:06: For all of you that have been to Belize(Ambergris Caye) do all or most dive masters that you go out with..do they limit you to a depth and must you hang with them at all times? or can you explore around on your own. diving with Aqua Divers. thanks
Belize ?
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Ayisha
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When we dove with Aqua Divers a month ago, they certainly gave my buddy free reign. He's an instructor, and a cavern diver, doesn't like crowding, and was often 20 - 50 feet away from the group - and me. Although our boats only had 8 - 12 divers. I sometimes stayed with him, but not as far from the group as he wanted to be. That's ok - the DM and I could always see him. It's totally different than the buddies I normally dive with - we're always side by side. He said that he could only do that because I was self-reliant - he wouldn't do that with everyone. On every dive but one, he never went deeper than the DM's.
I sometimes went a little deeper or a little further from the group to get a picture, and they kept an eye on me but never told me to get back. In fact, they pointed out to me things to take pictures of a distance away, and watched me swim after the critters.
For the Blue Hole, however, my buddy wanted to go to 150 feet and he did - by himself. I did not want to, and I stayed with the DM and went to 137 feet with the DM. No one went after him at 150 feet.
For all "bottomless" dives, but especially the Blue Hole, we were told to go no deeper than the DM, who would go to the max. depth.
The day before, on another Blue Hole trip, they did go after a new diver who was taking pictures and was unaware that he was at 150 feet, and they had been trying to get his attention, but he kept falling lower, completely oblivious... They brought him up to the group and did an extra long safety stop.
I noticed the extra DM stay closer to people who were having issues, like with buoyancy.
So it seems that the amount of freedom you get depends on how capable the DM's determine that you are and whether you seem to be in control of the situation, but I'm just guessing.
I sometimes went a little deeper or a little further from the group to get a picture, and they kept an eye on me but never told me to get back. In fact, they pointed out to me things to take pictures of a distance away, and watched me swim after the critters.
For the Blue Hole, however, my buddy wanted to go to 150 feet and he did - by himself. I did not want to, and I stayed with the DM and went to 137 feet with the DM. No one went after him at 150 feet.
For all "bottomless" dives, but especially the Blue Hole, we were told to go no deeper than the DM, who would go to the max. depth.
The day before, on another Blue Hole trip, they did go after a new diver who was taking pictures and was unaware that he was at 150 feet, and they had been trying to get his attention, but he kept falling lower, completely oblivious... They brought him up to the group and did an extra long safety stop.
I noticed the extra DM stay closer to people who were having issues, like with buoyancy.
So it seems that the amount of freedom you get depends on how capable the DM's determine that you are and whether you seem to be in control of the situation, but I'm just guessing.
I dove with Gilbert when he worked for Protech and he was the best in allowing me space for my photography. He and another instructor "Junior" have started their own dive center just north of town.(ecologic DIVERS) you might want to look him up.
The DMs with Aqua Dives were pretty liberal when I went. At times I was a good 80-100 feet away for photo ops. In fact, the spotted eagle ray shots I've uploaded here only happened because I wasn't with the group. OTH, the other dive group DM that came near me shortly after that did signal for me to get back with me group.
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