This dive boat has A WATER SLIDE!
Here it's stored for travel. It swings out from the boat a bit for use.
The round balls are floats that support the end of the slide a bit above the water.
More about that later.
Lunch in the air-conditioned dining room. There are two tables,
but since the boat is only one-half full, we all ate at one.
AND WHAT FEASTS! Breakfast always featured toast, croissants,
butter & jelly, juice to drink and eggs to order,
sliced cheese and cold cuts. Other meals always had two
seafood courses and either chicken, pork or beef
along with vegetables and rice or potatoes. Wine was also included.
We were served LOBSTER three times in six days.
At the entrance to the dining room, coffee & hot water for tea were available 24/7.
EACH DAY as part of our package we were allotted seven "drinks":
water (a must for diving), soda or beer with a glass or two of wine with dinner,
PLUS, a cocktail after the last dive of the day
and every day, the table got a bottle of rum.
You could purchase more wine or cocktails if you desired.
I'm not a big believer of mixing drinking and diving,
as alcohol dries you out and increases the risk of a DCS
(DeCompression Sickness) hit. In fact, once you have alcohol,
you're done diving FOR THE DAY (12 hours from drink to dive),
so nothing but water or juice until after the last dive of the day.
And after the last dive we were served pizza and freshly-baked crackers
with a cocktail to hold us until dinner.
"I'm King of the World" - or words to that effect.
Looking back from the bow (previous shot) showing the hot tub and,
behind it, the lounge area. IMO, one thing that would improve this area
immensely would be some sort of Bimini top or sunshade.
It's really TOO HOT in summer for using this area until near/after sunset.
Interior looking down (up) the passage to the indoor lounge area
where we were given our first dive briefing (how things generally work)
and where we could see "dailies" of photos taken by
Fausto De Nevi Herrer (Dive Master and site manager
for the Avalon company), and Noel Lopez.
The paintings on the wall are by DM Noel.
Upper deck cabins are on either side of the hall.
MY CABIN ON THE AVALON
We had a large-sized private bathroom with shower.
On some liveaboard dive boats, the "bathroom"
isn't much larger than a clothes closet;
on others, it could be a common bathroom.
The rest of the room. Two large windows and bunks.
Billy was agreeable to taking the top one.
The room had its own AC and temperature control,
but the boat's engineer had to change the settings.
When we arrived, the bathroom was like a sauna,
and the room AC was a little on the warm side.
Prompt attention was given when I mentioned this to Fausto
and all was good for the rest of the trip.
Our cabin is right next to the dive deck.
Very handy as there was no head off the dive deck
ON BOARD CONTINUES
The honor book for recording drinks/STRONG>
Dive board that records the dive sites and a sketch of the dive profile.
Dive briefings were conducted on the skiff at the site
(in case of a change due to currents or weather).
This was the PREVIOUS WEEK's list and last dive.
I took this picture before we actually began our diving.
A view of the boat from the skiff. My cabin is the rearmost
set of windows on the starboard (right hand facing forward) side.
At the stern by each ladder is a freshwater shower for rinsing off salt.
There are only SMALL RINSE TANKS for suits and cameras
(Tupperware tubs or what we would call a plastic tote);
one major drawback compared to the three other liveaboards I've been on.
A second is the underwater camera area was VERY SMALL -
just some shelves really; no table at all. The low pressure air
(for blowing water off camera cases before opening)
squirted water at times!
SUNSET FROM THE TOP DECK . . .
| 
