Scuba

I’ve been scuba since 2017 — I got certified in Bocas del Toro in Panama and have never looked back. It’s the water-based hobby I’ve done the longest and I still feel the most comfortable breathing underwater compared to say, sailing or surfing.

When I first stated scuba diving, any dive was just absolutely the most incredible thing to ever happen to me. I actually still feel this way — I’ve always been flabbergasted when people complain about “a bad day” scuba diving — as if sharks and fish can be summoned on demand. I have to remind them — we are breathing underwater. What could be more incredible. But as I’ve seen more of the world underwater, I’ve started to develop my own preferences for what I’m willing to travel for (pelagics) and what makes breathing under water not really worth it for me (cold water).

In 2023 I did my first liveaboard diving trip to the Revillagigedo Islands and have never looked back. It is the perfect vacation for me — if you’re on the right boat, it’s like combining the luxury of a private cruise, the camaraderie of a surf camp, and best of all, you’re diving in the world’s most remote, untouched dive sites. From that trip, I realized that I wanted to focus the rest of my diving career (I estimate this to be about 40+ more years since IMO scuba is an activity that isn’t terribly taxing on your body) — on large pelagic creatures. The term ‘pelagic’ is defined as — Relating to or living in or on oceanic waters. Basically, this means — I want to see larger sea life such as sharks, mantas, dolphins, whales, larger ocean fish, etc found out “in the blue”. This typically means waters that are a bit colder and currents that are bit stronger.

Places I’ve been

The ocean is really huge but if you’re interested in liveaboard diving expeditions featuring large pelagic life, the list of spots is actually smaller than you’d think.

Galapagos — Ecuador
Socorro — Mexico
Komodo — Indonesia

Places I want to go

The ocean is really huge but if you’re interested in liveaboard diving expeditions featuring large pelagic life, the list of spots is actually smaller than you’d think. Probably under 10 world-class spots. During my first liveaboard to Socorro, I met a Taiwanese couple that does, like 3 liveaboards a year and have been to 40+ trips (they have no kids, go figure). They’d been to the Galapagos 6x, Cocos 3x, Malpelo 2x, Maldives and Palau innumerable times. When I asked them their top 3 liveaboard spots, they just looked at me and said: “One: Galapagos, Two: Galapagos, Three: Galapagos”. Okay. Good to know.

(1) Deep South — Maldives

I’ve seen insane snaps of big sharks from friends that have gone to the Maldives and if I’m able to drink a mai-tai on a luxurious ScubaSpa boat after a day of diving in warm waters for half the prices of a boat to Cocos Island, I’ll do it. This is next up on my list and I hope to go the end of this year or beginning of next.

(2) Palau — Micronesia

Weirdly, I’ve actually been to Palau — long ago on a family vacation. We swam in this insane lake of jellyfish that’s actually closed now. But like the Maldives, I hear this place is reef + large sea life — mantas, sharks galore, interesting topography.

(3) Cocos Island — Costa Rica

This is supposed to be shark heaven. Sharks, sharks, sharks all day long. I’m kind of holding off on this one because I’m not sure if I love sharks thaaat much and it’s very expensive ($6K++) in addition to a brutal 28+hr journey. For that money I think I’d rather do the Galapagos again.

(4) Malpelo — Colombia

Talking about remote and uncrowded dive sites — there’s literally only one boat I think that goes out to Malpelo and it ain’t fancy. That’s literally what is stopping me from going there — but the boat experience and people on board is always a huge part of the trip for me. Galapagos, Cocos and Malpelo form what is called the Hammerhead Triangle so it seems that the experiences at Cocos and Malpelo are pretty interchangeable. And since they’re pretty much all the same in terms of cost, I’d rather even do Galapagos again on my beloved Tiburon Explorer and if not, try the nicer boats that go to Cocos.