I always say that no matter how incredible a work trip might be, I’d rather be spending that time with my wife and kids, just staying in watching a movie.

But after popping open a bottle of red wine on Roatan Aggressor’s sun deck following four incredible dives, I realize I may have found an exception. Be a pal—don’t mention that to my wife. This excursion—a wine-appreciation week with Aggressor Adventures CEO and fellow wine enthusiast Wayne Brown—hit the trifecta of my favorite hobbies: boating, diving and wine tasting. One slight issue, though: I hadn’t been diving in a few years, aside from a couple of dips in our local Florida freshwater springs. With a noncertified wife and kids, diving had taken a back seat to family time in recent years. The rust really started to show on the first night, as each diver on board went around in a circle and shot off their credentials. Fifteen liveaboard trips for her. Five hundred dives for him. Dips in Cocos, Indo and the Galapagos over there. Gulp. I couldn’t help but wonder: Am I fit to join this group? Would I really enjoy diving five times a day for a week?

I’ve weathered plenty of tense business negotiations with poise, but now the nerves were starting to set in. Fast-forward three days, and all my fears were put to rest. The divers on board, outstanding crew, and even Brown himself took me under their wing and opened my eyes to one of the best ways to travel. It turns out, practice truly does make perfect. A liveaboard trip was the best way for this rusty diver to get back into the swing of things.

THE GEAR
Anyone who’s been out of the water for an extended period of time will shudder slightly at the thought of having to set up dive gear. Sure, we all learned the basics, but one slight mistake makes for embarrassment in front of your fellow divers if detected, and potential danger underwater if not.

But Aggressor’s staff makes it easy. They want you to set up your gear initially to ensure everything is just the way you like it, but even this was pain-free, thanks to my fellow divers. There was no nose-turning at the rookie; everyone was helpful with tips and tricks to ensure I had my gear properly set up for comfortable diving. Once my kit was ready, Aggressor made sure it stayed that way. “It’s like the Ritz-Carlton meets the nicest family you’ve ever met,” one of my fellow divers said.

I’ll second that.

THE BUOYANCY
Locking in your trim in a new setting has its ups and downs—literally. After our checkout dive, which saw me bobbing up like a cork thanks to a lack of lead, the divemasters on board worked with me to lock in my proper weighting. That made a huge difference.

After that, repetition worked its magic. I dived with a group of photographers on rich coral reefs brimming with interesting macro life. The first thing I saw underwater was a pair of seahorses, and the hits kept coming, including a stargazer, blennies, mantis shrimp, nudibranchs, jawfish and more. Our guide, Willie Waterhouse—a big man who can see little things—pointed out some critters that were too tiny for me to even notice. I just nodded with a reg-filled smile and gave the OK.

But this paid off in more ways than one. As each photographer took their turn snapping photos and we explored nooks and crannies in the reef, I was able to consciously practice my buoyancy control. By the end of the week, I’d seen major strides in my ability to navigate tight spaces and control my buoyancy.

THE CAMARADERIE
Yes, liveaboard travel is the best way to get the most diving out of a vacation. But an underrated benefit is the people you meet. Sure, at most dive resorts you’ll make friends at the bar, sharing stories over a cold beer.

But there’s something different about spending a week with one group, and I made friends I still keep in touch with, months after we disembarked. They withheld judgment and shared advice, helping me make tremendous strides.

With this momentum, one thing’s certain: I won’t go years without diving again.