Belize questions... (vs. the Bay Islands - Viz, current, etc.)

[Addict]

I am thinking of taking our next trip to Belize.

Just got back from our 2nd Roatan trip this year. I would like to know how the visibility compares to Roatan (I have been to Cozumel, Cayman, Curacao, and Roatan). I felt that Roatan has less visability then all of the others that we have been to, averaging 70 ft or so max.

Also, diving from Ambergris Caye, what are the conditions I should expect? Is there a current? Are most dive sites nearby (aside from Blue Hole)?

Thanks for the information!

 

[Hank49]

There are lots of dive sites within minutes of San Pedro on Ambergris. Most are reef and grooves in between, sloping down to about 70-90 feet where they more or less end. From there is a sandy slope down to about 140-160 feet where the real vertical wall starts. There is usually little to no current out over the reef. There can be fairly strong currents going out the cut at Hole Chan on a high tide going low as well as other cuts in the reef. I would guess the vis is about the same as Roatan. It just depends on the time you're there.

The Blue Hole is about a 2 and 1/2 hour boat ride from San Pedro. Turneffe is closer and I think has the best diving. The Elbow is unreal if you like BIG blue water. Deep wall and active. Down here in the south it's about 45 minutes out to the reef from Placencia. Good diving too. I haven't been yet but some of the locals tell me Glover's is the best diving in the country.
Here you're closer to some of the land based activities like the Jaguar Reserve and some of the river tours. San Pedro has more restaurants and bars and wild night life. (relative to here anyway. I live in the wilderness) Hope this helps.

 

[hopefulist]

Can't wait to be able to respond to this question! LOVED Glover's Atoll diving and will be 1-2 weeks each on Utila and Roatán this summer. At Glover's the water temp was 85+ and the vis 100+ when we were there July/August 2003.

 

[Addict]

Ok. I just found Glovers Reef on the map. It looks pretty small, is there accomodations there, or is it just a spot that you have to boat out to?

Oh yes, in Glovers (if there are accomodations) or in Ambergris is it possible to shore dive? Not like Cozumel shore diving (start in Cozumel, end in Texas)?

Thanks for the replies!

 

[Hank49]

No shore diving on Ambergris. It's about 1/4 to 1/2 mile out to the reef with a lot of boat traffic. The boaters will yell at you if they see you swimming out there. You can go to Rocky Point, about 13 miles north, and camp out I guess. The reef comes right up the the shore there. But there are no resorts within miles of there.

 

[Addict]

Well, that is a bummer.

 

[hopefulist]

There are accommodations on 3 of the islands on Glover's Atoll. You can google to find them or let me know and I'll try to help with that. We stayed at Glover's Atoll Resort on NE Caye where you'd have no electricity or running water and funky Robinson Crusoe style cabins. Great snorkeling and diving from shore. The next caye is Long Caye where Slickrock Adventures has a "resort" which is similar, slightly less "rough" but costs more than twice as much. I believe Manta Resort was opening again on a third caye, also fairly spendy. Happy trails!