any good snorkeling and scuba diving boats for Ambergris Caye?

[davidbaraff]

My wife doesn't dive but likes to snorkel. I'm wondering if any of the daytrip boats that go out from AC are good for both snorkelers and divers? This has worked well for us in Hawaii --- wondering if I can manage this here.

Also wondering if the super-long 3-tank dive out to the Blue Hole can also accomodate snorkelers but not sure those sites are good for snorkeling at all. Any advice on dive shops to use/not use on AC greatly appreciated --- first time in Belize.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I'm assuming you are talking about San Pedro, Ambergris Caye.

Snorkeling is great out at the Atolls and yes, the dive boats generally take snorkelers too on that day trip.

As for the local dives, except for Hol Chan, dive sites and snorkeling sites don't overlap. You two might miss each other being together on the boat rides but should be able to chill together dockside. It will depend on scheduling.

My chosen dive op, especially for Blue Hole day trip is Amigos del Mar. That said I also recommend Island Divers and/or Chuck and Robbie's.

 

[davidbaraff]

I was thinking about Amigos del Mar for the Blue Hole trip. Approximately how many people do they take on that boat? It seems like a big boat --- but a very very long day for my wife, just for snorkeling. Is the boat very comfortable for the amount of time you spend on it? Is the boat ride itself nice, or is it a bouncy ride over a long period of time? (That size boat looks to deliver a very smooth ride if it was in California, but I don't know what afternoon seas are like going out to the Blue Hole).

Also, I'm not so psyched about the Blue Hole itself --- the other two dive sites sound awesome, but I've heard enough negative things to wonder if I truly want to do the Blue Hole. How good are the dives on the other longish destination --- the elbow reefs?

Also, does Amigos del Mar get booked up for these trips, in early July? Trying to figure out how far in advance I need to book things...
thanks for any/all answers.

 

[chillyinCanada]

It's a very nice big boat! Reasonably comfortable too, though no lounge chairs.

Spendy trip too!! I've only snorkeled out there a couple of times over the years because I'm a diver, of course. Regardless, I really enjoyed it!! That said westher was lovely each time. Don't know if it would be much fun in bad weather and the price doesn't change with the weather either.

Yes, very early start to a long day, yet I repeat the trip almost every time I go to Belize. So, 3-4 times a year, year after year after year.

It's a wonderful way to spend a day. Lunch is served on the idyllic Halfmoon Caye. Too me, thst island in and of itself, is almost worth the price of admission.

As for the Great Blue Hole, well, I love it too! Watch some YouTube videos, read some articles, try to balance what you read in dive forums, and consider it's magnificence. If you like wreck diving and/or formations maybe you'll enjoy it. If you're a my glass is half empty, I want more bottom time on a pretty reef type, maybe you won't. My hope is that you do enjoy it. I know there are nay sayers on message boards but I've never met any on the boat.

As you noted, the two follow up dives are fabulous.

For some reason I don't enjoy the Turneffe Elbow trips as much. Don't know why. I'm thinking of giving it another shot to see if it can convince me otherwise. This is not to say that it isn't verry good diving because it is! And have experienced at least one trip out there thst was spent in the "zone". Besides everything turning up that day, the dive group was awesome too; pretty sure that contributed to my overall pleasure. YMMV

---------- Post added May 7th, 2014 at 10:54 PM ----------

Oh! Almost forgot, no need to pre-arrange. Do go in when you first arrive, find out what days they are going. Do try to find out how many people they have signed up already; not enough trip might not go; lots and you may need to sign up to ensure your place. If you can, avoid booking right away unless you are reasonably comfortable with the upcoming weather forecast. Though in July, bad weather shouldn't be much of a concern. The boat carries up to 20 passengers but not uncomfortably so. once under say some like to go up top, which leaves lots of room down below.

 

[Downing]

The Blue Hole gets debated on a regular basis around here. See the most recent thread here: Great Blue Hole.

Like Chilly, I love diving the BH and think of it as the first dive of a spectacular day. The two remaining dives are among the best Belize has to offer, and Half Moon Caye, which you'll hit twice, is beyond cool.

Speaking of the BH, the Belize Tourism Board was supposed to be drafting a set of BH rules for dive ops by the end of March. I wonder how that's coming along.

 

[DeputyDan]

You can always skip the blue hole dive - snorkel with your wife for that time frame and then do the other two dives!

 

[chillyinCanada]

You can always skip the blue hole dive !

Sacrilege! !

---------- Post added May 9th, 2014 at 03:32 AM ----------

You can always skip the blue hole dive !

Sacrilege! !