Belize Trip - just got back...ROCKS!

[detroit diver]

Belize is the one port that is probably worth going with the ship's excursion- it looked like it was quite a ways out to the dive sites and if your excursion runs late the cruise line will either wait for you or get you to the next port. Roatan or Cozumal is no problem to book your own trips- Cayman depends on the time you have in port. I don't know about other stops you may be making- have fun!

I guess I'm stuck w/ the cattle boats there. Yuck. But thanks for that info. I'd hate to miss the boat when it leaves.....

 

[pilot fish]

BTW, for anyone that lives in the NYC area, the NY Aquarium has a great exhibition on Glover's Reef:

http://nyaquarium.com/426022/12273454

Is it a movie or a series of still shots. Thanks for the heads up. I think I'll plan a trip there to see it.

 

[pilot fish]

Had the best time.

Went to Turneffe Island Lodge (www.turneffelodge.com) for a week, then spend another couple of days in Belize City.

We slipped in between Dennis and Emily. It was a little un-nerving hearing Turneffe being boarded up in the middle of the night that Friday (our last night) as Emily was still on a course for us - but it missed and all is good.

I can't say enough great things about the resort. Its a tiny private island, very clean, very private. The dive sites receive very little pressure, and are almost exclusively dived by divers on the island - so all are pristine and within a few minutes of the place. The food was excellent, the staff friendly and attentive. They had the 3-volume "The Reef Set" in the dining hall / bar (Humann / Deloach) and I sat for hours looking up stuff I saw and shot. What an unreal set of reference manuals. Anyway, I highly recommend the place.

Mid week we dived the highly overrated Blue Hole. Kinda lame. However, the dive on Half Moon Caye wall was the dive of my life. Quite simply the best viz, the most colorful wall and the most eye-popping dive I've ever been on.

Belize City was a little different. Of course, everyone was nervous about Emily. People were great, but the place wasn't so much. We took a day trip to Lamanai - up the river into the jungle. That did not dissapoint. Ruins, jungle, river trip with birds, monkeys and bats and stuff.

Met some great people on this trip - my first to the Carrib. I'm smitten and will be back to the Carrib very, very soon. I don't think this will be our last time to Turneffe, either. Loved every moment of it.

Here are some pics in a mini-gallery with some commentary. Belize 2005

Enjoy.

Ken


PS: a member of ScubaBoard gave us the lead on Turneffe. I love this place.

I realized too late that I should have gone there, to Turneffe Lodge, instead of noisy, crowded and uncomfortable Ramon's Village on Ambergris. What you describe is what I've heard from other divers.

Interesting about the overrated Blue Hole. Glad to hear there is a fun alternative. 130 ft for 8 minutes doesn't sound that thrilling.

How was the ferry ride over from Belize and how were you connections to it? Last ferry is at 3 pm?

 

[Mo2vation]

I realized too late that I should have gone there, to Turneffe Lodge, instead of noisy, crowded and uncomfortable Ramon's Village on Ambergris. What you describe is what I've heard from other divers.

Interesting about the overrated Blue Hole. Glad to hear there is a fun alternative. 130 ft for 8 minutes doesn't sound that thrilling.

How was the ferry ride over from Belize and how were you connections to it? Last ferry is at 3 pm?

Well - FROM BC to Turness was all good. There are a couple of big boats on the island for this purpose. All gear stacked in the center, all of us sitting about on benches, etc. They served this cool, refreshing "rum punch" thing that was very nice. We gabbed, and hung out. Mellow seas, no biggie.

TO BC from Turneffe was another issue. We were evacuating for Emily. So the boat was PACKED. One engine went out, so we were on one prop most of the way (much closer), a little rougher, and we took the second big boat which has an enclosed cabin... HOT HOT HOT. I ended up sitting outside and getting drenched. Again, no biggie, but nowhere as mello as the ride over.

BC was not in good shape when we arrived. The place was being boarded up for Emily (which, as we all know turned North and didn't even bring any rain to BC that weekend.)

I would go back to Turneffe in a moment. That's my issue (one of many, really...) I go to the same restaurants and order the same stuff all the time. So the pressure was really on for this vaca - first to the carrib. It needed to be an out of the park homerun or I'd probably never come back. It was, and now I could go back to Turneffe 10 or 15 times in a row and still love it. Its comfortable, accomodating and pretty mych kicks.

Jaye will want to see a lot more of the world before we go back. She loved it, but she likes to order other stuff on the menu - for some reason... :10:

It sucks to be married to me.

---
Ken

 

[pilot fish]

Well - FROM BC to Turness was all good. There are a couple of big boats on the island for this purpose. All gear stacked in the center, all of us sitting about on benches, etc. They served this cool, refreshing "rum punch" thing that was very nice. We gabbed, and hung out. Mellow seas, no biggie.

TO BC from Turneffe was another issue. We were evacuating for Emily. So the boat was PACKED. One engine went out, so we were on one prop most of the way (much closer), a little rougher, and we took the second big boat which has an enclosed cabin... HOT HOT HOT. I ended up sitting outside and getting drenched. Again, no biggie, but nowhere as mello as the ride over.

BC was not in good shape when we arrived. The place was being boarded up for Emily (which, as we all know turned North and didn't even bring any rain to BC that weekend.)

I would go back to Turneffe in a moment. That's my issue (one of many, really...) I go to the same restaurants and order the same stuff all the time. So the pressure was really on for this vaca - first to the carrib. It needed to be an out of the park homerun or I'd probably never come back. It was, and now I could go back to Turneffe 10 or 15 times in a row and still love it. Its comfortable, accomodating and pretty mych kicks.

Jaye will want to see a lot more of the world before we go back. She loved it, but she likes to order other stuff on the menu - for some reason... :10:

It sucks to be married to me.

---
Ken

That's a ringing endorsement. Does a cab take you to the ferry from the airport. How long of a ride is that?

The tale of the reg busting apart is scary. How does someting like that happen? When was the last time it was serviced? It's good she got back in the water the next day. I don't blame her for being a bit hesitant in doing the Blue Hole after that.