Blue Hole - The True Story

[Jan Kruger]

Good one KAL - i enjoyed reading about it.

 

[Druid]

A couple of years ago, there was a "Blue Hole mapping project" in which they accurately mapped the place giving useful information. I like this concept much more than scaring people that "it is dangerous and lots of divers died there"- if you're going to try anyway, at least have the best information available so you know what you're going into... I couldn't find their website, but I think it was linked in this forum before.

...Most stories about BH are myths.

This article describes the Blue Hole mapping project, unfortunately the website mentioned in the article where the maps are hosted (www.blueholeproject.com) appears to be no longer up.

I would talk to the Lighthouse Dive Center about conditions when you are planning on doing the dive particularly if a swim through the arch is in your plans. Have folks encountered these issues there?

Not sure lighthouse centre do ANY tech diving at all (and certainly wont give any advice any different from wha theother 40+ centres will tell you as well!).

They may not do any tech diving, but they certainly used to do guided dives through the arch :shocked2:

 

[Kal]

Thank you all for your input. I will dive it for sure when i visit Egypt next year.

 

[RickI]

This article describes the Blue Hole mapping project, unfortunately the website mentioned in the article where the maps are hosted (scuba diving belize time management at blueholeproject.com) appears to be no longer up.

It isn't perfect but some of the old web content including some photos can be accessed at: Internet Archive Wayback Machine, including some sectional diagrams at: http://web.archive.org/web/20080321024116/www.blueholeproject.com/maps.html

 

[Nour83]

I just came back from Diving the blue Hole.. just 30 meters deep.. Any questions?

 

[hg frogman]

The arch is a 60m planned dive at the shallowest.

No, it's 55 meters at the shallowest.

And yes, I already went all the way through the Arch at 55 meters, with all computers (mine and buddies) telling the same depth. Several times.

 

[Druid]

i just came back from diving the blue hole.. Just 30 meters deep.. Any questions?

:d :d

 

[nikos81]

I will visit the Blue Hole on January or February on my diving trip to Egypt,but it will be only up to 30 meters. Impressions? Any advice?

 

[Druid]

I will visit the Blue Hole on January or February on my diving trip to Egypt,but it will be only up to 30 meters. Impressions? Any advice?

The recreational dive is usually the Bells to Blue Hole. Entry is about 100m north of the blue hole down a crack in the reef which exits at ~30m. You then swim along the wall, ascending slowly to 6m when you can swim over the saddle and into the Blue Hole itself. Depending on how much gas you have left you will either swim straight across the Blue Hole to the exit, or swim round the edge of the hole. The wall outside has lots of life, and the reef around the saddle area is really colourful but inside it's pretty barren. I like it, it's a nice dive with lots to see including the chance to see turtles/sharks in the open sea. Make sure your buoyancy control is nailed, the wall drops away to several hundred metres.

 

[nikos81]

Thnx Druid. FortuantelyI don't have problems with my buoyancy . I have learned to control it in less dangerous dives