Belize 2020

[Downing]

I really don't care to get into a big argument, but Ralph's description of how they search for WSs is pretty much exactly how we've done it every time I've gone down there. If the staff didn't have a fishfinder and weren't watching for birds I'm not sure what they would be doing, just jumping off the boat at random places?

I'm sorry your trip didn't pan out the way you wanted it to, Kharon, but calling Ralph and/or Patty liars is uncalled for. I've known them for years. Ralph is probably the most decent man I know and Patty is a hoot. They don't need to make it up and they don't make it up.

Edward, what's the negative about transitioning through the US? Just curious.

 

[Kharon]

.. but Ralph's description of how they search for WSs is pretty much exactly how we've done it every time I've gone down there. If the staff didn't have a fishfinder and weren't watching for birds I'm not sure what they would be doing, just jumping off the boat at random places?

Exactly what the DM did. Jump in, in the middle of nowhere. No search of any kind except swimming randomly in the open ocean and hoping to run into something.

How many years ago was the last time you dove with them?

==> Ignore. I don't want to argue either. I know what I experienced. You weren't there.

 

[Daebado]

I was in Ambergris Cay almost exactly a year ago today and loved it. Dove the Blue Hole and was unimpressed but the reefs around the Blue Hole are fantastic!

We (my wife and I) had originally wanted to do the whale shark thing but it was at the very beginning of the season and we were told it was always a gamble as to whether you would see any or not. Well, for the price, we decided we didn't want to take the chance of spending that kind of $$ to possibly sit around in the deep blue and see nothing.

My experiences diving around Ambergris Cay have me wanting to go back again. The reefs are really close so the boat rides were short. Lots of sharks, both Nurse and Reef (my avatar is from one of my dives there). Just missed seeing a Manatee (snorkelers that were with us saw it). Lots of friendly turtles (one did a u-turn right in my lap!). Saw several Eagle Rays, Tarpon, Snapper, the usual eels, lobsters, both Elkhorn and Staghorn corals and much more. The biggest concentrations of fish, though seemed to be the smaller variety in close to the corals. Also seemed to be large concentrations of Jacks, Sgt. majors, etc. under the boats in the shallows.

It's not Cozumel; there does seem to be more fish in Coz and they are bigger, but I still really enjoyed the area and would go back in a heartbeat. Granted, I don't have the experience of seeing it 10 or 20 years ago so can't compare with that.

The biggest drawback, and I'm surprised no one's touched on this, was the Sargasm! It was all over the beaches and was choking out the wildlife near the shore. Didn't smell too good, either. It didn't affect the diving, thankfully, but was not pleasant during the non-dive activities.

Please remember, this is all based on my experience there and is only my opinion. Others, obviously have had different experiences and thus, different opinions.

 

[ibj40]

I was in Ambergris Cay almost exactly a year ago today and loved it. Dove the Blue Hole and was unimpressed but the reefs around the Blue Hole are fantastic!

We (my wife and I) had originally wanted to do the whale shark thing but it was at the very beginning of the season and we were told it was always a gamble as to whether you would see any or not. Well, for the price, we decided we didn't want to take the chance of spending that kind of $$ to possibly sit around in the deep blue and see nothing.

My experiences diving around Ambergris Cay have me wanting to go back again. The reefs are really close so the boat rides were short. Lots of sharks, both Nurse and Reef (my avatar is from one of my dives there). Just missed seeing a Manatee (snorkelers that were with us saw it). Lots of friendly turtles (one did a u-turn right in my lap!). Saw several Eagle Rays, Tarpon, Snapper, the usual eels, lobsters, both Elkhorn and Staghorn corals and much more. The biggest concentrations of fish, though seemed to be the smaller variety in close to the corals. Also seemed to be large concentrations of Jacks, Sgt. majors, etc. under the boats in the shallows.

It's not Cozumel; there does seem to be more fish in Coz and they are bigger, but I still really enjoyed the area and would go back in a heartbeat. Granted, I don't have the experience of seeing it 10 or 20 years ago so can't compare with that.

The biggest drawback, and I'm surprised no one's touched on this, was the Sargasm! It was all over the beaches and was choking out the wildlife near the shore. Didn't smell too good, either. It didn't affect the diving, thankfully, but was not pleasant during the non-dive activities.

Please remember, this is all based on my experience there and is only my opinion. Others, obviously have had different experiences and thus, different opinions.

Very similar to our experience (although we did the Blue Hole from Turneffe Flats Resort a couple of years prior, and did Whale Sharks off of Isla Mujeres).

I began diving Cozumel in the mid-80's, and Ambergris reminds me of what Cozumel was like as it began to grow.

And the Sargassum is epidemic all up and down the coast, from Cancun down through Belize. It was pretty bad when we were on Ambergris about a year ago, but recent forecasts call for even more this Summer.

 

[chillyinCanada]

I was in Ambergris Cay almost exactly a year ago today and loved it. Dove the Blue Hole and was unimpressed but the reefs around the Blue Hole are fantastic!

We (my wife and I) had originally wanted to do the whale shark thing but it was at the very beginning of the season and we were told it was always a gamble as to whether you would see any or not. Well, for the price, we decided we didn't want to take the chance of spending that kind of $$ to possibly sit around in the deep blue and see nothing.

My experiences diving around Ambergris Cay have me wanting to go back again. The reefs are really close so the boat rides were short. Lots of sharks, both Nurse and Reef (my avatar is from one of my dives there). Just missed seeing a Manatee (snorkelers that were with us saw it). Lots of friendly turtles (one did a u-turn right in my lap!). Saw several Eagle Rays, Tarpon, Snapper, the usual eels, lobsters, both Elkhorn and Staghorn corals and much more. The biggest concentrations of fish, though seemed to be the smaller variety in close to the corals. Also seemed to be large concentrations of Jacks, Sgt. majors, etc. under the boats in the shallows.

It's not Cozumel; there does seem to be more fish in Coz and they are bigger, but I still really enjoyed the area and would go back in a heartbeat. Granted, I don't have the experience of seeing it 10 or 20 years ago so can't compare with that.

The biggest drawback, and I'm surprised no one's touched on this, was the Sargasm! It was all over the beaches and was choking out the wildlife near the shore. Didn't smell too good, either. It didn't affect the diving, thankfully, but was not pleasant during the non-dive activities.

Please remember, this is all based on my experience there and is only my opinion. Others, obviously have had different experiences and thus, different opinions.

Reading your post makes me happy.

I do still love the ease of diving from San Pedro and the topside life. It's only my overall worldwide diving experience that keeps me from returning.

The sargassom has become a fact of life, unfortunately, and as pointed out, not just there.

The first or second year of the sargassom becoming a serious problem, found me diving in Speyside, Tobago. Absolutely disgusting up on shore but I didn't blame the island. The diving did not appear to be impacted, at least at that time and at the sites, we dove. However, there were whole coves completely smothered in the stuff. Heaven knows what's become of the situation down there.

@Daebado, because of your post, I will continue to recommend Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker for a dive vacation with a topside lifestyle that has a lot to offer.

As an aside, I'm one of *those* divers that enjoy the Blue Hole and enjoy it more on each return. I've been in it a dozen or more times.

Were I on a liveaboard, I would probably vote to not dive it but only because I've been in it so many times before and it does give an obligation that curtails other dives that day.

As it is, having only done the 3 tank day trip out from San Pedro, and that is the way the day is structured, I just do the dive and enjoy it, whilst looking forward to the follow up dives at Halfmoon Caye wall along with the lunch break surface interval taken on Halfmoon Caye itself. One of my happy places in this big world of ours.

 

[Daebado]

**** I'm one of *those* divers that enjoy the Blue Hole and enjoy it more on each return. I've been in it a dozen or more times.

Yeah, I'm glad I did it but more just so I can say I did. There just isn't much to see other than big stalactites and a few sharks. Interesting, but once was enough for me.

***** I just do the dive and enjoy it, whilst looking forward to the follow up dives at Halfmoon Caye wall along with the lunch break surface interval taken on Halfmoon Caye itself. One of my happy places in this big world of ours.

Yep! I broke my big toe on that little island walking down the path in flipflops to see the Boobies. I was distracted by an iguana. Strange turn of events as usually it would be the boobies that distract me and get me in trouble while on my way to see something else!

 

[Seaweed Doc]

I've been to Belize a dozen times or so, dating back to 1993. As others have said, reefs are different in different parts of the country. Lighthouse Atoll is probably my favorite. Glover's is phenomenal as well, though it's an "old" reef (geologically) and thus less hard coral. I've dived the barrier reef as well, at a variety of sites within in hour N or S of South Water Caye (or Carrie Bowe Caye, which is next door). I think you can live at Lighthouse or Glovers and get reasonable dive service, though I've had to boat there from the barrier reef.

I've never been to Ambergris and don't have a strong desire to: It's much more densely populated with divers. I like being the only dive boat in the vicinity when we hit the water.

What exactly constitutes a good dive for you? Sharks? The best I've seen lately have been at Lighthouse. In the past, we saw blacktips all the time around South Water Caye, though these days it's mostly nurse sharks. Spotted eagle rays seem to cruise the barrier reef. The best big grouper and such were at Lighthouse. I've seen nice coral "gardens" with lots of sea fans and soft corals on deeper terraces on the barrier reef. The biggest sponges were, as I recall, at Glovers.

And things change over time. The first 9 trips I took, I never saw a spotted drum. The 10th trip I found a few in deep water. The last trip they were everywhere. Turtles are generally coming back, but they are more skittish than their Hawaiian cousins and I rarely see them in the water.

The Blue Hole is kind of fun, but it's definitely a "been there, done that" for me with one minor caveat. There's some interesting seaweed at depth that wouldn't be of interest to most divers but is to me. As others noted, it's typically a 130' dive so AOW seems to be required.

 

[Edward3c]

...
Edward, what's the negative about transitioning through the US? Just curious.

The long queues, an overnight stay, and the non-smiling faces of US Immigration Officers.

 

[Downing]

The long queues, an overnight stay, and the non-smiling faces of US Immigration Officers.

You mean it's not like that everywhere else?

 

[Edward3c]

You mean it's not like that everywhere else?

No, when through Bangkok in March in 5 minutes. The last 5 times to the US it’s been over 1 1/2 hours each time, really annoying when transiting.