Belize recommendation??

[Roadstump]

Thanks for all the Belize responses. Before this post goes off into a 'flying after diving' sub-plot let me say that as totally cool as that sounds, 4 of the 8 divers we have are our own children and like protective parents we probably would not take ANY chances. Now if it were me, that sounds like my kind of excursion.

We will be cruising on the Carnival Elation. Simple trip to Progresso, Cozumel and Belize. Furner asked about a recommendation for Cozumel and I do highly recommend Aqua Safari. I have been diving with them for 19 years. Bill Horn owns and operates the shop and back in the old days when there were only slow boats and crappy gear Bill was the one shop that we totally trusted. We have already booked our own dive boat for this trip through Aqua Safari via email. Aqua Safari, as far as I know, does not cater to the cruise ship crowds so most of their trips leave before the ships arrive. Since we have 8 divers they are holding a boat for us. I suggest you email Donna at dive@aquasafari.com or check out their website.

Ok, what I have learned here is that our ship docks at Belize City and I should try to dive in that area because of time contraints, if I book my own dive trip be prepared to be late because the ship hoses you if you book on your own, there are at least 2 shops in Belize City, seasportsbelize and Belizediving. I will email these 2 shops and see what they recommend.

Gary

 

[DandyDon]

For those interested, here's a post from another thread that sheds light on the subject.

Altitude Divers

Here at Los Alamos National Laboratory, we have developed
a set of altitude diving protocols that are now also sanctioned
and adopted by the USN. Excursions in which the change in
altitude (not altitude itself) are less than 2000 ft have little
risk for air no-deco diving with waits of an hour or two.
And going from 5000 ft to 7000 ft after a single dive plays
like going from sea level to 2000 ft and is safer. Deco and multiple dives are also covered. All very safe.

Procedures are published in book called High Altitude Diving
from Best Publishing Company (Flagstaff) if you are
interested and parallels NOAA, Cross, NAUI, etc.

Pretty straight forward stuff using standard groups and
not rocket science. Plus info on gauge corrections,
air consumption corrections, buoyancy corrections at altitude.

Bruce Wienke
C & C Dive Team Ldr