Belize Diving Report
Returned Saturday Aug. 6 from Ambergris, Belize. Did 3 two-tank dives on the local reef and 1 three-tank dive out to the Blue Hole. Based on research and Driftwood's recommendation, I made an early connection with Rudy and Rosa at Island Divers Belize. My experience with them was great! They were small enough to give us personal attention. Their DM's were skilled and knowledgeable about diving and reef life. They were careful and attentive where it was required, but also fun and funny. The boats and equipment were in good shape. I highly recommend them. As always it's best to set up expectations up front and commiting for a week gets you a better rate and more influence over dive sites than going out once or "a la carte."
My lay of the land report: Ambergris is literally 5 minutes from the reef by boat; most diving seems to be done on the outside of the reef requiring the boats to go thru the channel first which can offer some thrills if the wind has picked up; time to most dive sites is under twenty minutes; most diving is done from 40 to 80 feet; plenty of canyons and swim-throughs; multitudinous corals, colors and reef fish along with some large groupers, barracudas, nurse sharks, rays, turtles and eels; the two three-tank dives offered were to Blue Hole (w/"Half Moon Caye" and "The Aquarium") and Turneffe (another atol with a drift dive called "The Elbow"); dive operators in San Pedro are plentiful - most are small operators that do the local reef dives and their are maybe a dozen larger operators that have large enough boats to comfortably make the three hour trip out to the Blue Hole.
IMO what separates the smaller operators is the quality of their boats and equipment and the knowledge and experience of their crews. Their appeared to be quite a range in that respect which is why I am grateful that we found Island Divers Belize.
While Rudy rarely takes his boat out to the Blue Hole, he made the bookings with Amigos Del Mar for us, provided us with his equipment which we already trusted, and accompanied us on the three dives with Amigos. As stated earlier, my son is an 18 year old newly certified diver - open water and advanced courses in July. Having done four local dives with Rudy and crew in advance of the Blue Hole, we felt very confident of a successful dive at the Blue Hole with Rudy.
The Blue Hole is admittedly not a dive that delivers diverse fish populations or any coral life to speak of and I know that many say that it gets more acclaim than it should, but it is unique and spectacular for its one geographical feature - that being the grand stalctites and stalagmites that begin at about 100 feet. Additionally, on our dive we were accompanied by close to a dozen Caribean reef sharks from 6 to 10 feet long, which for a new diver provides lots of post mortem story time for friends and relatives and girls in bars.
For the experienced diver, I am told the best dive is The Elbow out on Turneffe. I plan on taking both of my sons there next year to get that experience.
Yes, I am hooked on diving again because of this!!
