Belize City - Barrier Reef Dive Operation Alternatives

[RickI]

Thanks Dan, I have communicated with the shop already by phone. They seemed to be pretty firm in their position on SCUBA diving only where cruise ship passengers are concerned. I will have the gear on the ship anyway, I'll see what I can do. I have already set up scooter free dives on the other stops without any problems. The neat thing about scooter free diving is that your ability to do deeper, more distant drops can improve substantially. It is a great way to checkout larger featured sites like walls in particular. As with anything new you need to be careful of your approach of course. Thanks for your input and have a great return visit.

 

[hpbelize]

RickI,

I believe the scooter is the major problem. All dives are led and planned by a DM therefore having a free diver with a scooter calls for extra attention that may not be available if there is no DM on standby. I don't think it would be a problem on a regular day but we may not have the resources to cater to your needs on a cruise ship day. I must confess no one from reservations has referred this request before but I'll look into it.

 

[Hank49]

The neat thing about scooter free diving is that your ability to do deeper, more distant drops can improve substantially. It is a great way to checkout larger featured sites like walls in particular. As with anything new you need to be careful of your approach of course. Thanks for your input and have a great return visit.

This is the first time I've ever heard of this. I wonder if it's legal to use one spearfishing?

 

[peterbj7]

Picking up on what "hpbelize" said, as well as the technical requirement that you should be accompanied by a registered tour guide, there is the issue of safety. I would not want to have freedivers doing their own thing unless there was some support for them on scuba. If they're nearby I can provide that support, but if they're further away or deeper that option fails. If I organised and sanctioned that trip and there was an accident that I was unable to respond to, I would (rightly) be hung out to dry.

 

[danvolker]

Picking up on what "hpbelize" said, as well as the technical requirement that you should be accompanied by a registered tour guide, there is the issue of safety. I would not want to have freedivers doing their own thing unless there was some support for them on scuba. If they're nearby I can provide that support, but if they're further away or deeper that option fails. If I organised and sanctioned that trip and there was an accident that I was unable to respond to, I would (rightly) be hung out to dry.

Not to mention that typically the divemasters will have their hands full with the "scuba divers" from cruise ships--as a general rule, if they come from a cruise ship, they are a very low skilled scuba diver at best, if not a "never-ever".

If a freediver wants to use a scooter in a place like Belize, it would be far more feasible to show up from a hotel, in person at the dock, rather than wearing the "cruise ship stereotype" to the party

Also, if he did one scuba dive with them an impressed them with real skills, they may be far more likely to allow him to freedive, and then later the use of the scooter would be easier to allow.

Dan

 

[hpbelize]

Not to mention that typically the divemasters will have their hands full with the "scuba divers" from cruise ships--as a general rule, if they come from a cruise ship, they are a very low skilled scuba diver at best, if not a "never-ever".

If a freediver wants to use a scooter in a place like Belize, it would be far more feasible to show up from a hotel, in person at the dock, rather than wearing the "cruise ship stereotype" to the party Dan

Dan, that is not necessarily true. I know Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Cruises (and Princess Cruises as well) will not book any certified diver who cannot show evidence of a dive within the last two years. In this case the divers will first have to book a DSD. The ship's local operator will also have enough info on the divers they are expecting on the day of the port call. The other cruise lines calling on our port do not provide as detailed info but still enough for the operator to prepare ahead of time. The other issue is the scooter deal. I think many operators would frown at a free diver with a scooter who wants to join a group of certified divers going on a planned profile. It is better to inquire ahead of time the way RickI had been doing before boarding his cruise. Give me a shout when you're back in the city.