff, the whaleman with decades of experience on whale watching tours with grey whales and humpback whales and chairman of the non-profit organization Whaleman Foundation, and marine biologist Catherine. The ship is comfortably equipped: 10 air-conditioned cabins with private bathrooms for up to 20 guests, daily cleaning service, a large communal area (living room) and a sun deck for sundowners. The food is varied, international with fish, meat and a good selection for vegetarians. The staff and the kitchen respond flexibly to our special requests. Arriving on Silver Bank, one of the few places in the world where you can observe humpback whales mating below the surface, we go whale watching with 2 groups of 2 motorized hard-shell boats for 3 hours each morning and afternoon - and have numerous whale encounters with whale hens with their calves, "juvenile" whale bulls competing with each other and the senior whale singers, who have been developing and continuously expanding their songs for the mating season for years.
On the very first day at sea, we receive a detailed boat briefing via PowerPoint slides and a tour to inspect the life rafts, try out the life jackets and locate the fire extinguishing systems. The safety equipment is in good condition.

Egypt Experience

March 2025: The diving safari in Egypt with Emperor Divers begins with a tour of the Seven Seas. A wooden boat, designed and built by a German operator with Egyptian "shipyard workers" in the early 2000s. The boat was recently taken over by the new operator and renovated. We ask about the captain and are told that there is a new captain who is still on the boat. The old one is on Ramadan vacation. After a few days, we learn that the old captain apparently didn't want to sign the safety protocol and was therefore dismissed - rumor or fact? We start our tour in the afternoon heading south from Marsa Alam. There is a verbal briefing about the boat, the trip, the destinations and the procedures for diving, food etc. It is pointed out that there are new life jackets and that the old ones are kept on the upper deck as a reserve. It is pointed out that some diving destinations may not be possible if the weather does not cooperate. The next morning there is to be an evacuation drill in the event of a fire. We end the evening on the crossing with a beer. Background: In the past 21 months, there have been at least 5 diving boat accidents in Egypt - some of them with fatalities. This is not talked about. Nowhere else in the world do so many diving yachts sink as in Egypt. On March 13, 2025, we return to Port Ghalib from the week-long diving safari. The boat is moored in the marina, we go ashore and enjoy the evening. Around 6:30 the next morning, the smoke detectors start beeping. I assume a malfunction and look for my cell phone and safety vest. The fire evacuation drill on the first day took 1 minute and 40 seconds. A good value. 5 minutes later, men on deck shout "Fire ! Fire!" and we rush up from the lower deck, through the saloon, over the aft platform and ashore. A stairway in the foredeck is blocked by a large cleaning bucket and cannot be used. The ship develops heavy smoke from the engine compartment. After 10 minutes, the first flames emerge from the lower deck. The crew and nearby harbor workers help with the extinguishing attempts using standard household fire extinguishers and a Gardena garden hose. No fire department or harbor fire department in sight. They only arrive after 60 minutes. The ship burns down before our eyes, along with our travel documents, diving equipment, clothing and other personal belongings. After 5 hours, the wooden ship is completely burnt down. Fortunately, there are no fatalities or injuries.

The experience makes us realize how quickly safety can and should become the most important factor in evaluating a liveaboard. What good is the best diving or snorkeling safari if people have an accident?

We have therefore drawn up a checklist of criteria to help you evaluate and select a liveaboard ship:

1. Diving equipment & Organization
Dinghies with shade, cushions, drying areas and spare engine, equipment and camera storage rooms, cleanliness, power supply, number of scuba tanks and high-pressure compressors as well as Nitrox generator, rental items (masks, wetsuits, snorkels, fins, etc.)

2. Safety standards
Life rafts and boats, life jackets, fire extinguishing systems, escape routes, drills on the use of safety equipment and evacuation

3. Comfort & Equipment
Bed size, air conditioning, separate bathroom, large communal area with bar and screens for viewing pictures, videos and films as well as training presentations, sun deck with sun protection, whirlpool after the stay in the cold water, cuisine (quality, selection, service, equipment at the buffet)

4. Itineraries and Planning of destinations
Good mix of pure travel time until arrival at the diving or snorkeling destination, time on the water

5. Size & Number of participants
Suitable for larger groups of up to 20 guests. Dinghies should be designed for approx. 6-10 people.

6. sustainability & environment
Compliance with rules for respectful treatment of the marine environment as well as commitment to marine and environmental protection such as whale watching rules of conduct, use of sustainably sourced ingredients in the kitchen, handling of plastic (disposable vs. reusable), waste management,

Standards & Reviews

There is no international standard for the safety of diving and snorkeling boats. We need a TÜV for such liveaboard boats. A first step has been taken by Maritime Survey International (MSI), which documents and evaluates boats in terms of maintenance, safety and quality with a safety audit in order to gain the trust of divers and tour operators. A 3-star rating from MSI is considered good - and that is a seal of quality by today's standards.

If you are interested in the dream trip to the humpback whales on the Sea Huter described above, you can find the trip here: https://www.mobywildlifetours.com/buckelwale-in-dominikanische-republik
You understand that we do not link to the trip in Egypt!

MSI: https://marintimesurveyinternational.com/vesselsurvey

Jeff Pantukhoff: http://whaleman.org/