Liveaboard diving took off in the Maldives in the early eighties, a decade after the first resort opened for business in 1972.

The first generation of live-aboards---there were no more than four at that time---powered by 33 to 45 hp engines and ranging in length from 45 to 52 foot, were dwarfs by today’s standard. Eight to ten divers were crowded into a common cabin fitted with bunk beds and a head. AC electricity was supplied by a 5kw portable generator set, coughing out diesel fumes into the air. Mercifully silence reigned after 10:00PM when the set was switched off. The lighting and fans operated on the DC power source.

For a 7 – 14 days tour, the boats carried a scant 500 to 1000 liters of fresh water, stopping by the inhabited islands along the way for replenishment when the supply ran low. Stowed in the galley or in the hold beneath the deck, the fresh vegetables, if not eaten, perished in two or three days time, forcing the crew make do with the supplementary canned foods and whatever fresh supplies they can buy along the way, not always a dependable source in the country at that time when the rice and fish formed the staple. Perhaps this was a voyage not remarkably different from Sindbad’s though in this case there is no fortune to be won at the end.

The cabin on the boat was humid and stuffy. If felt like an oven in the blistering heat of March and April when the temperatures soared over 88° F. The divers preferred to sleep on the deck under the awning, never an option in bad weather though. But then the first wave of the live-aboard guys was not the grumbling type. Adventurers they were in search of the exotic, the undiscovered, Maldives was virgin territory, not even a destination by its own right, simply an extension of a tour in Sri Lanka.

The massive growth of tourism here was fuelled by the introduction of charters from Europe and scheduled services by the Singapore Airlines. Change was in the air. And I was in a position to keenly feel it, first as the reservation manager of and later as the general manager of the company which pioneered live-aboard diving in the country. It was becoming day-light clear that bare basics, however exotic the diving, was not everybody’s cup of tea.

A case in point involved an elderly couple from California. They had booked through our main Australian wholesaler, who seemed to have regaled them about the world-class diving on offer, but kept mum about the boat. Two days in a cattle boat like ours, they had pleaded, were all they could stand. They had presumed that they would have a comfortable private cabin with private head with fresh water shower, daily change of towels, and gourmet meals and snacks, not an unrealistic expectation considering the exorbitant price charged. Feeling ripped-off, they wished to leave the country immediately, easier said than done in the peak season when the flights were booked out. I was the guy who has faced the music.

At night, as I shifted sleeplessly on the bed, I said to myself, boy, if you want to be in this business it has to be for pleasure and not for profit only. Having an aggrieved guest on hand was a real pain, no matter where the blame lies. In my mind the dream live-aboard was taking shape. However, it wasn’t several years after 1986 when I started my own travel agency on a shoe string that the dream became a reality.
Launched in 1995 Manthiri was the country’s first luxury live-aboard wedding the comfort of a hotel with the mobility and convenience of a mega yacht. Even today, our long experience, endless quest for perfection, dedication to the trade, and the professionalism of the crew who has been working together as a team for several years, keep us ahead of the pack.

In the reef strewn waters of Maldives, diving off the big live-aboard is not always practicable, certainly not in the dark, at night. Therefore, the diving is done off a smaller support vessel called dhoni, fitted with the diving gear, a system that leaves the live-aboard uncluttered and free from compressor noise. Our dive support vessel Vasantha, 54 foot long, featuring a massive 400 square foot dive deck complete with gear, head and two hot water showers, rides low on water affording a most convenient and stable platform to dive from. The state-of the-art Nitrox system on Vasantha affords our guests the option of using enriched air, an insurance against fatality that may arise out of decompression sickness.

Author : Ibrahim Hussain Manik